お疲れ様でした

• 読み: おつかれさまでした
• ローマ字: otsukaresama deshita
• 漢字の分解: 疲 (fatigue) — お and 様 are honorific elements. でした marks past tense, signalling the work is done
• 発音: /o.tsɯ.ka.ɾe.sa.ma.de.ɕi.ta/

意味

A polite expression meaning 'thank you for your hard work' or 'good job today,' used at the end of a work day, event, or shared effort.

お疲れ様でした is the past-tense form of お疲れ様です, specifically signalling that the work or activity has concluded. It is the standard farewell at the end of a work day, after a meeting, or when an event wraps up. While お疲れ様です is used as a general greeting, the でした form explicitly marks completion and carries a tone of gratitude and closure.

例文

1. 今日もお疲れ様でした、ゆっくり休んでね。
2. プレゼンお疲れ様でした、すごく良かったよ。
3. お疲れ様でした！打ち上げ行きませんか？

使い方ガイド

場面: workplace, after events, end of meetings, professional farewell

トーン: polite, appreciative, conclusive

正しい言い方

• 長い一日でしたね、お疲れ様でした (It was a long day, thanks for your hard work)
• お疲れ様でした、来週もよろしくお願いします (Good work today, looking forward to next week)

避ける言い方

• 朝の挨拶で「お疲れ様でした」は不自然 — まだ仕事は終わってない (Don't use お疲れ様でした as a morning greeting — the work hasn't ended yet)

よくある間違い

• Using お疲れ様でした at the start of the day — it implies work is already over
• Confusing お疲れ様でした with ご苦労様でした — the latter sounds condescending when used toward superiors

起源と歴史

Past-tense form of お疲れ様です. The でした ending marks the effort as completed. Deeply rooted in Japanese workplace culture where acknowledging collective effort is essential social protocol.

文化的背景

時代: Longstanding workplace culture

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal (workplace)

地域メモ: Used in every workplace across Japan. The definitive end-of-day phrase. Foreign workers are advised to learn this on day one.