お久しぶりです (ohisashiburi desu - It's been a long time)
Grammar & Usage
How it works
This greeting consists of the honorific prefix 'お-' (o-), the noun '久しぶり' (hisashiburi, meaning 'after a long time' or 'a long absence'), and the polite copula 'です' (desu). It is used as an opening greeting upon meeting or communicating with someone after a significant gap in time. In casual speech, 'です' is dropped to become '久しぶり' (hisashiburi), whereas formal business settings often substitute the more honorific/humble 'ご無沙汰しております' (gobusata shite orimasu).
Sample sentences
田中さん、お久しぶりです！お元気でしたか。
Tanaka-san, it's been a long time! How have you been?
お久しぶりです。メールの返信が遅くなって申し訳ありません。
It has been a long time. I am sorry for the delay in replying to your email.
高校を卒業して以来ですね、本当にお久しぶりです。
It's been since we graduated from high school; it really has been a long time.
Quick facts
Mnemonic
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Example
田中さん、お久しぶりです！お元気でしたか。
Tanaka-san, it's been a long time! How have you been?
お久しぶりです。メールの返信が遅くなって申し訳ありません。
It has been a long time. I am sorry for the delay in replying to your email.
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