A Guide to Self Introduction in Japanese

Let’s get you prepared to meet new people with a simple Japanese introduction, or jikoshõkai (自己紹介), which means ‘self-introduction’ in Japanese. Having this language knowledge will be extremely helpful for Japanese learners as it will help you establish yourself among Japanese friends and colleagues.

In this guide, we will look at the basic essential phrases first and then move on to variations of those phrases. You will also learn the proper etiquette and cultural pointers to help you introduce yourself well.

Basic self-introduction in Japanese

The three basic and essential phrases you need to know are as follows:

• Hajimemashite (はじめまして)
  (Nice to meet you.)
  

• [-name-] desu ([name] です)
  (I am [name].)
  

• Yoroshiku onegaishimasu (よろしくお願いします)
  (Please treat me well.)
  

Using these three phrases as one set is the most concise and also the best approach for your self introduction in Japanese. They should also be easy to remember, and they are just enough to introduce yourself in a polite manner.

Once you’ve mastered these three phrases, you will be all set. This may be much easier than what you were expecting, considering the stereotype of Japanese people as being extremely polite and having many rules for social interaction.

Although there are other versions of these phrases, we will first look at the basic phrases and discuss their cultural aspects. Let's have a look at each phrase one by one.

Hajimemashite (はじめまして)

When you meet someone for the first time, the very first word you need to start with is hajimemashite (はじめまして). This greeting word originates from the word hajimete, which means ‘for the first time.’ Hajimemashite would be the equivalent of ‘nice to meet you’ in English.

We say hajimemashite at the beginning of a self-introduction, and it is suitable when meeting anyone, regardless of age or status.

Stating your name

The simplest way to state your name is by saying “[name] desu.” You can simply state your name and end with the word desu. A direct translation of this would be, “I am [name].”

Apart from this simple phrase, you can also use phrases such as “[name] to mōshimasu” ([name] と申します). In this version, you are stating your name in a humble way – this is a version to keep in mind when you find yourself in more formal situations.

You may notice that there is no Japanese word for ‘I’ or ’my’ in these phrases. If you would like to include these words, you can say one of the following two sentences:

• Watashi wa [name] desu. (私は [name] です)
• Watashi wa [name] to mōshimasu. (私は [name] と申します)

Although it is not at all grammatically wrong to say ‘watashi wa,’ bear in mind that Japanese people rarely use ‘watashi’ in conversation as it is easily understood from the context. When introducing yourself, ‘watashi wa’ can be omitted to make it sound more natural to a native Japanese.

Yoroshiku onegaishimasu (よろしくお願いします)

Let’s now look into the phrase yoroshiku onegaishimasu. The word yoroshiku (よろしく) is an adverb that literally means ‘well.’ The expression onegaishimasu (お願いします) is used to ask someone to do something for you.

Therefore, yoroshiku onegaishimasu (よろしくお願いします) can be translated as “Please treat me well” or “Please take care of me.” Some even translate it as “Don’t be too harsh on me.”

This expression can also be used in situations other than self-introductions. For example, you can use it at the end of an email, especially in a business situation, as a way of signing off. Since it does not have a precise English translation, it might be difficult to grasp the meaning. It generally refers to an action that will take place in the future, and it expresses gratitude or a request in a polite manner.

In short, yoroshiku onegaishimasu (よろしくお願いします) is a phrase that you will encounter in a variety of situations, but for now just remember how it is used to introduce yourself.

A magic word of response

There is a magic word you can use as a response that is definitely worth remembering! The phrase kochirakoso (こちらこそ) is such a useful way to respond to expressions like yoroshiku onegaishimasu (よろしくお願いします).

Kochirakoso (こちらこそ) comes from the words kochira (こちら) and koso (こそ). The word kochira (こちら) is a demonstrative pronoun used to refer to something close to the speaker in a polite and humble manner. It can be translated as ‘me,’ ‘us’ and so on. The word koso (こそ) is a particle to emphasize the preceding word.

We use the phrase kochirakoso (こちらこそ) when we want to say the same thing someone just said to us. It is very similar to English phrases like ‘you too,’ ‘me too,’ ‘likewise,’ and ‘same here.’

When someone introduces themselves to you and ends their introduction with yoroshiku onegaishimasu, it is your turn to reply with this magic word.

‘Nice to meet you’ in Japanese

We have already learned the phrase hajimemashite (‘nice to meet you’) as an essential phrase to know in a Japanese self-introduction. Hajimemashite is only used when you meet someone for the first time. But what if you want to express that you are happy to see someone again? For that, you can use one of the following expressions:

• Oai dekite ureshii desu (お会いできて嬉しいです)
• Ome ni kakarete ureshii desu (お目にかかれて嬉しいです)
• Ome ni kakarete kōei desu (お目にかかれて光栄です)

These can be literally translated as, “I am happy to be able to meet you.” This is a nice way to let someone know that you are delighted to meet someone for the first time or see them again.

The first expression, “Oai dekite ureshii desu,” is the most informal. The word oai (お会い) is a form of the verb aimasu (会います), which means ‘to meet’ or ‘to see’ someone. Dekite is from the modal auxiliary verb dekimasu (できます), which means ‘can’ or ‘be able to.’ And the phrase ureshii desu (嬉しいです) means ‘I’m happy.’

The whole expression implies that you have been wanting to meet this person as well. If you are meeting the person for the second time or more, you can add the word mata (また), which means ‘again,’ and say, “Mata oai dekite ureshii desu” (またお会いできて嬉しいです), meaning “I am pleased to see you again.”

The second expression, “Ome ni kakarete ureshii desu” (お目にかかれて嬉しいです), is slightly more polite, and “Ome ni kakarete kōei desu” (お目にかかれて光栄です)’ is the most polite of the three expressions.

Describing yourself

When you introduce yourself, you might want to add some more details about yourself. How can you do that? It is very simple. After you state your name, you can state your nationality, occupation, age or even your hobby. This is a good way for other people to get to know you better.

Just remember to end your self introduction by saying, “Yoroshiku onegaishimasu” (よろしくお願いします).

For ways to talk about your hobbies, take a look at our guide to hobbies in Japanese.

Stating your nationality

There are two ways of stating your nationality or where you are from.

One way is to mention the name of your country and add the word jin (人). For example, you could say ‘American’ as ‘amerika jin’ (アメリカ人), ‘British’ as ‘igirisu jin’ (イギリス人), and so on. You just need to remember how to say your country’s name in Japanese.

Another way to state your origin is to use the word shusshin (出身), which means ‘originated from’ in English, and form one of the following sentences:

• Shusshin wa tōkyō desu. (出身は 東京です) (I’m from Tokyo.)
  

• Shusshin wa igirisu no rondon desu. (出身は イギリスのロンドンです) (I’m from London, England.)
  

As you can see, when we use the word shusshin (出身), we can mention not only our home country but also our hometown.

“How are you?” in Japanese

Asking someone “How are you?” is a simple greeting commonly used in English, and it can be a good phrase to start a conversation. You may be tempted to ask “How are you?” in Japanese as well, but this is not common as it is considered slightly too direct or unnatural. Especially with new people you meet, you should never ask this question as it may sound rude. It can only be used when you know the person and have not seen them for a while.

If you do ask this question, be aware that it is considered polite in Japan to express humility, so even if the person feels great, you may receive a modest answer such as 'so-so.'

It’s important to keep in mind that asking “How are you?” in Japanese is not just a matter of language knowledge or translation. Instead, it’s a matter of understanding the nuance and cultural context properly. Sometimes, direct translations do not fit the cultural context.

Japanese introduction etiquette

Bowing is a necessary and natural gesture among Japanese people when they meet each other, which you may find quite awkward in some situations. Therefore, you may need to prepare yourself for this particular gesture of greeting.

There are plenty of rules concerning bowing as etiquette in Japanese culture, ranging from the degree of bending to the position of your hands. It is almost impossible to simplify the description of proper bowing.

As a Japanese language learner, the most important thing is to express your courtesy towards others and show a positive attitude towards Japanese culture. So don’t worry too much about the perfect bow, and instead focus on expressing your sincerity.

With that being said, there are few gestures that you might want to avoid when bowing. Bowing continuously many times gives an impression of silliness or rudeness, and talking while bowing would not make a good impression. Keep these points in mind to avoid being perceived as rude.

Wrapping up

Hopefully by now you are confident in knowing how to give a proper self introduction in Japanese. By using the three simple phrases and following the pointers we mentioned, you will have no trouble making a good first impression on the people you meet.

As a reminder, here are the essential key phrases to introduce yourself in Japanese:

• Hajimemashite (はじめまして) (Nice to meet you.)
  

• [name] desu ([name] です) (I am [name].)
  

• Yoroshiku onegaishimasu (よろしくお願いします) (Please treat me well.)
  

With these simple phrases, I hope you will meet a lot of new people and establish wonderful relationships with them. Time to go out and meet people!