お疲れ様でした

• Reading: おつかれさまでした
• Romaji: otsukaresama deshita
• Kanji breakdown: 疲 (fatigue) — お and 様 are honorific elements. でした marks past tense, signalling the work is done
• Pronunciation: /o.tsɯ.ka.ɾe.sa.ma.de.ɕi.ta/

Meaning

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.

Examples

1. 今日もお疲れ様でした、ゆっくり休んでね。 Thanks for your hard work today too — get some rest.
2. プレゼンお疲れ様でした、すごく良かったよ。 Great job on the presentation, it was really good.
3. お疲れ様でした！打ち上げ行きませんか？ Good work today! Want to go to the afterparty?

Usage Guide

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

Tone: polite, appreciative, conclusive

Do Say

• 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)

Don't Say

• 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)

Common Mistakes

• 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

Origin & History

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.

Cultural Context

Era: Longstanding workplace culture

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal (workplace)

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