Japanese · Real-life speaking rehearsal

Your first small talk with a colleague in Japan

A first workplace exchange can be brief and still feel complete. Your job is to greet, confirm the name the person wants you to use, share one small fact and close politely. Use desu/masu forms consistently; you do not need a long personal story.

For new arrivals in Japan who want a safe first exchange with a colleague.

Practice Model dialogue

Finding the entry point

Repeating watashi in every sentence makes the turn heavy.

Keeping the form appropriate

Switching between casual and polite endings sends mixed signals.

Closing the loop

Continuing after the other person has begun to close can feel awkward.

Model dialogue

A conversation to adapt

Read for meaning, then change one factual detail. The translation is a check, not a word-for-word script.

A
はじめまして。リーです。今日から企画チームで働きます。
Nice to meet you. I’m Lee. I start in the planning team today.
B
はじめまして。佐藤です。リーさんと呼んでもいいですか。
Nice to meet you. I’m Sato. May I call you Lee?
A
はい、お願いします。佐藤さんはこのチームに長くいるんですか。
Yes, please. Have you been in this team long?
B
三年です。では、また後で話しましょう。
Three years. Well then, let’s talk again later.
A
はい、ありがとうございます。よろしくお願いします。
Yes, thank you. I look forward to working with you.

Japanese

Useful phrases

はじめまして。: Nice to meet you.
A standard first-meeting opening. Follow it promptly with your name so it functions as an introduction, not a floating greeting.
〜と呼んでもいいですか。: May I call you …?
Use this to check the name or title the other person wants. Insert the proposed name before と and keep いいですか for a polite check.
また後で話しましょう。: Let’s talk again later.
Use this as a light agreement to speak again later. It closes the exchange without the workplace-specific leaving phrase お先に失礼します.

Common pitfalls

私はリーです。私は今日から働きます。私は…

リーです。今日から働きます。

Once Lee is established, omit the repeated subject.

じゃあね！

では、また後で。

Use a polite close in a first workplace exchange.

Practice

Three-pass rehearsal

Rehearse a five-turn Japanese colleague introduction with consistent desu/masu politeness.

Introduce yourself with your real name and one team, omitting repeated 私は.
Ask permission to use the colleague’s stated name; do not invent a nickname.
Close with また後で話しましょう, then restart with the roles reversed.

Self-checkI kept desu/masu style.I confirmed the preferred form of address.I used a closing that matched a brief workplace chat.

This checklist stays in your browser; it does not record or send your speech.

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Flai

Reuse the structure tomorrow

Replay this situation with your own true details and one unexpected reply. Flai can provide live voice turn-taking from its current curriculum, followed by feedback and a lesson report for that lesson; it does not promise to import this exact custom scenario. Current content and subscription terms are shown in the app.

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This free page is a self-guided rehearsal. App access, curriculum, feedback, reports and subscription terms are shown in the app.

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App curriculum, feedback, lesson reports and subscription terms are shown in the app.

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Questions

What if I do not know how to read the person’s name?

Ask and repeat the answer rather than guessing. Names can have multiple readings.

Is お先に失礼します a substitute for “see you later”?

No. It is commonly used when leaving work before others. また後で話しましょう fits the sample’s plan to talk later.

How much personal detail belongs in a first exchange?

One useful detail such as your team or start date is enough. Let the colleague’s follow-up determine whether to add more.

Related guides

Japanese · Languages