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.
Part of the guide: Japanese Greetings: The Right One for the Time, Place, and Person →
- 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、さん！ a, tanaka-san!
Oh, Tanaka-san!
- 2
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、しぶり！だった？ waa, hisashiburi! genki datta?
Wow, long time! How've you been?
- 3
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
ないね、しい？ saikin minai ne, isogashii?
Haven't seen you around lately, busy?
Saved phrases collect at practice → saved; quiz them and they enter your review queue.