おつかれさまです

• 読み: おつかれさまです
• ローマ字: otsukaresama desu
• 発音: /o.tsɯ.ka.ɾe.sa.ma.de.sɯ/

意味

A polite expression meaning 'thank you for your hard work,' used as a greeting, farewell, and acknowledgment in the workplace.

おつかれさまです is the polite form of お疲れ and is arguably the single most essential phrase in Japanese work culture. It serves as a hello when seeing colleagues, a goodbye when leaving, and a general expression of mutual respect for shared effort. It is so ingrained that many Japanese people use it reflexively dozens of times per day.

例文

1. おつかれさまです、資料できましたのでご確認お願いします。
2. おつかれさまです、お先に失礼します。
3. 今日もおつかれさまです、ゆっくり休んでください。

使い方ガイド

場面: workplace, professional emails, after meetings, business communication

トーン: polite, appreciative

正しい言い方

• おつかれさまです、今日の会議ありがとうございました (Thank you for your hard work, and thanks for today's meeting)
• おつかれさまです、何かお手伝いできることありますか？ (Good work today — is there anything I can help with?)

避ける言い方

• お客様に「おつかれさまです」は基本的に使わない — 社内向けの挨拶 (Generally don't use おつかれさまです with customers — it's an internal greeting)

よくある間違い

• Confusing おつかれさまです with ご苦労様です — the latter is condescending when used toward superiors
• Thinking this phrase is only for when someone is actually tired — it is a general-purpose workplace greeting

起源と歴史

From お疲れ様 (otsukaresama), an honorific expression acknowledging tiredness/effort. The です ending adds politeness. Has been a core workplace phrase for decades, with roots in traditional Japanese group-oriented work culture.

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. Often the first and last thing said in a work day. Essential for foreign workers to learn.