Translation guide
A friendly greeting used when meeting someone after a long absence. In Japanese, the most common equivalent is お久しぶりです (ohisashiburi desu), but the exact phrasing depends on formality and relationship.
Express that it has been a long time since you last met someone.
The standard polite way to say 'long time no see'. Suitable for most situations, including with acquaintances, colleagues, and people you don't know well.
田中さん、お久しぶりです。お元気でしたか？
Tanaka-san, long time no see. How have you been?
久しぶり implies a longer absence (months or years), while しばらく can be used for shorter periods (weeks). However, in casual greetings, 久しぶり is far more common.
久しぶり！最後に会ったのは去年だね。
Long time no see! The last time we met was last year, right?
しばらく！先週ぶりだね。
It's been a while! It's been since last week.
The English phrase 'long time no see' is idiomatic. A literal translation like 長い時間会わない (nagai jikan awanai) is unnatural and not used as a greeting.
Casual form used among friends, family, or close colleagues. Often said with a rising intonation.
久しぶり！元気だった？
Long time no see! How have you been?
A very formal expression used in business or with people you haven't contacted in a long time. Implies apology for the lack of contact.
ご無沙汰しております。その後いかがお過ごしでしょうか。
It's been a long time. How have you been since then?
Literally 'it's been a while, hasn't it?'. A softer, slightly less common alternative to 久しぶり. Can be used in both casual and polite contexts.
あ、しばらくですね。お変わりありませんか？
Oh, it's been a while. Have you been well?
An archaic or highly formal variant of お久しぶりです, sometimes used in traditional settings or by older speakers.
これはこれは、お久しゅうございます。
Well, well, it's been a long time.