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This week in class, we talked about polite Japanese work phrases that don’t translate well. Today, we’ll talk about “otsukaresama (お疲れ様です)” — and why translating it as “You must be tired” can often sound like: “You look tired.”
A student finished a video meeting with an American client. They wanted to be polite.
They sent a short message:
…Uh oh. The client replied:
The student felt embarrassed, because it sounded like they were saying the client looked tired on camera.
A student had a long online meeting with an American client. The client stayed late to join, so the student wanted to show appreciation — something like “otsukaresama” (お疲れ様です).
After the call, they followed up with:
…Uh oh.
The client replied kindly, but you could feel the awkwardness:
The student realized their message sounded like a comment on the client’s appearance — as if the client looked worn out. They meant “Thanks for your time”, not “You look exhausted.”
A student wanted to send a polished, appreciative follow-up after a video meeting with an American client. The call ran long, and the client had made time to join despite the time difference. The student wanted to capture the professional warmth of “otsukaresama” — that feeling of appreciation, respect, with a sense of “thanks for your effort today.”
Their message was clear and friendly, but the opening line read:
…Uh oh. In English, that line doesn’t function as a normal expression of thanks. It reads more like a personal observation about the client’s condition — and it can often be interpreted as: “You looked tired.”
The client replied warmly:
The student felt uncomfortable because they hadn’t intended to comment on the client’s appearance. They were just trying to show appreciation — but the wording accidentally suggested that the client looked worn out. What an awkward situation.
In Japanese, “otsukaresama” is often a safe, friendly way to say: “Thanks for today,” “Good work,” or “Appreciate your effort.” But in English, “You must be tired” is not really “thanks” — it’s a guess about someone’s condition. On Zoom, it can land as: “You look tired” (and that can feel awkward, personal, or even a little rude).
Use one of these depending on the situation:
"Thanks for going the extra mile today."
“Thanks for your hard work today.”
"Thanks for having my back there" (Best with coworkers in a casual situation)
- Thank you for your time today. = standard, professional
- Thanks for making the time to meet today. = polite (great for time zones)
- Thanks again for the great discussion. = warm but still business-friendly
- We appreciate your support. = formal appreciation
- Great work today. = simple praise
- Thanks for your hard work today. = used with other team members and not clients.
- Thanks for helping out. = casual, friendly
- I really appreciate it. = warm, natural
- Thanks for going the extra mile = very appreciative (e.g. a boss talking to their team members)
- Thanks for having my back = casual but very supportive
Example: “That sounded a little awkward in English.”
Which expression would you use in each situation?
- After a meeting with a client
- Thanking a coworker who stayed late to help
- A quick message to a teammate in Slack/Teams
- A message to a client after a meeting
- A message to a coworker who helped you
If you want to practice these in real situations, you can book a lesson with me on Cafetalk and we’ll make your English sound more natural and confident.
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