Long Time No See in Japanese: Natural Ways to Say It

Key takeaways

• Japanese has distinct formal and casual expressions for “long time no see.” Using the wrong register is a social error.
• The most important formal expression is お久しぶりです (o-hisashiburi desu), used with anyone you address with keigo (polite speech).
• The most important formal-business expression is ご無沙汰しております (go-busata shite orimasu), used in professional contexts after a long absence.
• 久しぶり (hisashiburi) alone is casual and appropriate for friends and peers.
• Context, relationship, and time elapsed all affect which expression is most natural.

There is no single translation for “long time no see” in Japanese. Japanese communication is layered by the relationship between speakers. Whether you are addressing a superior, an equal, or a close friend determines not just the words but the entire grammatical structure.

Getting this right when you meet someone after a long absence is one of the earliest moments of social impression in Japanese. Getting it wrong marks you as someone who has studied Japanese without learning how Japanese people actually speak.

This guide covers 12 natural ways to say “long time no see” in Japanese, with the register for each, when to use it, and example dialogues showing the phrases in context.

italki connects you with native Japanese tutors from our community of 30,000+ professional tutors who can drill these expressions with you in realistic scenarios. The social nuance here goes beyond what vocabulary lists can teach.

Why context matters for this phrase

Japanese structures social language along a formal-to-casual scale (keigo versus casual speech) that is sensitive to your relationship (superior, equal, junior, close friend), the setting (business, public, private), how long it has actually been, and whether the other person greeted first. Using a casual expression with a superior is rude. Using an overly formal expression with a close friend sounds cold and odd. Build intuition for Japanese social registers by working with a Japanese tutor who can show you how context changes the entire greeting.

12 ways to say “Long Time No See” in Japanese

Japanese	Romaji	English	Register
ご無沙汰しております	go-busata shite orimasu	It has been a while (apology for long absence)	Formal / Business
ご無沙汰でした	go-busata deshita	It has been a while	Formal
お久しぶりです	o-hisashiburi desu	It has been a long time	Polite / Standard
お久しぶりでございます	o-hisashiburi de gozaimasu	It has been a long time (extra formal)	Very formal
久しぶりです	hisashiburi desu	It has been a while	Semi-polite
久しぶり!	hisashiburi	Long time no see!	Casual
久しぶりだね	hisashiburi da ne	It’s been a while, hasn’t it?	Casual / Friendly
随分久しぶりだね	zuibun hisashiburi da ne	It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it?	Casual
久しぶりじゃない!	hisashiburi ja nai	Haven’t seen you in a while!	Casual / Warm
最近どう?	saikin dou	How have you been lately?	Casual follow-up
また会えて嬉しい	mata aete ureshii	I’m happy to see you again	Casual / Warm
懐かしい!	natsukashii	This brings back memories! / It feels like old times!	Casual / Nostalgic

Learn all 12 variations by drilling them with a Japanese language instructor who can show you which register to use in which social situation.

When to use each expression

ご無沙汰しております (go-busata shite orimasu)

This is the correct phrase in formal business situations when you have not contacted or seen someone in a significant amount of time. The meaning literally carries an implicit apology for the lapse. Use this with clients, business partners, or managers after months of no contact, at the start of a formal email or letter, or when the relationship is professional and the absence has been long. Do not use this casually.

お久しぶりです (o-hisashiburi desu)

This is the standard polite form for reunions after a period of absence. Use this with teachers, older acquaintances, or anyone you address in polite Japanese; in semi-formal settings; or as a safe default when you are unsure of the appropriate register.

久しぶり (hisashiburi)

This is the casual form, with no honorific prefix. Use this with friends, classmates, or peers of the same or younger age, in informal social settings, or when the other person has already used casual speech with you.

ご無沙汰でした vs. ご無沙汰しております

ご無沙汰しております (present continuous) is used in real-time meetings. ご無沙汰でした (past form) marks the absence as having ended now that you have met again.

懐かしい (natsukashii)

This word means “nostalgic” or “it brings back memories.” It is not a direct translation of “long time no see” but is often used in reunions with the feeling of nostalgia. When meeting an old friend and looking back at shared memories. Practice choosing the right expression by roleplaying reunion scenarios with a private Japanese tutor who can correct you in real time and explain why each expression fits a specific social moment.

Example dialogues

Dialogue 1: Business meeting after six months (formal) A: ご無沙汰しております。(go-busata shite orimasu) B: ご無沙汰しております。お元気でしたか?(go-busata shite orimasu. o-genki deshita ka: Have you been well?) A: おかげさまで。(o-kage-sama de: Thanks to you, I have been well.) Dialogue 2: Running into a university friend (casual) A: あ、久しぶり!元気だった?(a, hisashiburi! genki datta: Oh, long time no see! Have you been well?) B: うん、久しぶりだね!最近どう?(un, hisashiburi da ne! saikin dou: Yeah, it’s been a while! How have things been lately?) Dialogue 3: Formal acquaintance, social setting (polite) A: お久しぶりです。(o-hisashiburi desu: It has been a long time.) B: ほんとうにお久しぶりですね。お元気でいらっしゃいましたか?(hontou ni o-hisashiburi desu ne. o-genki de irasshaimashita ka: It really has been a long time. Have you been keeping well?) See reunions unfold naturally by studying these dialogues with a Japanese teacher who can play both roles and show you how the conversation flows after the initial greeting.

Building a natural reconnection conversation

Japanese	Romaji	English
元気にしてた?	genki ni shiteta	Have you been well?
最近どうしてた?	saikin doushiteta	What have you been up to lately?
相変わらず?	aikawarazu	Same as always?
変わってないね!	kawatte nai ne	You haven’t changed!
懐かしいな〜	natsukashii na	This brings back memories…

Move beyond the greeting into sustained conversation by practicing follow-up questions and responses with a Japanese tutor online who can extend the dialogue and show you natural conversation patterns after reunions.

Building social fluency in Japanese

Social Japanese. The register-sensitive, context-dependent side of everyday speech. Is the part of the language that textbooks teach least effectively. Master the emotional and relational layers of this greeting by working consistently with a Japanese private tutor who uses these phrases daily and can show you the subtle cues that signal which register to use. Perfect your reunion greetings in Japanese with guidance from 30,000+ expert tutors trusted by over 10 million learners worldwide.Book a trial lesson today and practice Japanese reunion conversations in a realistic setting, with a native speaker who can tell you which register fits which moment.

FAQ

Is ご無沙汰しております always necessary after a long absence in business contexts?

Not always, but it is the expected opening in many business situations after significant time has passed. In Japanese business culture, acknowledging the lapse with this phrase shows social awareness and consideration. What if I only see someone for a short time before the reunion? Can I still use 久しぶり? 久しぶり and its formal equivalents do not have a strict minimum time requirement. The length of “a long time” is contextual. It might be two weeks for a close colleague or six months for a former classmate. What does お元気でしたか (o-genki deshita ka) mean and when is it used? It means “Have you been well?” (polite form) and is a natural follow-up after the initial “long time no see” greeting in formal and semi-formal contexts. The typical response is おかげさまで (o-kage-sama de: Thanks to you, I have been well) or はい、元気です (hai, genki desu: Yes, I am well).