Japanese dictionary
How to say "Good evening" in Japanese
こんばんはこんばんは · konbanwa
"Good evening" in Japanese is こんばんは (konbanwa). It is used from about sunset.
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Ways to say "Good evening" in Japanese
| Japanese | When to use it |
|---|---|
| こんばんはこんばんは · konbanwa | Good evening. |
| お疲れさまですおつかれさまです · otsukaresama desu | Evening greeting to coworkers. |
How to use it
The final は is pronounced wa.
"Good evening" is a greeting when you meet. When parting at night, say おやすみなさい or 失礼します.
Example sentences
- こんばんは。遅くなりました。Konbanwa. Osoku narimashita.Good evening. Sorry I'm late.
- 皆さん、こんばんは。Minasan, konbanwa.Good evening, everyone.
- こんばんは。今夜は寒いですね。Konbanwa. Kon'ya wa samui desu ne.Good evening. It's cold tonight, isn't it?
- お疲れさまです。まだ残っていますか。Otsukaresama desu. Mada nokotte imasu ka.Hi. Are you still at the office?
- こんばんは。予約した田中です。Konbanwa. Yoyaku shita Tanaka desu.Good evening. I have a reservation under Tanaka.
- 近所の人にこんばんはとあいさつしました。Kinjo no hito ni konbanwa to aisatsu shimashita.I said good evening to my neighbor.
Questions
When do you switch from こんにちは to こんばんは?
Around sunset or when it gets dark, usually from about 5 or 6 p.m.
Is こんばんは used when leaving?
No. こんばんは is for meeting. When leaving at night, say おやすみなさい or 失礼します.
Using Japanese at work?
See Executive JapaneseExecutive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.