Bumping into a friend on the street
By the end you'll say the right thing in the first ten seconds when you spot a friend by chance.
- 1
あ、〇〇さん！
a, ~san!
A surprised greeting when you spot someone you know.
Use when spotting a friend across the street, in a station
あ、田中さん！
a, tanaka-san!
Oh, Tanaka-san!
- 2
久しぶり
hisashiburi
'Long time no see' between friends. Drop です to keep it casual.
Use when running into a friend you haven't seen in a while
わあ、久しぶり！元気だった？
waa, hisashiburi! genki datta?
Wow, long time! How've you been?
- 3
最近見ないね
saikin minai ne
'I haven't seen you around lately' as a warm conversation hook.
Use when you've crossed paths less often than usual
最近見ないね、忙しい？
saikin minai ne, isogashii?
Haven't seen you around lately, busy?
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