Moshi Moshi: How to Use This Japanese Phone Greeting

Key takeaways

• もしもし (moshi moshi) is a telephone greeting used when answering a call or when the line goes quiet and you want to check if the other person is still there. It is not a general greeting and sounds strange when used face-to-face.
• The phrase comes from the verb 申す (mousu), the humble form of 言う (iu, to say). Its original full form was mousu mousu (I say, I say), a way of signaling that you were about to speak on an early telephone line.
• In casual contexts, もしもし is used between friends and family on the phone. In professional or business phone calls, it is typically replaced by formal opening phrases that identify the caller and their organization.
• Non-native speakers sometimes use もしもし as a general greeting or to get someone’s attention face-to-face. This sounds unnatural to Japanese speakers. For broader face-to-face greetings, the guide to how to say hello in Japanese covers expressions beyond phone calls; in this context, use すみません (sumimasen) to get attention, and こんにちは (konnichiwa) to greet.

もしもし is one of the first Japanese expressions most learners encounter, but it is also one of the most misapplied. Knowing the word is easy; knowing exactly when it sounds natural and when it marks you as someone who learned Japanese from a textbook rather than from real people requires understanding the social rules behind it.

The difference between a phone greeting that sounds natural and one that sounds formal, cold, or simply wrong is the kind of sociolinguistic detail that only comes from someone who can model real telephone Japanese for you. italki connects you with Japanese teachers who can run telephone role-plays, walk you through the register differences between casual and business calls, and explain the cultural expectations behind Japanese phone etiquette.

This guide covers what もしもし means, where it comes from, when and how to use it correctly, what to say in business contexts, and what to use instead in face-to-face situations. The final section covers alternative phone greetings and the phrases that follow もしもし in a natural call.

A Japanese tutor can simulate a realistic phone conversation, giving you the experience of hearing natural Japanese telephone language and correcting your responses in real time before you need to handle a real call.

What does moshi moshi mean?

もしもし (moshi moshi) functions as hello specifically in telephone contexts. It signals that you have answered a call and are ready to speak, or, if used mid-call when the line goes quiet, that you are checking whether the other person is still there.

It does not translate directly to any single English expression. The closest equivalent is picking up the phone and saying Hello?, acknowledging the connection and inviting the other person to speak.

Japanese	Romaji	Used when
もしもし	moshi moshi	answering a casual call
もしもし？	moshi moshi?	checking if the line is still connected
もしもし、〇〇ですが	moshi moshi, [name] desu ga	answering and identifying yourself

The ですが (desu ga) ending, this is [name], and…, softens the sentence and signals more to follow. It is common in phone openings.

Where does moshi moshi come from?

The phrase comes from 申す (mousu), the humble/formal form of 言う (iu, to say). The original telephone greeting was mousu mousu, I say, I say or I am speaking, a way for early telephone users to announce that they were about to speak on a line that might or might not be connected.

Over time, mousu mousu contracted phonetically into moshi moshi. The original humble register of mousu was lost in the contraction, which is one reason why moshi moshi feels casual today. The formality of the original verb did not survive the shortening.

This origin also explains why もしもし is not used in formal or business telephone contexts in modern Japanese: it has become associated with informal personal calls rather than professional communication.

When to use moshi moshi

もしもし is natural in the following situations:

Answering a personal call from a known contact:

• You see a friend’s name on the screen and pick up: もしもし？ (Hello?)
• You are answering at home when a family member calls.

Checking the line mid-call:

• The call goes quiet or drops briefly: もしもし、聞こえますか？ (Moshi moshi, kikoemas ka?, Hello, can you hear me?)

Calling someone informally and they pick up:

• You call a friend: they answer; you say もしもし、〇〇だけど (moshi moshi, [name] dakedo, Hey, it’s [name]).

In fiction and media:

• Telephone scenes in anime, dramas, and films almost always use もしもし, which is why it is so recognizable to learners, and also why learners may overestimate how universal it is.

When not to use moshi moshi

Business and professional calls: In a work context, もしもし sounds too casual. Japanese business phone etiquette has its own set of opening phrases (see the next section).

Face-to-face greetings: Using もしもし to greet someone in person, or to get their attention, sounds very strange to Japanese speakers. It is a telephone-only expression. Using it in person is a recognizable learner error.

Answering a call from an unknown number: Some people avoid using もしもし when answering calls from unknown numbers, as it may confirm an active line to unwanted callers. はい (hai, yes) is sometimes used instead.

Very formal personal calls: If calling a senior relative, a teacher, or someone you are not on casual terms with, a formal opening that includes your name is more appropriate than もしもし alone.

Business phone calls: what to say instead

In Japanese business conversation, phone etiquette follows a structured format. The caller identifies their company and name immediately; the receiver identifies their company on answering.

Answering the phone (business):

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
はい、〇〇会社でございます	hai, [company] sha de gozaimasu	Yes, this is [company]
お電話ありがとうございます	odenwa arigatou gozaimasu	Thank you for calling
少々お待ちください	shoushou omachi kudasai	Please hold a moment
ただいま担当者に代わります	tadaima tantousha ni kawarimasu	I will transfer you to the person in charge

Calling a business:

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
〇〇会社の〇〇と申します	[company] no [name] to moushimasu	I am [name] from [company]
〇〇の件でお電話しました	[topic] no ken de odenwa shimashita	I am calling regarding [topic]
〇〇さんはいらっしゃいますか？	[name]-san wa irasshaimasu ka	Is [name] available?

Ending a business call:

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
よろしくお願いいたします	yoroshiku onegai itashimasu	Thank you / I appreciate your help
失礼いたします	shitsurei itashimasu	Goodbye (formal phone close)

A private Japanese tutor who is familiar with Japanese business culture can walk you through the full structure of a formal business call, including the keigo (honorific language) that characterizes professional telephone Japanese.

What comes after moshi moshi: a natural phone exchange

A complete casual phone call in Japanese follows a recognizable structure.

Calling a friend:

Turn	Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
A calls, B answers	もしもし？	moshi moshi?	Hello?
A identifies	もしもし、田中だけど	moshi moshi, Tanaka dakedo	Hey, it’s Tanaka
B acknowledges	ああ、田中くん！どうしたの？	aa, Tanaka-kun! Doushita no?	Oh, Tanaka! What’s up?
A states purpose	ちょっと聞きたいことがあって	chotto kikitai koto ga atte	I wanted to ask you something

Checking the line:

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
もしもし、聞こえますか？	moshi moshi, kikoemas ka?	Hello, can you hear me?
聞こえています	kikoete imasu	I can hear you
少し聞こえにくいです	sukoshi kikoeni kui desu	I can barely hear you
電話が切れました	denwa ga kiremashita	The call dropped

For the Japanese verb forms used in telephone conversations, the te-form, the potential form (kikoemas from kikoemasu), and the polite past, the guide to Japanese verb tenses covers the patterns that appear throughout everyday conversational Japanese.

Face-to-face alternatives

Because もしもし does not work in person, these are the natural expressions for common face-to-face situations learners might try to use もしもし for:

Situation	Use instead	Meaning
Getting someone’s attention	すみません (sumimasen)	Excuse me
General greeting	こんにちは (konnichiwa)	Hello (daytime)
Greeting in the morning	おはようございます (ohayou gozaimasu)	Good morning
Greeting in the evening	こんばんは (konbanwa)	Good evening
Greeting a friend casually	よう / やあ (you / yaa)	Hey (very informal)
Calling to someone	ちょっと！(chotto!)	Hey! / Excuse me! (very casual)

Practice telephone Japanese with a teacher

Telephone Japanese has its own vocabulary, its own structure, and its own register rules that are separate from everyday conversation Japanese. The casual call, the business call, and the mid-call repair phrases are each their own micro-skill.

italki connects you with Japanese teachers trusted by over 10 million learners who can walk you through the social and situational rules that a definition alone cannot teach. Book a trial lesson and ask your teacher to run a series of telephone role-plays (casual call, business call, dropped connection) so the right phrase for each situation is already in place before you need it.

FAQ

What does moshi moshi mean in Japanese?

もしもし (moshi moshi) means hello in the context of a telephone call. It is used when answering the phone in an informal or personal context, or when checking mid-call whether the other person can still hear you. It does not mean hello in general. Face-to-face, こんにちは (konnichiwa) is the standard greeting.

Can I use moshi moshi in person?

No. もしもし is a telephone-only expression. Using it face-to-face to greet someone or get their attention is a recognizable learner error. To get someone’s attention in person, use すみません (sumimasen, excuse me). To greet someone, use こんにちは (konnichiwa) or the appropriate time-of-day greeting.

Why is moshi moshi said twice?

The doubling reflects its origin as mousu mousu (I say, I say), which was used on early telephone lines to signal that a person was about to speak. The repetition was a way of confirming the speaker’s presence on the line before speaking. The phrase contracted and the doubling persisted as part of the expression.

Do Japanese people actually use moshi moshi?

Yes, in casual personal calls. However, it is less universal than its appearance in anime and textbooks suggests. Many people answer personal calls with はい (hai) or immediately say their name. In business contexts, もしもし is almost never used; formal opening phrases replace it entirely.

What do you say when ending a phone call in Japanese?

In casual calls, common closings are じゃあね (jaa ne, bye then), またね (mata ne, see you), or バイバイ (bai bai, bye). In formal calls, 失礼いたします (shitsurei itashimasu) is the standard professional close, and よろしくお願いいたします (yoroshiku onegai itashimasu) is said before hanging up to express goodwill and gratitude.