Polite to Colleague
Workplace · Greeting
お先に失礼いたします。お疲れ様でした。 — I'll be heading off first. Thank you for your hard work today. (Workplace · Greeting, Polite to Colleague, JLPT N3)
You
お先に失礼いたします。お疲れ様でした。
おさきにしつれいいたします。おつかれさまでした。
I'll be heading off first. Thank you for your hard work today.
Romaji: O-saki ni shitsurei itashimasu. O-tsukare sama deshita. / Reply Romaji: O-tsukare sama deshita. O-ki wo tsukete.
Reply
お疲れ様でした。お気をつけて。
おつかれさまでした。おきをつけて。
Good work today. Take care on your way home.
Gesture & etiquette
Say this audibly to the room while gathering your belongings. Make brief eye contact with nearby colleagues. A slight bow as you move toward the exit is common, especially if passing near a superior.
Saying this when leaving before colleagues is essential — silent departures are considered rude in Japanese workplaces. The phrase 'o-saki ni shitsurei' acknowledges that others are still working, expressing a kind of apologetic awareness for leaving first.