おつかれさまです

• Reading: おつかれさまです
• Romaji: otsukaresama desu
• Pronunciation: /o.tsɯ.ka.ɾe.sa.ma.de.sɯ/

Meaning

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.

Examples

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。 Thanks for your hard work — the documents are ready, so please take a look.
2. おつかれさまです、お先に失礼します。 Thanks for your hard work — I'm heading out for the day.
3. 今日もおつかれさまです、ゆっくり休んでください。 Good work again today — get some rest.

Usage Guide

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

Tone: polite, appreciative

Do Say

• 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?)

Don't Say

• 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)

Common Mistakes

• 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

Origin & History

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.

Cultural Context

Era: Longstanding workplace culture

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal (workplace)

Regional notes: Used in every workplace across Japan. Often the first and last thing said in a work day. Essential for foreign workers to learn.