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    お久しぶりです、お元気でしたか？ (Ohisashiburi desu, ogenki deshita ka? - It's been a while, how have you been?)

    Grammar & Usage

    fixed expression
    polite

    How it works

    This is a common polite greeting used when encountering someone after a long period. "お久しぶりです (Ohisashiburi desu)" literally means 'It is a long time' (referring to the interval). "お元気でしたか (Ogenki deshita ka)?" asks 'Were you well?' using the polite past tense of 'genki desu' (to be well) and the interrogative particle 'ka'.

    Sample sentences

    A: 田中さん、お久しぶりです、お元気でしたか？ B: はい、おかげさまで元気です。

    A: Mr. Tanaka, it's been a while, how have you been? B: Yes, thanks to you, I'm well.

    海外出張から戻りました。皆様、お久しぶりです、お元気でしたか？

    I've returned from my overseas business trip. Everyone, it's been a while, how have you all been?

    昔の同級生と偶然会って、「お久しぶりです、お元気でしたか？」と話しました。

    I coincidentally met an old classmate and said, "It's been a while, how have you been?"

    Quick facts

    nuance:Implies a genuine interest in the other person's well-being after a period of not seeing them.
    politeness:The 'o-' prefix in 'Ohisashiburi' and 'Ogenki' is an honorific prefix, adding a sense of politeness. The use of 'desu' and 'deshita ka' further establishes the polite register.

    Mnemonic

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    Example

    A: 田中さん、お久しぶりです、お元気でしたか？ B: はい、おかげさまで元気です。

    A: Mr. Tanaka, it's been a while, how have you been? B: Yes, thanks to you, I'm well.

    海外出張から戻りました。皆様、お久しぶりです、お元気でしたか？

    I've returned from my overseas business trip. Everyone, it's been a while, how have you all been?

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