Essential Japanese email phrases and what they really mean

English: Thank you for your support.

This is the quintessential opening phrase of any Japanese email, and one that you will see over and over again. There is no true equivalent in English, however it is similar to ‘Thank you for your continued support’ or ‘Thank you for always taking care of me.’ You can also omit the いつも (itsumo) and just say お世話になっております (osewa ni natte orimasu). In English, ‘I hope you are well’ is used in a similar way.

Nuance tip: This phrase should be used with external partners such as clients.

English: Thank you for your time just now.

This is a very useful phrase when emailing someone right after a call or meeting. It is usually included at the beginning of an email, just as you would in English.

Nuance tip: This phrase should be used with external partners or superiors.

English: Feel free to contact me.

This is often included at the end of emails. It is a friendly way to let the other person know that they can reach out if they have any questions or concerns.

Nuance tip: This phrase should be used with external partners. If using with colleagues, drop the ご (go) in ご連絡 (gorenraku). This makes it more casual.

English: Sorry for the sudden email.

You will see this at the beginning of an email, perhaps if you haven’t emailed that person in a while or if you have never worked with that person before.

Nuance tip: This phrase should be used with external partners or superiors.

English: Sorry for the many emails.

This is also typically used at the beginning of an email. ‘Tabitabi’ means again and again, and so it is used to apologize for sending many emails. Usually, it is used if you send an email to someone before they have replied back to you.

Nuance tip: This phrase should be used with external partners or superiors.

English: Sorry for the downpour of messages.

‘五月雨’ (samidare) literally means ‘rain in May’ and refers to the heavy rain that falls in early summer in Japan. In this context, however, it is used to convey the ‘downpour’ of emails.  This is used very similarly to the above phrase, 度々申し訳ございません (tabitabi moushiwake gozaimasen). However, this phrase is slightly more formal.

Nuance tip: This phrase should be used with external partners.

English: I am deeply sorry.

This is quite a formal phrase and is used to apologize for something. It can also be used at the end of an email. For example, you might say 大変恐縮ですが、よろしくお願い致します。(Taihen kyoushuku desuga, yoroshiku onegaiitashimasu) This can be translated to, ‘I know I am asking a lot and it is a hassle, but thank you for your help.’ Thus, it can be used in a variety of contexts– it can simply mean ‘sorry,’ but it can also mean that you are very grateful for something.

Nuance tip: This phrase is mostly used with external partners such as clients.

English: ‘I would be happy if…’ or ‘It would be helpful if…” or “It would be great if…”

いただけますと (itadakemasuto) is the keigo way of saying ‘if I could please get.’ The formula itadakemasuto + adjective is very useful. Some common adjectives include 幸い (saiwai; happy) or 助かります (tasukarimasu; helpful). The third one, ‘いただければと思います’ (itadakereba to omoimasu), is a softer way of saying ‘It would be great if I could get xxx.’

For example, you could say お時間いただけますと幸いです。(Ojikan itadakemasuto saiwaidesu) This means, ‘It would be great if I could please have some of your time.’

In some contexts, 幸い (saiwai) can be seen as too casual. So, when possible, 幸いです should be reserved for those that you know well and have a closer relationship with.

Nuance tip: These phrases are mostly used with external partners or superiors.

English: Please let me know. Please advise.

These two phrases, gokyouji kudasai and oshirase kudasai, essentially have the same meaning. They are used when you need to know something from a client or partner. For example, they can be used if you are waiting for a submission and want to know when you can expect it.

E.g. 納期の目安をご教示ください／お知らせください。(Nouki no meyasu wo gokyouji kudasai/oshirasekudsai) This means, “Please let me know the estimated delivery date.”

Nuance tip: This phrase should be used with external partners.

English: Please teach (enlighten) me.

This is very similar to phrase #10, with a slightly different nuance. This is used for when you want to ask a technical question or inquire about something from a superior in a respectful way.

For example, you’d like to ask a professor to teach you about something or ask a superior to provide technical guidance. In Japanese, you’d say 本日の講演の内容をご教授ください。(Honjitsuno kouen no naiyou wo gokyouju kudasai.) This means, ‘Please teach me about today’s lecture.’’

Nuance tip: This phrase should be used with external partners or superiors.

English: Can I request xxx please?

‘Choudai’ means ‘to receive’ or ‘please give it to me,’ so this is usually used to ask the counterpart for their time, contact information, materials, or anything else.

E.g. お時間を頂戴できますでしょうか。(Ojikan wo choudai dekimasu deshouka) This means, ‘May I please have a moment of your time?’

Nuance tip: This phrase can be used with an external partner or superiors.

English: Would it be possible to…

This is a common way to politely ask for something, for example if you want to schedule a meeting for a specific time, to extend a deadline, or to request a change.

E.g. 会議の時間を調整することは可能でしょうか。(Kaigi no jikan wo chousei suru koto ha kanou deshouka) This means, ‘Would it be possible to adjust the meeting time?’

Nuance tip: This phrase can be used widely, with colleagues, superiors, or external partners.

English: Just sending you a quick note.

This is used to send a quick email to let the other person know that it is not a formal email, just a simple note. This should also be used with caution, as it can be seen as too casual in some instances.

Nuance tip: This phrase is mostly used with colleagues or external partners that you are familiar with.

English: Regarding…

件 (ken) means matter, subject, or topic. So, if someone has asked you a question about your schedule for a future meeting, instead of writing the entire question out, you can just say ‘会議の件について…’ (kaigi no ken ni tsuite), which means ‘Regarding the meeting…’

E.g. 会議の件について、電話でお話できればと思います。(Kaigi no ken ni tsuite, denwa de ohanashi dekireba to omoimasu) This means, ‘Regarding the meeting, it would be great if we could chat on the phone about it.’

Nuance tip: This can be used widely, with colleagues, superiors, or external partners.

English: Please see the attachment / Please refer to the attachment.

添付 (tenpu) means attachment, while 確認 (kakunin) means to confirm, and 参照 (sanshou) means to refer. So, whenever you want someone to check the attachment, you can use either phrase. 参照 (sanshou) tends to be slightly more formal, so it is a good phrase to use with clients or those you are less familiar with.

Nuance tip: This phrase should be used with external partners or superiors.

English: That’s no problem.

This phrase has essentially the same meaning as 大丈夫 (daijoubu), but is a little bit more formal. Therefore, it is more appropriate to use in business emails. For example, if someone asks if you could please move the meeting from 14:00 to 15:00, you could say 問題ございません (mondai gozaimasen).

Nuance tip: This phrase can be used with superiors or external partners.

English: Thank you for your fast reply/response.

The word 早速 (immediate) is used quite often in Japanese emails. When you ask someone to do something and they immediately reply and/or execute on it, you can thank them by including this phrase in your email.

Nuance tip: This phrase can be used with superiors or external partners. If using with colleagues, drop the ご (go) in ご返信 (gohenshin) and ご対応 (gotaiou).

DEF株式会社 人事部部長 田中太郎様 (Tanaka-san,)

いつもお世話になっております。(Thank you for your support.)
ABCの佐々木です。(This is Sasaki from ABC.)

先ほどはありがとうございました。企画書を修正いたしましたので、添付資料をご確認ください。こちら、ご不明な点があればお知らせください。(Thank you for your time just now. I have updated the proposal, please check the attached document. Please let me know if you have any questions.)

大変恐縮ですが、週明けまでにフィードバックをいただけますと幸いです。(I am really sorry for the trouble, but it would be great if you could please give me your feedback this week.)

また、御社の資料もあわせて今週中にいただくことは可能でしょうか。(Also, would it be possible to get the company materials this week as well?)

質問などありましたらお気軽にご連絡下さい。(Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions etc.)

よろしくお願い申し上げます。(Best regards,)

佐々木 (Sasaki)

ABC株式会社 営業部部長 佐々木二郎様 (Sasaki-san,)

いつもお世話になっております。(Thank you for your support.)
DEFの田中です。(This is Tanaka from DEF.)

企画書をお送りいただき、ありがとうございます。(Thank you for sending over the proposal.)
内容を拝見いたしました。度々申し訳ありませんが、いくつかお電話で質問をさせていただければと思います。今週どこかでお時間を頂戴できますでしょうか。当方は、平日の午後の時間帯でしたら問題ございません。(I have taken a look. Sorry to bother you again but I have a few questions, so could I please have some of your time sometime this week to talk about it? We are free anytime in the afternoon on weekdays.)

以上、ご教示ください。取り急ぎご連絡まで。(Please let me know. Just wanted to send you a quick note.)

よろしくお願いいたします。(Regards,)

田中 (Tanaka)

DEF株式会社 人事部部長 田中様 (Tanaka-san,)

早速のご返信、ありがとうございます。(Thanks for your quick reply.)

打ち合わせの件について、承知いたしました。(Understood about the meeting.)
Zoomの招待をお送りさせていただきます。(I will send you a Zoom invite.)

引き続き、よろしくお願いいたします。(Thank you for your continued support.)

佐々木 (Sasaki)