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Useful Japanese Phrases: Part 17

Essential Japanese Phrases for Beginners
Part 17: Congratulations in Japanese

1. Congratulations! : おめでとうございます! Omedetoo gozaimasu! (Formal)

2. Congratulations! : おめでとう! Omedetoo! (Informal)

3. Happy birthday! : (お) たんじょうび、おめでとうございます! (O) tanjoobi omedetoo gozaimasu! (Formal)

4. Happy birthday! : (お) たんじょうび、おめでとう! (O) tanjoobi omedetoo! (Informal)

5. Congratulations on your engagement!: (ご) こんやく、おめでとうございます! (Go)konyaku omedetoo gozaimasu! (Formal)

6. Congratulations on your engagement! : (ご) こんやく、おめでとう! (Go) konyaku omedetoo! (Informal)

7. Congratulations on your marriage! : (ご) けっこん、おめでとうございます! (Go)kekkon omedetoo gozaimasu! (Formal)

8. Congratulations on your marriage! : (ご) けっこん、おめでとう! (Go) kekkon omedetoo! (Informal)

9. Congratulations on your graduation! : (ご) そつぎょう、おめでとうございます! (Go) sotsugyoo omedetoo gozaimasu! (Formal)

10. Congratulations on your graduation! : (ご) そつぎょう、おめでとう! (Go) sotsugyoo omedetoo! (Informal)

11. Congratulations on your discharge from the hospital! : たいいん、おめでとうござい ます! Taain omedetoo gozaimasu! (Formal)

12. Congratulations on your discharge from the hospital! : たいいん、おめでとう! Taain omedetoo! (Informal)

13. Congratulations on your (safe) delivery (of the baby)! : (ご) しゅっさん、おめでとう ございます! (Go) shussan omedetoo gozaimasu! (Formal)

14. Congratulations on your (safe) delivery (of the baby)! : (ご) しゅっさん、おめでと う! (Go) shussan omedetoo! (Informal)
You can say #13 & 14 to women only

15. Congratulations on your wife’s (safe) delivery (of the baby)! : おくさん(ご) しゅっさ ん、おめでとうございます! Okusan (go)shussan omedetoo gozaimasu! (Formal)

16. Congratulations on your wife’s (safe) delivery (of the baby)! : おくさん (ご) しゅっさ ん、おめでとう! Okusan (go) shussan omedetoo! (Informal)

You can say #15 & 16 to men. The word okusan means “your wife.” Traditionally, Japanese differentiated how to say “my wife” (kanai, tsuma, kamisan, etc.) and “you wife” (okusan). However, recently people started using okusan to refer to their own wife too.

17. I am happy for you. : よかったですね。Yokatta desu ne. (Formal)

18. I am happy for you : よかったね。Yokatta ne. (Informal)

19. Congratulations on your retirement! : (ていねん)たいしょく、おめでとうございま す! (Teenen) taishoku omedetoo gozaimasu! (Formal)

20. Congratulations on your retirement! : (ていねん)たいしょく、おめでとう! (Teenen) taishoku omedetoo! (Informal)

21. Thank you for your hard work : おつかれさまでした。Otsukare sama deshita. (Formal)

22. Thank you for your hard work : おつかれさま。Otsukare sama. (Informal)
#21 & 22 can be used in the sense of “Good work” “We’ve worked hard” “Let’s call it a day” in daily life.

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Useful and Important Japanese Phrases List
50 Essential formal & informal Japanese phrases