{"id":26487,"date":"2025-05-16T12:22:24","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T03:22:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/toranomon-ls.com\/?p=26487"},"modified":"2025-05-16T12:33:17","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T03:33:17","slug":"mastering-japanese-for-work-business-phrases-youll-actually-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/toranomon-ls.com\/ja\/mastering-japanese-for-work-business-phrases-youll-actually-use\/","title":{"rendered":"Mastering Japanese for Work: Business Phrases You\u2019ll Actually Use"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Japanese business culture is steeped in nuance, and language is at the heart of it. Knowing textbook grammar won\u2019t get you far in a professional setting unless you also understand the expressions and politeness levels expected in the Japanese workplace. Whether you’re attending your first meeting, exchanging business cards, or navigating the hierarchy of a Japanese office, mastering practical business phrases is essential for earning respect and building lasting relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One of the first phrases any working expat should learn is \u300c\u304a\u4e16\u8a71\u306b\u306a\u3063\u3066\u304a\u308a\u307e\u3059\u300d (Osewa ni natte orimasu)<\/strong>. Commonly used in emails and phone calls, this expression roughly translates to \u201cThank you for your continued support\u201d and is a standard opener that communicates humility and professionalism. It may seem formal, but skipping it would come off as blunt or even rude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When making requests, a direct approach like \u201cPlease do this\u201d can be perceived as aggressive. Instead, soften your language with \u300c\u301c\u3057\u3066\u3044\u305f\u3060\u3051\u307e\u3059\u3067\u3057\u3087\u3046\u304b\u300d (~shite itadakemasu deshou ka)<\/strong>, which roughly means \u201cWould you be so kind as to…?\u201d This level of politeness is particularly important when speaking to clients or superiors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In meetings, you\u2019ll often hear \u300c\u3088\u308d\u3057\u304f\u304a\u9858\u3044\u3044\u305f\u3057\u307e\u3059\u300d (Yoroshiku onegai itashimasu)<\/strong>. While notoriously hard to translate, it expresses hope for a good working relationship and is appropriate at the end of introductions, after assigning tasks, or even when signing off emails. It\u2019s a very useful phrase to build the foundation for polite workplace communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When responding to instructions or requests, simply saying \u201cyes\u201d isn\u2019t enough. In Japanese workplaces, acknowledging understanding and commitment is key. Phrases like \u300c\u304b\u3057\u3053\u307e\u308a\u307e\u3057\u305f\u300d (Kashikomarimashita)<\/strong> \u2014 a very formal \u201cUnderstood\u201d \u2014 or \u300c\u627f\u77e5\u3044\u305f\u3057\u307e\u3057\u305f\u300d (Shouchi itashimashita)<\/strong> \u2014 \u201cI\u2019ve received and understood [your message]\u201d \u2014 show that you not only heard the instruction but intend to follow through professionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Office culture also relies heavily on greetings. Say \u300c\u304a\u75b2\u308c\u69d8\u3067\u3059\u300d (Otsukaresama desu)<\/strong> when arriving at or leaving the office, or when messaging colleagues. While it literally references \u201cbeing tired,\u201d it’s a sign of respect that acknowledges everyone\u2019s hard work. Skipping it might make you seem distant or unaware of social norms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even casual mistakes in word choice can send the wrong signal in business contexts, where hierarchy and tone matter deeply. Learning the right phrases helps you avoid awkward situations\u2014and more importantly, shows you respect the culture you’re working in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you working in Japan or preparing to enter a Japanese workplace? At Toranomon Language School, we specialize in real-world Japanese language learning. Our Business Japanese classes are designed for expats like you who want to thrive, not just survive. Join us and take your Japanese to the next level\u2014see the programs we offer here<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Japanese business culture is steeped in nuance, and language is at the heart of it. Knowing textbook grammar won\u2019t get you far in a professional setting unless you also understand the expressions and politeness levels expected in the Japanese workplace. Whether you’re attending your first meeting, exchanging business cards, or navigating the hierarchy of a Japanese office, mastering practical business phrases is essential for earning respect and building lasting relationships. One of the first phrases any working expat should learn is \u300c\u304a\u4e16\u8a71\u306b\u306a\u3063\u3066\u304a\u308a\u307e\u3059\u300d (Osewa ni natte orimasu). Commonly used in emails and phone calls, this expression roughly translates to \u201cThank you for your continued support\u201d and is a standard opener that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2272,"featured_media":26488,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[428,29,20,333,336],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26487","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-business-japanese","category-japanese-basics","category-japanese-culture","category-learn-japanese"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/toranomon-ls.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26487","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/toranomon-ls.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/toranomon-ls.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toranomon-ls.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2272"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toranomon-ls.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26487"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/toranomon-ls.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26487\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26493,"href":"https:\/\/toranomon-ls.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26487\/revisions\/26493"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toranomon-ls.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26488"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/toranomon-ls.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26487"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toranomon-ls.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26487"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toranomon-ls.com\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26487"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}