Question
I will be attending a business meeting in Japan and I want to make a good first impression. How do I say “It’s a pleasure to meet you” in Japanese?
Japango Editor Team
お会（あ）いできて嬉（うれ）しいです。
Oai dekite ureshii desu.
It’s a pleasure to meet you.
In business and formal settings in Japan, greetings are very important. When meeting someone for the first time, you can say “Oai dekite ureshii desu” to express your pleasure in meeting them.
The word “oai” means “to meet” or “meeting”, “dekite” comes from the verb “dekiru” which means “can do”, and “ureshii” means “happy” or “pleased”. Therefore, the expression literally translates to “I am happy to meet you.”
This phrase is formal and appropriate for business contexts. Don’t forget to bow slightly when using this phrase to show respect.
