Congratulations! Whether it’s something you’ve achieved or a win for someone you care about, celebrating life’s big and small moments is a universal experience. Acknowledging these moments verbally is just as important. The most common way to say “congratulations” in Japanese is おめでとう (omedetou). But just like in English, there are many other ways to say “well done,” give kudos for someone’s hard work, and share in their good news.
In this guide, we’ll go over the different ways to say congratulations in Japanese, when you can use them, and introduce other similar expressions that can also be used to commemorate someone’s success or good news.
Meaning of “Omedetou” (おめでとう) in Japanese
As we mentioned, the most common and basic way to say “congratulations” in Japanese is by saying, “おめでとうございます (omedetou gozaimasu).” You may have learned おめでとう (omedetou) before, but what does it actually mean?
The phrase is almost always written in hiragana in modern Japanese and is rarely seen in kanji. However, looking at its original kanji form may help reveal its deeper meaning and how it came to represent the feeling of joy and praise we use today.
Historically, omedetou was written as either お目出度う or お芽出度う. Here is a breakdown of each character:
- お (o): an honorific prefix showing respect or politeness
- 目/芽 (me): means eye or bud, symbolizing something visible or something about to grow
- 出 (de): means to come out, emerge, or appear
- 度 (tou): means degree, extent, or occasion
Together, the expression can be interpreted as “it’s a joyous occasion to see something sprouting or coming to life.”
You can probably tell how its rather poetic origin connects with its current usage of celebrating success or growth, such as someone achieving a goal, reaching a milestone, or beginning a new chapter. Over time, this meaning evolved into the modern sense of “congratulations,” which expresses genuine happiness for someone else’s accomplishment.
How to Use Omedetou in Japanese
Intuitively, you could use omedetou in the same way you would use “congratulations” in English. You can use it whenever you want to praise someone for their recent achievements or positive events, for instance: getting married, giving birth, starting a business, or getting a medical license.
However, omedetou is arguably more flexible than “congratulations” since you can also use it for celebratory occasions such as birthdays or New Year’s. It turns out that there are a variety of uses for omedetou, and its usage might slightly change depending on the situation.
Keep in mind that おめでとう (omedetou) is the more casual form. To make it more formal, you add ございます (gozaimasu) after it. This follows the same principle as saying thank you in Japanese: ありがとう (arigatou) is casual, while ありがとうございます (arigatou gozaimasu) is more polite.
10 Ways to Say Congratulations in Japanese
So, what are all the possible ways you can say congratulations in Japanese? Are there alternatives that are better for certain situations?
1. おめでとう: Omedetou
Omedetou, as mentioned, means “congratulations” or “congrats!” It is common in a more casual context, like with friends and family. The expression is widely applicable to a variety of situations, from celebrating a friend’s success to wishing a happy birthday or holiday. For example, when your friend passes the highly challenging JLPT N2 exam, you can congratulate them by saying:
日本語能力試験N2合格おめでとう！
Nihongo nouryoku shiken N2 goukaku omedetou!
Congrats on passing the JLPT N2!
You can attach almost any milestone or accomplishment to it, like 結婚おめでとう (kekkon omedetou) for marriage, 合格おめでとう (goukaku omedetou) for passing an exam, or 卒業おめでとう (sotsugyou omedetou) for graduation.
2. おめでとうございます Omedetou Gozaimasu
By adding ございます(gozaimasu) to おめでとう(omedetou), you are making the phrase more formal. Omedetou gozaimasu is commonly used in a work or formal setting where you’re speaking to your boss, colleagues, or clients. For example, if your colleague recently got married, you could congratulate them with this expression.
ご結婚おめでとうございます。
Gokekkon omedetougozaimasu
Congratulations on your wedding
Read More: Guide to Japanese Weddings and How to Congratulate Newlyweds
3. めでたしめでたし: Medetashi Medetashi
This is a rather traditional expression that’s not used too often today, but can be a fun and sincere way to express your happiness for someone or to congratulate them. The phrase means something like “all is well that ends well” or “happily ever after”. It has a rather poetic tone to it, like something from a folktale.
Medetashi medetashi has a lyrical ring and jubilant tone, so if you do say it, people will appreciate your joyous nature and knowledge of traditional Japanese expressions. While it’s no longer used very often, you can use this phrase to sincerely congratulate someone on just about any occasion. It can also be used humorously to express congratulations for a pleasant end to something
試験も終わって、結果も良かったね。めでたしめでたし！
Shiken mo owatte, kekka mo yokatta ne. Medetashi medetashi!
The exams are over, and the results were good. All is well that ends well!
4. 良かった: Yokatta
“Yokatta” stems from the root adjective 良い (yoi or ii), which means “good” or “well.” 良かった (yokatta) is a familiar expression often used casually to show that you’re glad something went well. Its literal translation is “was good,” but in conversation it often conveys a warmer meaning such as “that’s good to hear” or “I’m happy to hear that.” It’s a friendly, heartfelt expression that’s great to use with close friends.
仕事が決まったんだって？よかったね！
Shigoto ga kimattan datte? Yokatta ne!
You got the job? That’s awesome!
Did you know you can say yokatta for “you’re welcome in Japanese”. Read our blog for 11 ways to say you’re welcome in Japanese.
5. やったね: Yatta ne
Yatta ne is the warm and spontaneous “you did it!” or “well done”, that you blurt out when you’re proud of someone. Compared to omodetou, which is polite and celebratory, “yatta ne” is more casual, warm, and meant to highlight someone’s accomplishments. So, you would say it after someone achieved something like graduation rather than at weddings or birthdays.
The word やった (yatta) is the past tense of the verb やる (yaru), meaning “to do” or “to accomplish.” When said with excitement, it expresses joy, relief, or triumph, similar to shouting “Yes!” or “Woohoo!” in English. Adding ね (ne) at the end softens it slightly, making it sound friendly and affirming, like “You did it!” or “That’s great, huh!”
テストに合格したの？やったね！
Tesuto ni goukaku shita no? Yatta ne!
You passed the test? That’s awesome!
6. お祝い申し上げます: Oiwa Moushi Agemasu
This is a very formal way of saying congratulations since it uses keigo, or the formal Japanese language. This expression is often reserved for writing in formal letters or emails to someone you want to congratulate. The character 祝 (shuku) or お祝い (oiwai) means celebration or congratulations, and 申し上げます (moushi agemasu) is the keigo conjugation for “to give” or “to offer”.
So, the phrase means “I offer my congratulations”. This expression is common in business writing or formal emails when you want to congratulate a client or even a colleague.
祝ご入学。お祝いの言葉を申し上げます。
Shuku goyuugaku. Oiwai no kotoba o moushiagemasu.
To your enrollment celebration, I offer my congratulations.
7. お幸せに: Oshiawase Ni
The expression closely translates to “wishing you happiness”, more literally “to your happiness”, with the term 幸せ (shiawase) meaning “happiness” and に (ni) meaning “to”. You often say it for weddings or engagements to wish the bride/groom a life of happiness.
いつまでもお幸せに！
Itsu made mo oshiawase ni!
Wishing you happiness forever!
8. 素晴らしい Subarashii
素晴らしい (subarashii) means “wonderful” or “amazing” and can be used as a congratulatory remark to someone’s incredible achievements. You can use subrashii to express your genuine admiration, delight, or praise for someone who just accomplished something grand or difficult. You can say “subarashii” alone as a heartfelt “congratulations” in response to someone’s success or good news.
すばらしいニュースですね！
Subarashii nyuusu desu ne!
That’s wonderful news!
9. すごい: Sugoi
Sugoi is one of the most versatile words in Japanese, as you can use it to express surprise, excitement, delight, disgust, and, of course, admiration for someone’s achievements. It’s somewhat similar to saying “wow” which can also be used in a wide variety of contexts. So in the context of using “sugoi” to praise someone, it would be similar to saying “that’s amazing” or “that’s awesome”. The expression is warm and casual, giving a feeling of closeness.
昇進おめでとう！ すごいじゃん！
Shoushin omedetou! Sugoi jan!
“Congrats on the promotion! That’s awesome!”
10. お疲れ様でした: Otsukaresama Deshita
Otsukare sama desu or otsukaresama deshita (past tense) is a staple phrase in the Japanese workplace. Generally, it is used to express your appreciation for your colleague’s hard work and as a way of maintaining good Japanese business manners. However, otsukare sama is actually quite flexible and can even be used to congratulate someone.
For instance, if you want to congratulate a colleague for their success on a project, you can say otsukaresamadeshita to express your admiration of their hard work.
発表お疲れ様でした！
Happyou otsukaresama deshita!
Great job on your presentation!
Different Situations for Using Omedetou
There are many ways to say “congratulations” in Japanese, but the phrase omedetou is quite flexible and can be used in a variety of situations. Below are a few common occasions when you can say “omedetou!”
| Situation | Japanese Phrase | Romaji | English |
| Birthday | お誕生日おめでとう | Otanjoubi omedetou | Happy birthday! |
| New Year | 明けましておめでとう | Akemashite omedetou | Happy New Year! |
| Wedding | ご結婚おめでとうございます | Gokekkon omedetou gozaimasu | Congratulations on your wedding! |
| Graduation | ご卒業おめでとうございます | Gosotsugyou omedetou gozaimasu | Congrats on your graduation! |
| New Job | 就職おめでとう | Shuushoku omedetou | Congrats for getting a new job! |
| Passing exam | 合格おめでとう | Goukaku omedetou | Congrats on passing! |
| New Baby | ご出産おめでとうございます | Goshussan omedetou gozaimasu | Congrats on your new baby! |
Omedetou for Getting to the End! What to Keep in Mind
おめでとう (omedetou) is one of the most versatile and useful expressions for saying “congratulations” or simply expressing joy for good news in Japanese. However, it’s not the only way to celebrate someone’s success or milestone. Japanese has a rich variety of expressions you can use depending on your relationship with the person and the level of formality you want to convey.
To truly understand when and how to use omedetou and other natural Japanese phrases in real-life conversations, we recommend taking lessons with experienced Japanese teachers who can help you sound confident and natural in everyday situations.
Why not join fun, conversation-focused lessons at Coto Academy? As Tokyo and Yokohama’s No. 1 Japanese language school, Coto Academy specializes in helping students speak Japanese confidently from day one.
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FAQ
Can I say おめでとう (omedetou) to my boss or teacher?
You should avoid saying just omedetou to people above you in rank or age. Instead, use the more polite form おめでとうございます (omedetou gozaimasu) to show respect.
What’s the difference between おめでとう (omedetou) and お祝い (oiwai)?
Omedetou is what you say directly to someone, like “Congratulations!” Oiwai (お祝い) is a noun meaning “celebration” or “congratulatory gift,” which is usually expressed in writing and is considered very formal.
Can I use おめでとう (omedetou) casually with friends?
Yes! With close friends or family, you can drop the polite ending and simply say おめでとう(omedetou), or even add emphasis like やったね (yatta ne) or すごいね (sugoi ne)
What should I write on a wedding card in Japanese?
For formal occasions, you should add ございます (gozaimasu) to the phrase. For instance, ご結婚おめでとうございます (gokekkon omedetou gozaimasu), which means “Congratulations on your marriage.”
What’s the meaning of めでたしめでたし (medetashi medetashi)?
It literally means “and they lived happily ever after”, the kind of phrase used to end a story with a positive outcome. You can use it humorously or lightheartedly to wrap up a happy situation, like after solving a problem or completing a big task.