Matt Fargo (3 page)

A slangier way of saying “hello” would be ossu. Like its English counterpart “what’s up,” ossu has an infinite number of variations. Ossu was originally an incredibly formal word, the kind of thing that a soldier would say to a drill sergeant—like: “SIR YES SIR!” But in a slang context, ossu comes across as a silly way to say “hi.” Here’s how two friends might greet each other, for example:

ohayō / kombanwa

There are also informal variations on “good morning” and “good evening”:

ohisashiburi

As in English, the next part of a greeting usually involves inquiring about the other person’s well-being.