When you’re in Japan, there are cases where you might need to make a phone call in Japanese, whether that’s for making a restaurant reservation, calling for an emergency, or checking on your friend. Here is where you can no longer rely on gestures or reading subtle body language to figure out what the other person is saying. It’s a true test of your Japanese listening comprehension and speaking skills, where you need to respond rather quickly and hold a conversation with just words and phrases you know. 

Contrary to popular belief, you should not use moshi moshi all the time. So, let’s break down how phone calls work in Japanese and how you can navigate them with ease and confidence!

A Bit of Japanese Phone Call Etiquette

Japan is known for its polite and sometimes complex etiquette, which can change depending on the level of formality, and this can apply to phone calls. Whenever you answer a call from a business or service, as a general rule, you use polite language, like the です/ます form. When making calls for work, like when speaking to a client or customer, you should always use keigo, formal Japanese conjugations. 

So, a big question you might be asking is whether or not you should use もしもし (moshi moshi). This expression is commonly used when answering phone calls between friends, family, and people you’re more comfortable with. You wouldn’t really use もしもし in formal situations like when talking to strangers, service staff, or on work calls. 

Japanese phone etiquette is not complicated and generally follows similar patterns of politeness you would observe in English or your native tongue. You should always start the call with a polite greeting and end with a polite expression conveying farewell or appreciation. So, let’s go through how to navigate a call completely in Japanese, step-by-step.

Making Phone Calls in Japanese

The way you make phone calls in Japanese varies depending on whether you are answering or initiating the call, and whether you’re in a formal or casual context. So, let’s go through some common situations where you would be calling in formal contexts (for work and speaking with clients), casual contexts (talking to friends, family, or people you know), and when speaking to services, like making a reservation. 

Making Formal Phone Calls in Japanese

When making formal calls, you must always use very polite Japanese, which, of course, starts with a very respectful greeting. Depending on whether you’ve worked with the person you’re calling before or you are calling someone for the first time, the greeting will actually change.  

1. Greeting Business Partners or People You Work with Often

Similar to writing business emails in Japanese, the most common formal greeting in phone calls is お世話になっております (Osewa ni natte orimasu) followed by your name and company. You usually use this greeting with people you have worked with in the past. 

Example:

お世話になっております。株式会社アイスクリームのロイです。
Osewa ni natte orimasu. Kabushiki geisha aisu kuriimu no roi desu.
Thank you for your constant support. This is Roy from Ice Cream Inc.

However, if you’re calling a colleague, you should use the phrase お疲れ様です (otsukaresama desu). It doesn’t have a great English equivalent, but it conveys appreciation for your colleagues’ hard work and is often used as a greeting to fellow co-workers, including on phone calls. Note: you wouldn’t say お世話になっております to colleagues on phone calls. 

Example:

お疲れ様です。ロイです。
Otsukaresama desu. Roi desu.
Hello, this is Roy.

2. Greeting Clients or People You Haven’t Met

When it comes to calling clients, customers, or people you just met, you will usually use a greeting that conveys appreciation. You usually thank the person for answering the call with the expression お電話ありがとうございます (odenwa arigatou gozaimasu), meaning “thank you for the call.”

Example:

お電話ありがとうございます。株式会社アイスクリームのロイでございます。
Odenwa arigatou gozaimasu. Kabushiki gaisha aisu kuriimu no roi degozaimasu.
Thank you very much for letting me call. This is Roy from Ice Cream Inc. 

3. Answering Phone Calls in Formal Situations

When answering a phone call in a business or work capacity, you use extra-polite language known as humble and honorific forms. So, when you receive a call, it’s quite common to say はい、〜でございます (hai, ~ degozaimasu), meaning “yes, this is…” The phrase でございます (degozaimasu) is actually the humble form of です (desu), and it’s commonly used in formal situations. 

Example: 

はい、ロイでございます。
Hai, roi degozaimasu.
Hello, this is Roy speaking.

So, after the caller introduces themselves, if you’re receiving a call from a client company, even if you don’t know the caller directly, you can follow up with the phrase お世話になっております (osewa ni natte orimasu).

4. Asking to Talk to Someone Else

It’s quite common when you’re trying to contact somebody on their work phone number that you will end up calling a department desk, which directs the call to whoever is available. So, if you want to get in contact with a specific person, here is how you can do that. 

Example:

すみません、山田さんがいらっしゃいますでしょうか？話させて頂いてよろしいでしょうか？
Sumimasen, Yamada-san ga irashaimasudeshouka? Hanasasete itadaite yoroshii deshouka?
Excuse me, is Yamada-san available? May I speak with him?

5. Scheduling a Meeting

Scheduling a meeting is one of the most common reasons to make a formal phone call in Japanese. Since you’re asking for someone’s valuable time, you’ll want to use polite, humble language to make your request sound considerate and professional.

A common, professional phrase for “meeting” or “discussion” is 打ち合わせ (uchiawase). It’s the everyday business word for a meeting with a client or colleague, and it’s often written with the honorific prefix お to become お打ち合わせ (o-uchiawase) when talking about the other person’s time. 日程 (nittei) means “schedule” or “dates,” and 調整 (chousei) means “to adjust” or “to arrange.” Together with させていただきたいのですが, a humble way of saying “I would like to,” the phrase softly opens the conversation without sounding demanding.

Example:

お打ち合わせの日程を調整させていただきたいのですが、ご都合のよろしい日はございますか？
O uchiawase no nittei o chousei sasete itadakitai no desu ga, gotsugou no yoroshii hi wa gozaimasu ka?
I would like to arrange a time for us to meet. Is there a day that works well for you?

6. Saying Farewell in Formal Calls

Whenever you’re talking with someone who isn’t your family or friends, whether it’s for work, to inquire about a service, or talk to a teacher or coach, you almost always end the call with 失礼します (shitsureishimasu). 

It literally means “I’m being rude”. But despite its apologetic nuance, it’s used as a polite way to say goodbye, kind of like saying I’m sorry for hanging up.” You usually say it right before you or the person you’re speaking to ends the call.

Example:

失礼します。
Shitsurei shimasu.
Goodbye.

In formal work calls, it’s common to end the call with a polite expression that conveys a sense of appreciation and desire to work together again. よろしくお願いします (Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu) is one of the most common phrases you can use to end a formal call. 

Example:

よろしくお願いします。失礼します。
Yoroshiku onegaishimasu. Shitsureishimasu.
I look forward to working/speaking with you again. Goodbye.

When responding to よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegaishimasu), it’s very common to say こちらこそよろしくお願いします (kochira koso yoroshiku onegaishimasu), meaning “No, I’m the one who is looking forward to working with you again”. The phrase こちらこそ (kochira koso) is great for expressing a sense of humility and respect for the one other person by putting the responsibility or appreciation on your side.  

Making Phone Calls To Friends, Family, and People You Know

When calling friends, family, and people you know, you can drop some of the formalities and use more casual language. But similar to formal calls, greetings tend to change when answering or initiating a phone call. So, let’s break down how to make phone calls in a more casual context.

7. Answering or Starting a Call

もしもし (moshi moshi) is the classic phone greeting in Japanese, and you’ll use it with friends, family, and people you’re comfortable with. It works much like “hello?” in English, and you can use it both when you answer a call and when you start one. It’s also handy if the connection is bad and you want to check that the other person can still hear you.

When answering a call from someone you know, you can simply say もしもし, or add a bit more, like their name or a quick “hey.” If you’re the one calling, it’s polite to say who you are right after.

Example:

もしもし、ケンです。今、大丈夫？
Moshi moshi, Ken desu. Ima, daijoubu?
Hello, it’s Ken. Is now a good time?

Keep in mind that you’d skip もしもし on formal or work calls, where you’d use the greetings from the previous section instead.

8. Checking if They Have Time to Talk

Even in casual calls, it’s good manners to check whether the other person is free before you jump into your reason for calling. Calls can interrupt someone on a train, at work, or in the middle of dinner, so a quick check shows consideration. 今 (ima) means “now,” and 大丈夫 (daijoubu) means “okay” or “alright,” so together they ask “is now okay?”

With people you’re closer with, you can keep it short. With someone a bit older or less familiar, add です/ます to keep things polite.

Example:

もしもし、今ちょっと話せる？
Moshi moshi, ima chotto hanaseru?
Hello, can you talk for a bit right now?

Example 2:

今、お時間大丈夫ですか？
Ima, ojikan daijoubu desu ka?
Do you have a moment right now?

If the other person is busy, you might hear them say 今ちょっと無理 (ima chotto muri), meaning “I can’t right now,” or 後でかけ直すね (ato de kakenaosu ne), meaning “I’ll call you back later.” This is a good phrase to recognize since it’s very common.

9. Making Plans With Friends

One of the most common reasons to call a friend is to make plans, whether it’s grabbing food, going to a movie, or just hanging out. In casual Japanese, the easiest way to invite someone is by using the negative question form 〜しない？ (~shinai?), which literally asks “won’t you ~?” but is actually a friendly way of saying “want to ~?” It sounds much softer and more natural than a direct question.

For more casual invitations, you can also use the volitional form 〜しよう (~shiyou), meaning “let’s ~.”

Example:

今週末、ご飯食べに行かない？
Konshuu matsu, gohan tabe ni ikanai?
Want to go eat this weekend?

Example 2:

じゃあ、土曜日の夜に渋谷で会おう！
Jaa, doyoubi no yoru ni Shibuya de aou!
Then, let’s meet in Shibuya on Saturday night!

If they say yes, you might hear うん、いいね！ (un, ii ne!), meaning “yeah, sounds good!” If they’re not free, they may say ごめん、その日は予定がある (gomen, sono hi wa yotei ga aru), meaning “sorry, I have plans that day.”

10. Ending a Casual Call

Just like in formal calls, you’ll want to end the conversation politely. The difference is that casual goodbyes are much shorter and more relaxed. また (mata) means “again,” and ね (ne) adds a friendly tone, so またね literally means “see you again!” You can also say じゃあね (jaa ne), another very common way to say “bye for now” among friends.

Before hanging up, it’s common to thank them for their time or confirm your plans one more time.

Example:

じゃあ、また明日ね！
Jaa, mata ashita ne!
Well then, see you tomorrow!

Example 2:

電話ありがとう！またね。
Denwa arigatou! Mata ne.
Thanks for calling! Talk to you later.

If you’re talking to someone a bit older or more distant, you can swap in a more polite option like 失礼します (shitsurei shimasu), which is the standard way to end a call politely, or ありがとうございました (arigatou gozaimashita).

Making Phone Calls to Service Staff in Japanese

Phone calls to service staff are more formal than calls to friends or family, but you don’t need to employ the same level of keigo when making calls at work. You also don’t really need to say formal greetings, since the service staff will immediately introduce themselves and ask how they can help you. So, all you really need to do is go straight to the point and respond.

11. Calling to Make a Reservation

Making a reservation in Japanese on the phone is relatively straight-forward. You just state you’re calling to make a reservation and then the staff will ask follow-up questions to get your name under which the reservation will be made, the number of people, and time. Let’s take a look at a general phone call to make a reservation.
Example:

(You dial the restaurant number to call)

スタッフ：お電話ありがとうございます。ベストタコスです。
Sutaffu: Odenwa arigatou gozaimasu. Besuto Takosu desu.
Staff: Thank you for calling. This is Best Tacos.

あなた：すみません、今日の午後9時に5人で予約をしたいのですが。
Anata: Sumimasen, kyou no gogo kuji ni gonin de yoyaku o shitai no desu ga.
You: Excuse me, I would like to make a reservation for 5 people at 9 p.m. today.

スタッフ：本日9時に5名様でご予約でよろしいでしょうか？お席を確認いたしますので、少々お待ちください。
Sutaffu: Honjitsu kuji ni gomeisama de goyoyaku de yoroshii deshouka? Oseki o kakunin itashimasu node, shoushou omachi kudasai.
Staff: A reservation for 5 people at 9 p.m. today, correct? Please wait a moment while I check if seats are available.

あなた：はい、お願いします。
Anata: Hai, onegaishimasu.
You: Yes, please.

スタッフ：お待たせしました。お席をご用意できます。お名前とお電話番号をお伺いしてもよろしいでしょうか？
Sutaffu: Omatase shimashita. Oseki o goyoui dekimasu. Onamae to odenwa bangou o oukagai shitemo yoroshii deshouka?
Staff: Thank you for waiting. We can prepare a table for you. May I have your name and phone number?

あなた：ロイと申します。電話番号は090-1234-5678です。
Anata: Roi to moushimasu. Denwa bangou wa zero kyuu zero no ichi ni san yon no go roku nana hachi desu.
You: My name is Roy. My phone number is 090-1234-5678.

スタッフ：ご予約ありがとうございます。ロイ様、9時に5名様でお待ちしております。
Sutaffu: Goyoyaku arigatou gozaimasu. Roi-sama, kuji ni gomeisama de omachi shite orimasu.
Staff: Thank you for your reservation. Roy, we look forward to seeing your party of 5 at 9 p.m.

あなた：ありがとうございます。失礼します。
Anata: Arigatou gozaimasu. Shitsurei shimasu.
You: Thank you. Goodbye.

スタッフ：失礼いたします。
Sutaffu: Shitsurei itashimasu.
Staff: Goodbye.

12. Calling for a Delivery

One of the most common reasons you may need to call a service person is to reschedule a delivery. Usually, when you miss a delivery, you will find a notice slip in your mailbox with the phrase 再配達 (saihaitatsu), which means “redelivery.” Many companies also let you request it through an app or website.

On the slip or website, you will also find your package’s お問い合わせ番号 (Otoiawase bangou), which translates to “inquiry number.” There’s usually a phone number on the slip or website, and when you call it, the staff will ask for the inquiry number so they can easily identify your package and proceed with redelivering it. 

So, here is how you can call the delivery company or driver to redeliver a package.

Example:

(You call the delivery company to reschedule a missed delivery)

スタッフ：お電話ありがとうございます。ジャパン宅配でございます。
Sutaffu: Odenwa arigatou gozaimasu. Japan Takuhai de gozaimasu.
Staff: Thank you for calling. This is Japan Delivery.

あなた：お世話になっております。荷物の再配達をお願いしたいのですが。
Anata: Osewa ni natte orimasu. Nimotsu no saihaitatsu o onegai shitai no desu ga.
You: Thank you for your support. I would like to request a redelivery of a package.

スタッフ：かしこまりました。お問い合わせ番号をお伺いしてもよろしいでしょうか？
Sutaffu: Kashikomarimashita. Otoiawase bangou o oukagai shitemo yoroshii deshouka?
Staff: Certainly. May I have your inquiry number?

あなた：はい、1234-5678-9012です。
Anata: Hai, ichi ni san yon no go roku nana hachi no kyuu zero ichi ni desu.
You: Yes, it’s 1234-5678-9012.

スタッフ：ありがとうございます。確認いたしますので、少々お待ちください。
Sutaffu: Arigatou gozaimasu. Kakunin itashimasu node, shoushou omachi kudasai.
Staff: Thank you. Please wait a moment while I check.

スタッフ：お待たせいたしました。ご希望のお届け時間はございますか？
Sutaffu: Omatase itashimashita. Gokibou no otodoke jikan wa gozaimasu ka?
Staff: Thank you for waiting. Do you have a preferred delivery time?

あなた：今日の夜7時から9時の間でお願いできますか？
Anata: Kyou no yoru shichiji kara kuji no aida de onegai dekimasu ka?
You: Could you deliver between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. tonight?

スタッフ：かしこまりました。本日19時から21時の間にお届けいたします。
Sutaffu: Kashikomarimashita. Honjitsu juukuji kara nijuuichiji no aida ni otodoke itashimasu.
Staff: Understood. We will deliver it between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. today.

あなた：よろしくお願いします。失礼します。
Anata: Yoroshiku onegai shimasu. Shitsurei shimasu.
You: Thank you very much. Goodbye.

スタッフ：失礼いたします。
Sutaffu: Shitsurei itashimasu.
Staff: Goodbye.

Conclusion: Making Phone Calls in Japanese is Easier than You Think

Making a phone call in Japanese can seem daunting because you need to understand everything the caller is saying and respond in Japanese without relying on gestures or anything else you can use in person. But knowing just a few Japanese phrases can allow you to hold a phone call completely in Japanese, from making a reservation to making plans.

Learn How to Make Phone Calls in Japanese with Coto Academy

If you want to build confidence to take phone calls completely in Japanese, then join us at Coto Academy! Our courses focus on practical Japanese conversational skills that you can use in your daily life, whether it’s for phone calls, ordering food, or even working in Japan. 

So, visit one of our campuses in Tokyo and Yokohama, or join us online from anywhere around the world! Ready to sign up or just want to have a casual chat to learn more details? Just fill out the form below!

FAQ:

When should I use もしもし (moshi moshi) on the phone?

Use it when answering calls from friends, family, or people you’re comfortable with. Skip it on formal calls, like those with clients, service staff, or coworkers, where you’d use greetings like お世話になっております or はい、〜でございます instead.

How do I greet someone on a business call in Japanese?

お世話になっております (osewa ni natte orimasu) is the standard greeting for people you’ve worked with before, followed by your name and company. For first-time contacts or customers, お電話ありがとうございます (odenwa arigatou gozaimasu) is the usual choice.

How do I ask to speak with a specific person?

Use a polite phrase like 山田さんはいらっしゃいますでしょうか？ (Yamada-san wa irasshaimasu deshouka?), meaning “Is Mr. Yamada available?” Adding 話させていただいてよろしいでしょうか (may I speak with him?) makes it even more polite.

Do I need to use keigo when calling a restaurant or delivery company?

Yes, it’s best to use polite Japanese. Phrases like 予約をしたいのですが (I’d like to make a reservation) and 〜をお願いしたいのですが (I’d like to request ~) sound natural and respectful, and staff will typically respond in keigo.

How do I end a phone call politely in Japanese?

失礼します (shitsurei shimasu) is the standard polite way to end a call, and it works in both formal and service situations. With friends and family, a casual またね (mata ne) or じゃあね (jaa ne) is perfectly fine.