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How are you in Japanese (and why ogenki desu ka is rarely used)

Textbooks teach as how are you?, but Japanese people don’t use it as a daily greeting. Here’s when it fits, what natives say instead, and how to answer.

Phrases3 min readUpdated
The short answer
  • おげんきですか means are you well? and is used after not seeing someone for a while.
  • Day to day, a greeting like こんにちは or おはよう replaces “how are you?”.
  • Casual check-ins: げんき？, さいきんどう？ (how’s it going lately?).
  • Typical answer: げんきです or the polite おかげさまで (thanks to you, I’m well).

おげんきですか: when to use it

  • おげんきですかo-genki desu ka
    How are you? / Have you been well?Polite. After weeks or months apart, or in letters and emails.
  • げんき？genki?
    You doing okay?Casual, among friends.

means healthy, energetic, well. Asking a colleague you saw yesterday おげんきですか would sound odd, a bit like asking “have you been in good health?” every morning.

What people say instead

For everyday encounters, the greeting itself does the job: , , or at work . Often followed by small talk about the weather:

  • きょうはあついですねkyō wa atsui desu ne
    Hot today, isn’t it?
  • さむくなりましたねsamuku narimashita ne
    It’s gotten cold, hasn’t it?
  • さいきんどう？saikin dō?
    How’s it going lately?Casual, friends.
  • どうですかdō desu ka
    How is it? / How are things?About something specific: work, a trip, a meal.

More in our guide to Japanese greetings and the weather in Japanese.

How to answer

  • げんきですgenki desu
    I’m well.
  • おかげさまで、げんきですokagesama de, genki desu
    I’m well, thank you.Literally “thanks to you”. Very natural and polite.
  • まあまあですmāmā desu
    So-so.
  • ちょっとつかれていますchotto tsukarete imasu
    I’m a little tired.
  • げんきだよgenki da yo
    I’m good! (casual)

Then return the question: (and you?). Just add the person’s name with さん and は.

When someone seems unwell

  • だいじょうぶですかdaijōbu desu ka
    Are you okay?
  • どうしたんですかdō shita n desu ka
    What’s wrong?
  • おだいじにodaiji ni
    Get well soon / Take careTo someone who is ill.

Meeting again after a long time

  • おひさしぶりですo-hisashiburi desu
    Long time no see.
  • おげんきでしたかo-genki deshita ka
    Have you been well?
  • ひさしぶり！げんきだった？hisashiburi! genki datta?
    Long time! How’ve you been? (casual)
What would you say?0/3

  1. You see your colleague in the morning (you saw them yesterday).

  2. A friend asks げんき？ and you’re fine.

  3. A polite, natural way to say “I’m well, thanks”:

Frequently asked questions

How do you say how are you in Japanese?

The textbook phrase is お元気ですか (o-genki desu ka), but it's used after not seeing someone for a while. In daily life, people simply greet each other with こんにちは or おはよう.

How do you answer ogenki desu ka?

Say げんきです (I'm well) or, more politely, おかげさまで、げんきです (I'm well, thanks to you). Then ask back with the person's name plus さんは？

What does okagesama de mean?

おかげさまで literally means 'thanks to you' and is a polite way to say things are going well, expressing gratitude for others' support.

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