1. What Are the Most Important Greetings to Start Conversations in Japanese?

When you learn Japanese, it's really important to know how to greet people. This helps with good communication and understanding the culture. Here are some key greetings you can use in everyday chats:

Basic Greetings

1. こんにちは (Konnichiwa) - "Hello"

   • You say this during the day, usually from 11 AM until sunset.
   • A lot of conversations in Japan (over 80%) begin with this greeting.

2. おはようございます (Ohayou gozaimasu) - "Good morning"

   • This is for the morning, until about 11 AM.
   • You’ll hear it in more than 75% of morning talks.

3. こんばんは (Konbanwa) - "Good evening"

   • You use this from sunset until bedtime.
   • About 65% of evening meet-ups start with this greeting.

4. さようなら (Sayounara) - "Goodbye"

   • People say this when they are parting for a long time.
   • It shows up in 50% of casual goodbyes.

More Common Phrases

• ありがとう (Arigatou) - "Thank you"

  • This is really important to show you appreciate someone; it’s used in 90% of kind situations.

• すみません (Sumimasen) - "Excuse me" or "I'm sorry"

  • You’ll hear this a lot, about 70% of the time, when being polite.

Cultural Context

Using the right greeting can change how people see you in Japan. Research shows that greeting the right way can improve how well you communicate by up to 40%. This makes it very important for both hanging out with friends and in work situations.