| Hiragana | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| どうもありがとうございます | doumo arigatou gozaimasu | Thank you very much |
| ありがとうございます | arigatou gozaimasu | Thank you |
| ありがとう | arigatou | Thanks |
| どうも | doumo | Cheers, thanks, very |
| どういたしまして | dou itashimashite | You’re welcome |
| おなまえはなんですか | o-namae wa nan desu ka? | What is your name? |
| おげんきですか | o-genki desu ka? | How are you?* |
| げんきです | genki desu | I’m well |
| はい | hai | Yes |
| いいえ | no | No |
A common phrase to ask about someone's health is o-genki desu ka?
However, there is a critical difference between this phrase and the English phrase, “How are you?” The English phrase is an open-ended question. However, the Japanese phrase is a yes or no question. Literally, it means, “Are you healthy?”
Something to keep in mind about this phrase is that Japanese people don’t ask it as often as people from other countries do. English speakers often use it several times a day with the same person, as a sort of general greeting, not even really expecting a response. Japanese people typically use this expression to ask someone whom they haven’t seen in a while.
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