How to Make a Phone Call in Japanese | Professional and Casual Greetings

So, planning to visit Japan soon?

Or maybe you’re already living there and need to pick up the phone for work, school, or just chatting with friends.

And even if you’re overseas, chances are you’ll still find yourself calling Japanese friends on WhatsApp, Skype or LINE.

Let’s be honest: if you want to learn Japanese to any decent level of proficiency, it’s going to take a solid chunk of time. The United States State Department even classifies Japanese as a “super-hard language.” But phone greetings? That’s one of those skills you can start using (and mastering) right away.

From the casual moshi moshi you’ve probably heard in movies and anime, to the ultra-polished business etiquette required in professional settings, you’ll be fully prepared to handle any call with confidence!

Why phone etiquette matters in Japan

In Japan, politeness and hierarchy shape how people communicate. (If this is news to you, see our blog post on keigo). The way you talk changes depending on whether you’re talking to a friend, a boss, or a client. This cultural expectation naturally extends to phone calls.

Unlike face-to-face meetings, where body language and visual cues soften your words, the phone relies on tone and phrasing alone. That’s why speaking politely—and choosing the right greeting—matters so much.

Pick the right Japanese greeting

Knowing which level of politeness to use can mean the difference between sounding friendly and sounding rude.

We’ll go into these greetings in more detail in the following section.

When to Use Casual vs. Formal Greetings

In Japanese, the way you answer the phone depends on who’s calling and the relationship you have with them. Using the wrong level of politeness can make you sound either too stiff with friends or too casual in a professional setting.

Use casual greetings when:

Use formal greetings when:

Common Japanese phone greetings for casual situations

When you’re calling friends or family in Japan, the rules are much looser than in a business setting.

You don’t need to worry about honorifics or formal phrasing—just sounding natural is enough.

Here are the most common ways people usually answer the phone:

もしもし (moshi moshi) – when and why it’s used

You’ve probably heard moshi moshi in anime or movies. But what does it actually mean?

According to the Japanese edition of Wiktionary:

Moshi moshi comes from the verb 申す

(mōsu), a humble way of saying “to speak.” Originally, people repeated it as もうしもうし (mōshi mōshi) to confirm the line was working. Over time, this shifted in sound to the shorter もしもし (moshi moshi), which became the standard on the telephone.

Today, it’s the standard way to start a casual phone conversation.

はい (hai) – answering among friends or family

Another very common way to pick up the phone is just saying hai (“yes”). You’ll hear this a lot if the caller ID shows a familiar name. It’s shorter and feels more direct than moshi moshi. Often, hai is followed immediately by the person’s name or a casual phrase, like:

This style works fine with people you’re close to, but not with strangers.

もし / もっしー (moshi / mosshī) – playful variations

Sometimes you might hear shortened or playful versions of moshi moshi.

These aren’t standard greetings—you won’t find them in textbooks—but they do pop up in daily life. Think of them like saying “’sup?” instead of “hello” in English. Note: Use these only with people you’re really close to. They’re fun, but totally inappropriate in formal or business settings.

Short sample dialogue between friends

Here’s what a casual phone call might sound like:

Japanese:

English:

Professional Japanese phone greetings

When answering professional calls in Japan, greetings are much more structured than in casual conversations. Using the right expressions shows respect and sets the tone for the entire conversation.

Here are the key phrases you’ll need:

はい、___です (Yes, this is ___)

This is the most common way to introduce yourself or your company when answering the phone.

Individual at work

Company / department:

どちら様でしょうか (May I ask who’s calling?)

When you don’t recognize the caller, you can politely ask who they are.

This comes off much softer and more polite than directly saying “Who is this?” in English. Adding 「恐れ入りますが」

(excuse me, but…) makes it extra polite.

私は___です (This is ___)

When you make a phone call in Japanese, it’s expected that you introduce yourself right away—by saying your name and, in business, the company you represent.

Example:

いつもお世話になっております (Thank you for your continued support)

This phrase doesn’t have a direct English equivalent, but it’s essential in Japanese business culture.

Example:

Appropriate tone & honorifics

In business phone calls, what you say matters, but how you say it matters just as much.

Tone

Speak clearly, slowly, and with a slightly higher pitch than usual. It signals attentiveness.

Honorifics (keigo)

For a more thorough introduction to Japanese honorifics, see this article.

Otherwise, in brief:

A few examples:

Useful phrases for phone conversations

Once you’ve mastered greetings, the next step is handling the flow of a conversation. These are the most common phrases you’ll hear (and need to use) in Japanese phone calls.

___さんをお願いします (May I speak with ___?)

If you want to speak with a specific person, use this phrase:

In business, add more politeness:

Note on “san” vs. “sama”

In Japanese, honorifics change the level of respect you show:

少々お待ちください (Please hold on for a moment)

When you need time to transfer the call or check something, say:

Even more polite:

「お待たせいたしました」 is a uniquely Japanese expression that combines both an apology (“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting”) and gratitude (“Thank you for waiting”). In English, “Sorry to have kept you waiting” is the closest translation, but “Thank you for waiting” is also commonly used.

電波が悪いようです (The connection seems to be poor)

Phones don’t always cooperate. To explain poor audio, say:

Other options:

もう一度お願いします (Could you say that again?)

For language learners, speaking on the phone in a foreign language often feels more difficult than having a face-to-face conversation. Don’t worry, though. If you don’t catch what the other person said, it’s perfectly fine to ask politely:

失礼いたします (I’ll take my leave)

When finishing a professional call, don’t just hang up. Use:

This phrase signals the conversation is ending and keeps things polite. In casual calls with friends, you’d just say じゃあね

(“See you”) or バイバイ (“Bye-bye”).

These phrases are mainly used for business calls or when contacting stores/organizations, not casual chats with friends.

Leaving a message, receiving a message

In business calls, you won’t always reach the person you’re looking for. That’s why knowing how to leave messages and respond politely is essential.

伝言をお願いします (Could I leave a message?)

If the person you’re calling is not available, you can ask the receiver to pass on your message.

This keeps the request polite and professional.

折り返しお願いします (Could you please ask them to return my call?)

If you prefer that the other person returns the call, use:

Shorter version (still polite, though it sounds quite abrupt in English):

Responding to a message politely

If you’re the one receiving the message, it’s important to acknowledge it politely:

If someone asks for a callback:

Hanging up the phone

Ending a call politely is just as important as starting one—especially in Japanese culture.

Casual (friends/family)

A few options for you:

Super light and friendly, no need for keigo.

Semi-formal (teachers, acquaintances, service staff)

Now a few you can use with people you aren't as close to:

Formal/Business

And now some more professional ways to end a call:

Sample dialogues

Seeing the phrases in action makes it much easier to remember. Here are two sample phone conversations—one casual, one professional.

Casual call (two friends)

Here's how a casual phone call might look, first in Japanese then in Englsih:

Japanese:

English:

Business call (client and company representative)

And now the sort of thing you might hear in a more formal situation:

Japanese:

English:

Modern alternatives to phone calls

Phones aren’t the only way people communicate in Japan anymore. In fact, for many situations, apps have taken over. Still, knowing traditional phone etiquette is far from useless.

Rise of messaging apps like LINE

WhatsApp and Messenger are common worldwide, but in Japan, LINE is the dominant messaging app—used by approx. 80% of the population, or about 97 million monthly users, according to Digital 2025. People often use LINE calls instead of traditional phone calls.

For casual communication, messaging apps often feel more convenient and less intrusive than a phone call.

Why formal phone etiquette still matters

Even though apps are popular, formal phone calls are still a key part of Japanese business culture.

In other words: LINE may cover your social life, but professional credibility in Japan still hinges upon phone etiquette. If you want to build trust and avoid sounding rude, mastering formal greetings on the phone is non-negotiable.

FAQs: Frequently-asked questions

Even after learning the basics, you might still wonder about specific situations. Here are some of the most common questions learners have:

Struggling to wrap your head around Japanese phone etiquette?

It might feel overwhelming to remember when to say moshi moshi, when to use hai, or how to sound polite enough on the phone. But don’t worry—this isn’t something you need to memorize all at once. As you spend more time consuming Japanese media, you’ll naturally come across phone scenes again and again.

You’ll hear people greet each other with moshi moshi...

or start a client call with itsumo osewa ni natte orimasu...

And little by little, it will stick.

Learn Japanese with Migaku

Learn Japanese — to the last ring

At the end of the day, Japanese phone etiquette isn’t about memorizing every phrase. It’s about knowing when to be casual, when to be formal, and letting your tone do the work.

Moshi moshi for friends, hai everywhere, and polite set phrases for business—those are the essentials. The rest will come naturally as you keep listening to real Japanese.

That point is important—it's the Golden Rule of Language Learning:

So pick up that phone, don’t stress too much, and...

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