Learning Japanese: JLPT N5 – Greetings & Introductions

The JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) N5 is the first level, designed for complete beginners. While grammar is important, a lot of your early learning will focus on practical conversation. This article focuses specifically on Japanese greetings and introductions – the basics you’ll use most often! We’ll go through useful phrases, vocabulary, examples, and how to avoid common mistakes.

Essential Greetings

Japanese has several ways to say “hello” depending on the time of day. Knowing these will make a huge difference in your interactions.

• Ohayou gozaimasu (おはようございます) – Good morning (Formal). Use until around 10:00 AM.

Example: “Ohayou gozaimasu! Genki desu ka?” (Good morning! How are you?)

• Konnichiwa (こんにちは) – Hello / Good afternoon. This is your all-purpose greeting from around 10:00 AM until evening.

  Example: “Konnichiwa! Watashi wa [Your Name] desu.” (Hello! I’m [Your Name].)

• Konbanwa (こんばんは) – Good evening. Use after sunset.

Important Note: Using the “gozaimasu” suffix makes greetings more polite. You can drop it when speaking to close friends and family, but starting out, always use it with strangers or people older than you.

Introducing Yourself – Basic Phrases

Here are some key phrases for introducing yourself:

• Watashi wa [Your Name] desu. (私は[Your name]です。) – I am [Your Name].

Example: “Watashi wa Emily desu.” (I’m Emily.)

• Hajimemashite. (はじめまして) – Nice to meet you. This is always used at the beginning of an introduction.

  Complete phrase: “Hajimemashite, Watashi wa [Your Name] desu.”

• Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu. (どうぞよろしくお願いします) – Pleased to meet you / Please treat me well. This is a very common and polite ending to an introduction.

Mistake Alert! Don’t forget “Hajimemashite!” It’s essential in every new introduction. People will be confused if you skip it.

Simple Questions & Responses

Let’s look at some common questions and how to respond:

• O-namae wa nan desu ka? (お名前は何ですか) – What is your name?

Response: “Watashi no namae wa [Your Name] desu.” (My name is [Your Name].)

• Genki desu ka? (元気ですか) – How are you? (Literally, “Are you well?”)

Responses:

• Hai, genki desu. (はい、元気です。) – Yes, I’m fine.
• Maa maa desu. (まあまあです。) – So-so.
• Dame da yo. (ダメだよ。) – Not good / I’m not well. (Use this cautiously, especially with strangers.)
• O-banashi o kiku you ni? (お話しをきくように) – Would you like to talk about something? (This is a polite way to start a conversation)

Real-World Practice

Let’s put it all together. Imagine meeting someone for the first time:

You: Hajimemashite, Watashi wa [Your Name] desu. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
Other Person: Hajimemashite, Watashi wa [Their Name] desu. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

You’ve successfully introduced yourself! Keep practicing these phrases – they’re the foundation of all Japanese conversation.