N5 · Phrase guide
Otsukaresama — Japan's Daily "Good Job"
お疲れ様
おつかれさま
Thanks for your hard work / good job
Nuance
Acknowledges shared effort and fatigue. Used when leaving work, finishing a task, or greeting someone after their shift.
Cultural note
お疲れ様です is safer at work; お疲れ alone is casual among peers. Saying it to a superior leaving first can feel odd—usually they say it to you.
Examples
お疲れ様でした。
Thank you for your hard work today.
End of the workday
お疲れ！また明日。
Good job—see you tomorrow.
Casual among teammates
Common mistakes
- Using it like "hello" with strangers on the street
- Forgetting です in formal workplaces