Today, you will learn “ こんにちは: Kon – ni -chi – wa.” 

The meaning is “Hello.”   I believe many people know this word if they are interested in Japan.

  
This is a good word to know, but Japanese usually don’t say it to friends.  This word is often used among acquaintances, for example, when you see a teacher, a friend’s mother, a person whom you know but don’t know well, or when you need to talk to a stranger.
 
Maybe, a salesperson might say “ こんにちは: Kon – ni -chi – wa”  knocking at your door.
 
In a daily conversation among close friends, we don’t use “ こんにちは: Kon – ni -chi – wa.” If you say it, you show that you have a distance between you and the person who you talk to.  So, don’t use among close friends.  🙂

Literally, the translated word of “hello” is “ こんにちは: Kon – ni -chi – wa,” but the way of use is a little bit different.
 
I am also teaching English to Japanese, so I know that people tend to translate their own language to other languages directly.  That is something like this; at first, Japanese people make a sentence in Japanese and try to translate it. But in most cases, that doesn’t work. So don’t think languages can be one-to-one exchangeable.
 
So, same thing in here.  “Hello” cannot be simply exchanged to  “ こんにちは: Kon – ni -chi – wa.”   

 
For example, people in California often say “Hello.” when they just have eye contact with somebody, and even though they don’t know each other.  But that will never happen in Japan.  If you say “こんにちは。” to a stranger, you will be treated as a strange person.  Beware. lol
 
“ こんにちは: Kon – ni -chi – wa.” is used among only acquaintances, or when you want to have a conversation with a person whom you don’t know.  Or maybe it is a greeting with smile from shop staff to customers.
 
Now you may be thinking about what to say when you see your friends. 
 
That’s a question.
 
I think there are many varieties of saying but no concrete answers for that.  If I haven’t seen my friend for a while, I would say, “Long time no see.” or “How have you been?”
 
But if I see my friend every day at school or work, my word depends on the time.  If I see him/her in the morning, I definitely say, Japanese “Good morning.”, but in the afternoon or at night, I would call my friend’s name, then start to talk something like this, “Did you watch One Piece yesterday?” or “Have you heard the news about …?” etc.
 
(※ One-piece is the best-selling comic and anime in Japan.)
 
When my friend and I meet somewhere, I might say, “Have you been waiting long?” if she shows up before I get there.
 
So, how to say the first word to a person depends on people and the time.
 
But no matter what, “ こんにちは: Kon – ni -chi – wa.” is a word that you should know.  So pracetice “kon-ni-chi-wa” with me.

Keep in mind to pronounce it without any strong accent.
 
Thanks for reading!