5 Essential Japanese Business Phrases You Should Know
Whether you’re working in Japan or communicating with Japanese clients abroad, mastering a few key business expressions can make a big difference. These phrases help you navigate daily communication smoothly and show respect in professional settings.
Are you interested in Keigo and Japanese business manners? You can take the quiz here!
1. お疲れ様です (Otsukaresama desu)
Meaning: “Thank you for your hard work” / “Hello” (in workplace context)
Use it when:
・Greeting colleagues during the day
・Ending a meeting
・Signing off an email internally
Common mistake: Confusing it with ご苦労様です (Gokurousama desu), which is used only by superiors and may sound condescending if used incorrectly. お疲れ様です is safe and neutral for peer-to-peer communication.
Bonus: At the end of the day, use the past tense: お疲れさまでした (Otsukaresama deshita).
2. 失礼します / お先に失礼します (Shitsurei shimasu / Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu)
Meaning: “Excuse me” / “Pardon me for leaving first”
Use it when:
・Entering or leaving a room politely
・Leaving the office before others
Common mistake: Using すみません (Sumimasen) in formal contexts. While it’s acceptable in casual settings, 失私します sounds more professional.
Bonus: For even more politeness, use 失私いたします (Shitsurei itashimasu), especially in formal emails or when speaking with clients.
3. お世話になっております (Osewa ni natte orimasu)
Meaning: “Thank you for your continued support”
Use it when:
・Opening a business email to clients or external partners
・Greeting someone you have a professional relationship with
Common mistake: Skipping a greeting or using “Hello” directly. In Japanese business etiquette, this phrase is almost always expected in client-facing communication.
Bonus: For internal emails, it’s more common to start with お疲れ様です instead.
4. 承知いたしました (Shouchi itashimashita)
Meaning: “Understood” / “Acknowledged”
Use it when:
・Responding to instructions or requests from a superior or client
Common mistake: Using わかりました (Wakarimashita) or 了解です (Ryoukai desu), which are more casual and less appropriate in formal settings.
Bonus: Similar formal alternatives include かしこまりました (Kashikomarimashita) and 承知しました (Shouchi shimashita).
5. 恐れ入りますが… (Osoreirimasu ga…)
Meaning: “Pardon me, but…” / “I humbly ask…”
Use it when:
・Making a polite request
・Asking for someone’s time or attention
Common mistake: Being too direct. This phrase softens your tone and shows respect, which is key in Japanese professional communication.
Example:
恐れ入りますが、ご確認いただけますでしょうか。
(Osoreirimasu ga, go-kakunin itadakemasu deshou ka?)
“Pardon me, but may I ask you to confirm this?”
Pro Tips for Learning Business Japanese
- Listen and mimic – Pay attention to native speakers during meetings and replicate their phrases and tone for smoother communication.
- Use keigo (polite language) – Even if your grammar isn’t perfect, attempting keigo demonstrates respect and effort.
- Learn set expressions – Instead of focusing solely on vocabulary, practice fixed phrases to sound more natural and professional.
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