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What to say to deliveryman in Japanese
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2014/11/19 12:28
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When the delivery man delivers the package to my door, what is the normal thing to say to him? -ありがとう -ごくろうさま -something else?
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by is203 (guest)
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Re: What to say to deliveryman in Japanese
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2014/11/19 14:02
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おつかれさまです is the proper expression.
Otsukaresama is said to people equal to you (which I consider delivery people to be). Gokurousama implies it is someone working "for" you (suggests that you are "superior" in position to him).
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by AK
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Re: What to say to deliveryman in Japanese
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2014/11/19 16:40
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おつかれさまです is the proper expression. really ? I don't think so.
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by ken (guest)
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Re: What to say to deliveryman in Japanese
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2014/11/19 17:44
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I believe most Japanese guys say どうも or ごくろうさま. ありがとう is okay. おつかれさま sounds like it's his last work for a day and you know it, so it's awkward to say.
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by Japanese (guest)
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Re: What to say to deliveryman in Japanese
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2014/11/19 18:36
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I also use "o-sewa-sama" which is a casual expression impying "I owe it to your cooperation."
Whatever the word, I try to make it short, because those people are very busy.
I also have to say that I don't really use "otsukaresama" to a delivery person. I understand what AK is trying to say, but the guy still has a lot of work to do, so it does sound a bit awkward. But if (s)he carries something especially heavy for me, then I might say "Oh! otsukaresama-deshita!" for that piece of little work.
If it's my neighbor collecting my chonaikai fee, I wouldn't use "gokurosama."
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by Uco
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Re: What to say to deliveryman in Japanese
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2014/11/19 21:37
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I use "O-sewa-sama" (as Uco suggested) or "O-tsukare-sama (desu)", but never "gokurou-sama (desu)" for the above reason.
Uco, I have a neighbor who says "gokurou-sama" to me when I go around with the circular! lol
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by AK
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Re: What to say to deliveryman in Japanese
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2014/11/19 22:30
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ありがとうございます sounds nice to me. ごくろうさまです can be accepted but it's normally used by upper class person to the lower.
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by tokyo friend 48
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Re: What to say to deliveryman in Japanese
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2014/11/19 22:32
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I think おつかれさま is a new word. I never heard when I was young. this is a strange business word which someone made. when someone said おつかれさま to me, I always think "I am not tired. Do you think I am tired ?".
What is the proper response, if someone says おつかれまさま to me ?
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by ken (guest)
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Re: What to say to deliveryman in Japanese
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2014/11/19 23:44
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I have a neighbor who says "gokurou-sama" to me when I go around with the circular! lol
Yup, that's quite normal too!
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by Uco
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Re: What to say to deliveryman in Japanese
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2014/11/20 12:18
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Yup, that's quite normal too!
Really, Uco? I find that somewhat rude, I am not his subordinate or anything of that sort...
I thought you said If it's my neighbor collecting my chonaikai fee, I wouldn't use "gokurosama." Oh, you are just saying that it happens, though you wouldn't use it, I guess :)
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by AK
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Re: What to say to deliveryman in Japanese
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2014/11/20 12:20
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ken-san,
You are just supposed to return the same phrase :)
Strange business phrase or not, it is quite often used by now. I used to think "I am not tired, hearing you say it makes tired" when I was far younger, but by now I take it as a just standing phrase, a conversational "lubricant," so to say... By now, less people use "o-sewa-sama (desu)," I'd say. Languages and their uses change over time...
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by AK
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Re: What to say to deliveryman in Japanese
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2014/11/20 15:12
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AK, I meant that although it's technically impolite, many neighbors don't seem to realise it. A lot of Japanese people use Japanese incorrectly (just as many English people use English incorrectly). Maybe "normal" wasn't an appropriate term. I guess they don't mean any harm, though.
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by Uco
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Re: What to say to deliveryman in Japanese
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2014/11/20 19:45
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In business situation, おつかれさま is for co-workers. ごくろうさま is for somebody who works under you. In daily life, おつかれさま is for friends. ごくろうさま is for strangers. For example, if somebody is voluntary cleaning roadside, you'd better to say ごくろうさまです. If you'd been enjoying sports with your friends, you'd better to say おつかれ(さまです) when you were leaving. ------------------ What's important is that ごくろうさま isn't always "upper class to lower class" word. Most Japanese are not using these words incorrectly but we know which word is better in situations. If you're seriously learning or interested in Japanese, I'd like to go read this explanation. choi_aboutさん explains it very clearly. http://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa/question_detail/q12109432607
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by Japanese (guest)
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Re: What to say to deliveryman in Japanese
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2014/11/21 10:57
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Anyway, no deliveryman think it's rude when you say ごくろうさま(でした) to them. I feel it's something like an abbreviated form of ごくろうをおかけいたしました though.
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by ajapaneseboy
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Re: What to say to deliveryman in Japanese
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2014/11/21 13:37
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I've never heard or said お疲れさま otsukaresama to delivery persons... To me it sounds more like a phrase exchanged among colleagues at a working place. (Personally I do not like it unless being said to a person who is travelling or at the end of the day's work, but now it got common to use it as a way of "hi" during the day.)
I would say お世話さま osewasama or ご苦労さま gokurousama.
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by a cup of tea (guest)
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Re: What to say to deliveryman in Japanese
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2014/11/21 22:54
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what I feel strange is that, when someone returned to an office, he/she says お疲れ様 to coworkers staying in the office and they say お疲れ様 to the person returned. I think the person may say 只今帰りました or similar phrases. and the coworkers may say お帰りなさい.
also, when I called to my office from outside, a coworker, who answered my phone, say お疲れ様 first. or, a coworker called me, he/she say お疲れ様 to me first.
I think お疲れ様 is the final word, when leaving the office to go home, after they have worked TOGETHER.
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by ken (guest)
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