15 Common Business Japanese Phrases You Need To Know

Table of Contents show

Business Japanese can almost feel like an entirely different language. When you first start learning it, it might seem like you’re starting Japanese from scratch all over again. However, once you become familiar you’ll notice that there are a handful of common corporate-specific Japanese words used repeatedly.

For some, business Japanese phrases might seem unimportant or something only advanced learners need to know. But if you plan to work in Japan or communicate with Japanese clients someday, it’s best to start learning these phrases as early as possible. To help you get started, we’ve gathered around 15 essential phrases that will guide you in navigating Japanese business culture and speaking appropriately in an office setting.

Want to boost your career in Japan? Coto Academy’s 3-month Business Japanese Course is designed to help you master keigo (business Japanese) and improve workplace communication skills. Gain the confidence to speak with clients, navigate meetings, and open up new career opportunities!

Join 3-month Business Japanese Course

Using Keigo in the Japanese Business Environment

The Japanese business language is fundamentally based on keigo (honorific language). This is often why many people struggle to understand service staff when they first arrive in Japan, even if they have studied Japanese. Essentially, keigo consists of special verb conjugations and expressions used to speak humbly about yourself or respectfully honor others.

There are 3 main forms of keigo:

Teineigo (丁寧語): The most basic form, basically the です (desu) and ます (masu) conjugation.
Sonkeigo (尊敬語): Language used to show respect when speaking about the listener. It elevates the status of the other person by using special verbs, expressions, and conjugations.
Kenjougo (謙譲語): Language used to show humility when speaking about yourself. It is used to lower the speaker’s own position or actions in order to show respect towards the other party.

We have a detailed breakdown of Japanese Keigo if you need a further introduction. For now, we will discuss the keigo you might notice in our list of business phrases:

Common Keigo In Business

So, here are common keigo conjugations that you might find in the phrases on this list.

Standard/Textbook Form	Keigo	English
する suru	致す itasu	To do
いる iru	おります orimasu	Exist / is there / present
まらう morau / あげる ageru	頂きます itadakimasu	Receive / give

What Is Business Japanese?

How is business Japanese different from standard Japanese? Generally speaking, business Japanese refers to a very polite and formal form of Japanese (sonkeigo and kenjougo) since that is ideal for business situations. In Japan, social hierarchy is very important and within your company, it is important to show respect to your superiors. But also when dealing with clients, you often use language that holds them in higher regard to show appreciation for their time and consideration in working with you.

Keigo can be used outside of business, perhaps to your coach, martial arts instructor, mayor, president, or anyone who is in a higher social position. While business Japanese mostly uses keigo, not every phrase commonly used in business is necessarily keigo.

So, the Japanese business phrases on this list are just common expressions you can use for business settings (keigo or not). However, many of the phrases on this list could work for other contexts beyond business.

If you would like to practice Business Japanese, please check out our Business Japanese courses!

Useful Japanese Business Phrases

We felt that these were some of the most useful and common Japanese business phrases to pick up for working in Japan. Unfortunately, there is no great English equivalent for many of these phrases, but they do have specific uses. So, we will describe their specific uses so you can understand when and how to use these phrases.

1. よろしくお願い致します (Yoroshiku Onegaiitashimasu)

Furigana: よろしくおねがいいたします

Meaning: Thank you for your support.

You have probably learnt this one for when you introduce yourself; however, it’s a very versatile phrase that can be used in a variety of Japanese business scenarios. This phrase can mean any of the following:

Thank you for your cooperation
Please be patient with me
Please take care of me
Thank you in advanced

Oftentimes after a meeting with a client or colleague, you say this phrase as a formality to either express your gratitude for cooperating or even being patient with you.

2. お世話になっております (Osewa Ni Natte Orimasu)

Furigana: おせわになっております

Meaning: Thank you for your support

お世話になっております (Osewa ni natte orimasu) is a very common and polite Japanese phrase used especially in business settings. It literally means “I am being taken care of” or “I am in your care,” but it’s often translated as “Thank you for your support.” You usually use this phrase at the beginning of a business Japanese email and call.

Example:

お世話(せわ)になっております。会議(かいぎ)に参加(さんか)して頂(いただ)いてありがとうございます。
Osewa ni natte orimasu. Kaigi ni sanka shite itadaite arigatou gozaimasu.
Thank you for your continued cooperation with us and for joining our meeting.

3. 承知致しました (Shouchi Itashimashita)

Furigana: しょうちいたしました

Meaning: I understand.

Unlike the casual わかった (wakatta) or the more neutral わかりました (wakarimashita), 承知いたしました shows a higher level of respect and humility, making it appropriate in formal business settings. Shouchi itashimashita is a very polite way of saying “understood”, “certainly”, or “got it”. It is most commonly used in response to a request from your boss or even your senpai.

Example:

上司：ジョンさん、ホームページの文章を英訳(えいやく)してください。
Doushi: Jon-san, hoomu peeji no bunshou wo eiyaku shite kudasai.
Boss: John, please translate the home page text into English.

ジョン：承知致しました。
Jon: Shoushi shimashita.
John: Understood, will do.

4. お疲れ様です (Otsukaresama Desu)

Furigana: おつかれさまです

Meaning: Thank you for your hard work.

You might recognize 疲れる (tsukareru) in this expression, meaning to be tired; however, お疲れ様です implies a meaning closer to “good work” or “good job”. You often use this expression as a way of saying “goodbye” to colleagues while showing gratitude for their hard work, an important custom in Japan.

Learn more about how to use otsukaresama desu.

Example:

お疲れ様です！
Otsukare sama desu!
Great job today!

5. 失礼します (Shitsurei Shimasu)

Furigana: しつれいします

Meaning: Excuse me.

You use shitsurei shimasu as a very polite way to say “excuse me” or “pardon me”. It is similar to すみません sumimasen, but it’s used in different contexts. You usually would say 失礼します when you enter a room, end a call, or leave the office before your colleagues.

It used to be frowned upon to leave the office before any of your colleagues; however, this unsaid work rule is fading in favor of a greater work/life balance. So you can say this phrase to show consideration to your colleagues who are still working.

Example:

お先に失礼します.
Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu

Pardon my rudeness for leaving before you.

6. 恐れ入りますが (Osore Irimasu Ga)

Furigana: 恐れ入りますが

Meaning: Sorry to bother you.

恐れ入りますが (Osore irimasu ga) is a very polite expression often used to say “sorry to bother you” or “excuse me.” It conveys humility and respect, acknowledging that you are asking for someone’s time or attention. This phrase is commonly used before making a polite request, especially in business or formal situations, to soften the request and show consideration for the listener.

Example:

恐れ入りますが、こちらのEメールを確認して頂いてよろしいでしょうか?
Osore irimasuga, kochira no emeeru wo kakunin shite itadaite yoroshiideshouka?

I’m so sorry to bother you, but can you check this email I wrote?

7. 差し支えなければ (Sashi Tsukae Nareba)

Furigana: さしつかえなれば

Meaning: If it is not inconvenient…

Saying さしつかえなければ is similar to saying “if you don’t mind”. It’s a formal expression for delicately making proposals or asking permission

Example:

差し支えなければ、今週(こんしゅう)の予定(よてい)を伺(うかが)ってもよろしいですか？

Sashitsenareba konshou no yotei o ukagattemo yoroshii desuka?

If you don’t mind, may I ask about your schedule this week?

8. ただいま確認致します(Tadaima Kakunin Itashimasu)

Furigana: ただいまかくにんいたします/ごかくにんおねがいいたします

Meaning: I am confirming now.

“Tadaima kakunin itashimasu” is a way to politely express that you need to check or confirm something. But when you want to ask someone to check or confirm your request, then you can say “go kakunin onegai itashimasu.”

Example:

ただいま8月(がつ)の予定(よてい)を確認(かくにん)致(いた)します。

Tadaima chiimu no hachigatsu no yotei o kakunin itashimasu

I will check my schedule for August.

9. ご存知です (Gozonji Desu)

Furigana: ごぞんじです

Meaning: I know

ご存知です (Gozonji desu) is a polite and respectful way to say “know” in Japanese. It is the 尊敬語 (sonkeigo), or honorific form, of the verb 知る (shiru), which means “to know.” This form is used when referring to the knowledge or awareness of someone you want to show respect to, such as your boss, clients, or other superiors.

Because it is an honorific expression, ご存知です is never used when talking about your own knowledge. You use ご存知です to respectfully indicate that someone of higher status is aware of or knows something.

Example:

社長はこのプロジェクトをご存知ですか？
Shachou wa kono purojekuto o gozonji desu ka?
Does the company president know about this project?

ご存知の通り、明日は休業日です。
Gozonji no toori, ashita wa kyuugyoubi desu.
As you know, tomorrow is a holiday.

10. 少々お待ちください (Shoushou Omachi Kudasai)

Furigana: 少々お待ちください

Meaning: Please wait a moment.

This is a very formal way of saying “please wait a moment”. It is considered even more polite than saying ちょっとまってください (chotto matte kudasai), which you may have learnt. You often use this expression on phone calls or when you need to briefly pause the conversation.

Example:

ただいま確認(かくにん)致(いた)します。少々(しょうしょう)お待(ま)ちください。

Tadaima kakunin itashimasu. Shoushou o machi kudasai

Please wait a moment while I make a confirmation.

11. 〜頂きありがとうございます (Itadaki Arigatou Gozaimasu)

Furigana: 〜いただきありがとうございます

Meaning: Thank you for…

This is a very respectful way of saying “Thank you for..” It’s a humble and polite way to express gratitude for something you have been given, such as help, a gift, or a favor.

This grammar pattern can be attached to the stem of another verb to express “to humbly receive the action of someone doing something for me.” For example, 教えて頂く means “to humbly receive teaching” or “to be taught.”

Structure	Meaning	Example (Japanese)	Meaning Example
Noun + を + 頂く	Humbly receive something	お電話を頂く	Humbly receive a phone call
Verb stem + 頂く	Humbly receive an action	教えて頂く	Humbly receive teaching

Example:

お電話頂きありがとうございます。

Odenwa itadaki arigatou gozaimasu.

Thank you for calling.

Check out more ways to say thank you in Japanese.

12. ご検討ください (Gokentou Kudasai)

Furigana: ごけんとうください

Meaning: Please consider.

We mentioned that some business Japanese phrases don’t necessarily use keigo but instead rely on specific word choices. 検討 (kentou) is one such example!

Both 検討 and 考える (kangaeru) mean “to think” or “to consider,” but they differ in nuance and usage. 検討 refers to carefully examining or reviewing something in detail, often in formal or business contexts. In contrast, 考える is a more general and casual word used for thinking or reflecting on ideas, plans, or problems in everyday situations.

You can use this to politely request your client, colleague, or even boss to kindly consider something for you from deals, proposals, or requests.

Example:

提案をご検討ください

Boku no teian o gokentou kudasai

Please consider my proposal.

13. 申し訳ないです (Moushi Wakenai Desu)

Furigana: もうしわけないです

Meaning: I am sorry.

This Japanese phrase is considered the most polite way to apologize. There will definitely be times you will need to apologize when working in Japan, so you can use this phrase for just about any circumstance. For an even more formal version, you can say 申し訳ございません (moushi wake gozaimasen).

Example:

会議に5分間遅れて申し訳(わけ)ないです。

Kaigi ni go hunkan okurete moushi wake naidesu.

I apologize for being 5 minutes late to the meeting.

14. ご連絡ありがとうございます (Go Renraku Arigatou Gozaimasu)

Furigana: ごれんらくありがとうございます

Meaning: Thank you for letting me know.

Needless to say, you will often need to be contacted when you are working in Japan. So, whenever you pick up the phone or respond to an email, you can respectfully show your gratitude with this phrase.

Example:

直接電話でご連絡ありがとうございます。

Chokusetsu denwade gorenraku arigatou gozaimasu.

Thank you very much for directly contacting me by phone.

15. 少しお時間よろしいでしょうか？(Sukoshi Ojikan Yoroshii Deshouka?)

Furigana: すこしおじかんよろしいでしょうか？

Meaning: Do you have a moment?

In Japan, the culture of ホウレンソウ (horenso)—which stands for reporting, notifying, and consulting—is widely practiced in workplaces. When you need time to horenso with your manager without setting a formal meeting, or want to ask for their time to discuss something briefly, you can use this phrase.

This phrase is roughly equivalent to saying “Do you have a moment?” but it is very polite. You can use it to politely ask someone on the phone if it’s a good time to talk, or in person if you want to speak with them briefly.

Example:

少し伺いたいことがありますので、お時間よろしいでしょうか？

Sukoshi ukagaitai koto ga arimasunode, ojikan yoroshiideshouka?

I have something I would like to ask you real quick. Do you have a moment now?

Closing Thoughts

Business Japanese can be quite overwhelming at first, but with these phrases to start, you will get used to the different expressions used in business. These are 15 of the most common Japanese business phrases that you will hear and need to use. So, try to remember some of them and start practicing speaking Japanese for a career in Japan!

Want to Learn Business Japanese? Join Coto Academy!

As the no. 1 Japanese language school since 2000, Coto Academy in Tokyo helps professionals and expats improve practical Japanese skills. Our business Japanese course opens doors to new career opportunities in Japan. Contact us for a free level check and start as soon as next week!

FAQ

How is business Japanese different from standard Japanese?

Business Japanese differs from everyday conversational Japanese due to its emphasis on Keigo or language used to convey greater respect to others. Keigo uses conjugations of words you wouldn’t typically employ in casual conversation with family and friends.

How do you formally introduce yourself for business in Japan?

To formally introduce yourself you could say, ジョンと申します。But in an interview or business setting, you should provide a full 自己紹介 or self introduction. It should include your name, age, country of origin, school or university, and most recent experience.

What is the term service staff say when you enter a store?

They say いらっしゃいませ which is a very respectful way to say “welcome!”.

Do I need to use keigo with everyone I work with?

It’s standard in Japan to use keigo as much as possible with your superiors, bosses, and especially clients. With your fellow colleagues and subordinates, you don’t need to use it as much. Of course, it does depend on the company and your relationship with each person.

What does “Osewa ni natte orimasu” mean?

Looking to work in Japan or boost your career? You might be interested in: