N5 · Phrase guide
Moshi Moshi — Answering the Phone
もしもし
もしもし
Hello (on the phone only)
Nuance
Almost exclusively for phone and sometimes video calls—not for in-person hellos.
Cultural note
Business: state company + name after もしもし. Casual: もしもし alone is fine.
Examples
もしもし、田中です。
Hello, this is Tanaka.
Personal call
もしもし、株式会社〇〇の佐藤です。
Hello, Sato from XX Corporation.
Business call
Common mistakes
- Saying もしもし when meeting someone face-to-face
- Using こんにちは on phone calls