A brief greeting and a check that the other person has time can make a workplace request easier to receive.

The idea

お疲れさまです is a common greeting among colleagues during the working day. Before a question, すみません and 今よろしいですか acknowledge the interruption. お先に失礼します is said when leaving before others.

Patterns to compare
SituationPhrase
同僚どうりょうへのあいさつお疲つかれさまです
都合つごうを聞きく今いまよろしいですか
先さきに帰かえるお先さきに失礼しつれいします

Examples

  • おはようございます。今日きょうもよろしくお願ねがいします。Good morning. I look forward to working with you today.
  • お疲つかれさまです。佐藤さとうさん、今いまよろしいですか。Hello, Sato. Is now a good time?
  • すみません、少すこしお時間じかんありますか。Excuse me, do you have a moment?
  • お忙いそがしいところ、すみません。一ひとついいですか。Sorry to interrupt while you are busy. May I ask one thing?
  • 一ひとつ質問しつもんしてもいいですか。Could I ask one question?
  • お先さきに失礼しつれいします。I am leaving before you. Goodbye.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

お疲れさまです is a conventional greeting, not a literal diagnosis of tiredness. Follow the workplace’s practices and let the other person decline or suggest another time.

Try it yourself

  1. 同僚どうりょうに仕事中しごとちゅうに声こえをかけます。（お疲つかれさまです／おやすみなさい）

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    お疲れさまです

    お疲れさまです is the workplace greeting in this encounter.

  2. 今いま、＿ですか。（よろしい／おいしい）

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    よろしい

    今よろしいですか asks whether this is a convenient moment.

  3. ほかの人ひとより先さきに帰かえります。お＿に失礼しつれいします。（先さき／後あと）

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    先

    お先に失礼します marks that the speaker is leaving before others.

Use it today

Greet a colleague, ask whether now is convenient, then state a short reason for speaking. Practise the leaving phrase separately.