Question
I’ve been living in Tokyo for a few months and the courier just dropped off the Amazon box my wife was waiting for. She’s still at work, so I want to send her a quick text letting her know it arrived. We speak casual Japanese at home. How do I say “the package was delivered” in Japanese?
Answer by Professional Japanese Teacher
荷物届いたよ。
Nimotsu todoita yo.
The package was delivered.
A quick text to your wife is exactly the situation this phrase was made for. Nimotsu (荷物) is the everyday word for “package” — anything from a small Amazon box to a big parcel. Todoita comes from todoku (届く), meaning “to arrive,” and the little yo at the end gives it a casual “just letting you know” feeling between family.
For courier deliveries in general, swap in takuhaibin (宅配便) — the generic word for door-to-door parcel service. Yamato’s specific brand 宅急便 (takkyuubin) is a trademark, so casual conversation usually goes with takuhaibin unless you mean Yamato in particular.
For a more polite version to a coworker or your building manager, use:
荷物が届きました。
Nimotsu ga todokimashita.
The package has arrived.
At home, though, keep it short. She’ll smile when she sees it.