This episode focuses on formal celebratory language mixed with casual personal reflection – congratulating a company anniversary formally, expressing casual anticipation for enjoyment, a simple commitment phrase, and welcoming event participants. You’ll learn formal celebration language, casual desire expressions, and welcoming phrases for events.
✅ Learn formal congratulatory business language
✅ Master casual anticipation and commitment expressions
✅ Practice event welcome language
Introduction
In this lesson, we explore a mix of formal ceremonial language and casual personal expressions that might appear together at a company celebration or event – from formally congratulating an anniversary, to casually expressing desire to enjoy the moment, showing determination, and warmly welcoming participants. This demonstrates how Japanese events often blend highly formal business language with more personal, casual moments.
この会社の25周年を心よりお祝い申し上げます。
Meaning & Usage
This is highly formal, humble language used to sincerely congratulate a company’s anniversary. It’s appropriate for formal speeches, ceremonies, or official congratulatory messages.
この会社の (このかいしゃの) – this company’s
25周年 (にじゅうごしゅうねん) – 25th anniversary
を – object particle
心より (こころより) – from the heart, sincerely
お祝い申し上げます (おいわいもうしあげます) – humbly congratulate
Translation
- I sincerely congratulate this company on its 25th anniversary
- From the bottom of my heart, congratulations on the 25th anniversary
- I offer my heartfelt congratulations on this company’s 25th anniversary
Understanding 周年 (Anniversary)
周年 (しゅうねん) – anniversary (of years)
Formation:
- Number + 周年 = [number]th anniversary
- 25 + 周年 = 25周年 (25th anniversary)
Common uses:
- 創立記念日 (そうりつきねんび) – Founding anniversary date
- 結婚〜周年 – Wedding anniversary
- 開業〜周年 – Business opening anniversary
Understanding 心より (From the Heart)
心 (こころ) – heart, mind
より – from (formal particle)
Formal usage:
- 心より + verb = sincerely, from the heart
- Very formal, ceremonial language
Similar formal expressions:
- 心から (こころから) – from the heart (slightly less formal)
- 謹んで (つつしんで) – respectfully
Understanding お祝い申し上げます (Humbly Congratulate)
This is extremely polite, humble language:
Base word:
- 祝う (いわう) – to celebrate, congratulate
Formal construction:
- お + 祝い (noun form) + 申し上げます (humble “to say/express”)
申し上げる breakdown:
- 申す (もうす) – humble form of 言う (to say)
- 上げる (あげる) – to raise/give (humble marker)
- 申し上げる – very humble way to express/say
Formality progression:
- 祝います – I congratulate (plain polite)
- お祝いします – I congratulate (polite)
- お祝い申し上げます – I humbly congratulate (very formal)
Examples
皆様の御健勝を心よりお祝い申し上げます。
→ I sincerely wish you all continued good health.
この度のご昇進を心よりお祝い申し上げます。
→ I sincerely congratulate you on this promotion.
創立50周年を心よりお祝い申し上げます。
→ I sincerely congratulate you on the 50th founding anniversary.
Related Formal Congratulation Expressions
おめでとうございます – Congratulations (standard polite)
謹んでお祝い申し上げます – I respectfully offer congratulations
心からお喜び申し上げます – I sincerely rejoice with you
〜を記念して (きねんして) – Commemorating 〜
楽しみたいなって思います
Meaning & Usage
This casual phrase expresses personal anticipation or desire to enjoy something, using casual musing tone with って to show internal reflection or quoted thought.
楽しみたい (たのしみたい) – want to enjoy
な – casual emphasis/musing particle
って – quotative (thinking/musing)
思います (おもいます) – I think
Translation
- I think I want to enjoy this
- I’m thinking I’d like to have fun
- I feel like I want to enjoy myself
Understanding 楽しみたい (Want to Enjoy)
楽しむ (たのしむ) – to enjoy
楽しみたい – want to enjoy (desire form)
Formation:
- Verb stem + たい = want to
- 楽しむ → 楽しみ + たい = 楽しみたい
Understanding なって (Casual Musing Pattern)
な – casual particle adding emphasis or personal reflection
って – quotative, showing internal thought
Combined function: Creates a casual, reflective “thinking to myself” tone
Similar pattern:
- 〜たいな – I want to… (casual wish)
- 〜たいなって思う – I’m thinking I want to… (musing)
Understanding This Casual-Formal Mix
Interestingly, this phrase combines:
- Casual elements: な, って
- Polite ending: 思います (rather than casual 思う)
This mixing is common in Japanese, especially in semi-formal but personal contexts – like giving a somewhat formal statement but expressing genuine personal feeling
Examples
今日は楽しみたいなって思います。
→ I’m thinking I want to enjoy today.
皆さんと一緒に楽しみたいなって思います。
→ I’m thinking I’d like to enjoy this together with everyone.
このイベント、楽しみたいなって思ってます。
→ I’m thinking I want to enjoy this event.
Related Personal Anticipation Expressions
楽しみです – Looking forward to it
わくわくします – Feeling excited
楽しもうと思います – I intend to enjoy myself
頑張って楽しみたい – Want to work hard and enjoy
頑張ります
Meaning & Usage
This simple, common phrase expresses commitment to trying one’s best or working hard. It’s one of the most frequently used expressions in Japanese, showing determination and effort.
頑張ります (がんばります) – I will do my best, I will try hard
Translation
- I’ll do my best
- I’ll try hard
- I’ll give it my all
Understanding 頑張る (To Do One’s Best)
頑張る (がんばる) – to persevere, do one’s best, try hard
Formality levels:
- 頑張る – I’ll do my best (casual)
- 頑張ります – I’ll do my best (polite, our phrase)
- 頑張らせていただきます – I’ll humbly do my best (very formal)
Usage Contexts
Before starting a task:
- New job, new challenge, presentation
In response to encouragement:
- Someone says 頑張って (do your best), you respond 頑張ります
As personal commitment:
- Stating your resolve
Examples
新しい仕事、頑張ります!
→ I’ll do my best at this new job!
これからも頑張ります。
→ I’ll continue to do my best from now on.
皆さんのために頑張ります。
→ I’ll do my best for everyone.
Related Effort/Determination Expressions
頑張って – Do your best (to someone else)
全力を尽くします (ぜんりょくをつくします) – I’ll give my all
努力します (どりょくします) – I’ll make an effort
精一杯やります (せいいっぱい) – I’ll do my utmost
イベントにご参加いただいた皆さん、ようこそ!
Meaning & Usage
This phrase warmly welcomes event participants, combining polite language thanking them for attending with an enthusiastic welcome.
イベントに – to the event
ご参加いただいた (ごさんかいただいた) – who have participated (humble/polite)
皆さん (みなさん) – everyone
ようこそ! – welcome!
Translation
- Welcome, everyone who has participated in this event!
- To everyone who came to this event, welcome!
- Welcome, all event participants!
Understanding ご参加いただいた (Who Have Participated – Polite)
参加する (さんかする) – to participate
ご参加 – participation (honorific)
いただいた – received (humble, past tense)
Formation breakdown:
- ご + 参加 (honorific noun form)
- いただく (humble “receive”) + た (past)
- Shows gratitude for their participation, positioning it as something received
Politeness structure: This construction shows respect to participants by treating their attendance as a favor given to the speaker/organization
Understanding 皆さん (Everyone)
皆さん (みなさん) – everyone, all of you (polite)
Formality levels:
- 皆 (みな) – everyone (plain)
- 皆さん – everyone (polite, our phrase)
- 皆様 (みなさま) – everyone (very polite)
Understanding ようこそ (Welcome)
ようこそ – welcome (formal greeting)
Usage:
- Standalone welcome expression
- Often used for guests, visitors, event attendees
- More formal/ceremonial than casual いらっしゃい
Common pairing:
- ようこそ + [place/event]へ – Welcome to [place/event]
Examples
本日のイベントにご参加いただいた皆さん、ようこそ!
→ Welcome, everyone who has participated in today’s event!
遠くから来ていただいた皆さん、ようこそ!
→ Welcome, everyone who came from far away!
このパーティーにご参加いただいた皆さん、ようこそ!
→ Welcome, everyone who participated in this party!
Related Welcome/Gratitude Expressions
お越しいただき、ありがとうございます (おこしいただき) – Thank you for coming
ご来場ありがとうございます (ごらいじょう) – Thank you for attending
お集まりいただき (おあつまりいただき) – Having gathered here
皆様のご参加に感謝いたします – I’m grateful for everyone’s participation
Putting It All Together: A Company Anniversary Event
Natural Speech Flow
These phrases might combine in a company anniversary celebration speech, moving between formal ceremony and personal reflection:
Speech structure:
- この会社の25周年を心よりお祝い申し上げます – Formal opening congratulation
- イベントにご参加いただいた皆さん、ようこそ! – Welcoming attendees
- 楽しみたいなって思います – Personal, casual reflection on the event
- 頑張ります – Commitment moving forward
This combination shows how Japanese ceremonial speeches often blend formal ritual language with genuine personal sentiment.
Common Mistakes
❌ Using casual language for formal anniversary congratulations
Too casual: 25周年、おめでとう!
Appropriate formal: この会社の25周年を心よりお祝い申し上げます
Major business anniversaries warrant highly formal language
❌ Missing いただいた in polite participant reference
Less polite: 参加した皆さん
More polite: ご参加いただいた皆さん
The humble construction shows appropriate respect to attendees
❌ Confusing formality levels within same speech
Inconsistent: 心よりお祝い申し上げます。楽しみたい!
More natural transition: Maintaining appropriate formality shifts between ceremonial and personal moments, with clear tonal signals
❌ Overusing very formal 申し上げます in casual contexts
Too formal for casual thanks: ありがとう申し上げます (unusual combination)
More natural: Simply お祝い申し上げます for specific formal congratulations, not for all thank-yous
Practice Dialogue
Scenario: Company anniversary celebration speech
司会者: 皆様、本日はお集まりいただき、誠にありがとうございます。
社長: この会社の25周年を心よりお祝い申し上げます。ここまで来られたのも、皆様のおかげです。
司会者: イベントにご参加いただいた皆さん、ようこそ!
社長: 今日は特別な日です。私自身、この日を楽しみたいなって思います。
社員: 社長、私たちも一緒に楽しみましょう!
社長: ありがとう。これからも、皆さんと一緒に頑張ります。
Host: Everyone, thank you very much for gathering here today.
President: I sincerely congratulate this company on its 25th anniversary. We’ve come this far thanks to all of you.
Host: Welcome, everyone who has participated in this event!
President: Today is a special day. I myself am thinking I want to enjoy this day.
Employee: President, let’s enjoy it together too!
President: Thank you. I’ll continue to do my best together with everyone from now on.
Cultural Notes
Formal Business Ceremony Language in Japan
This episode’s phrases reveal important aspects of Japanese business ceremonial culture:
Layered Formality: Japanese business events often feature multiple formality levels within the same occasion – highly ceremonial opening language (心よりお祝い申し上げます) mixed with more personal, relatable moments (楽しみたいなって思います), showing how formal occasions still allow for genuine human connection.
Anniversary Significance: Company anniversaries (周年) hold special cultural significance in Japan, often celebrated with considerable ceremony, reflecting values of longevity, continuity, and collective achievement over individual success.
Humble Language for Honoring Others: The construction ご参加いただいた demonstrates the Japanese linguistic pattern of using humble forms to show respect – literally treating others’ actions (attending) as favors received, elevating the guests’ importance.
頑張ります as Cultural Commitment: This simple phrase carries significant cultural weight, representing the values of perseverance, effort, and commitment to collective success that are highly valued in Japanese business and social culture.
Balancing Ceremony and Genuineness: The combination of highly formal congratulatory language with casual personal anticipation (楽しみたいな) shows how Japanese speakers navigate between required ceremonial respect and authentic human emotion during significant events.
Wrap-up
This episode explored a blend of highly formal celebratory language and casual personal expression common in Japanese business events. この会社の25周年を心よりお祝い申し上げます offers deeply respectful, formal congratulations, 楽しみたいなって思います expresses casual personal anticipation, 頑張ります shows simple commitment, and イベントにご参加いただいた皆さん、ようこそ! warmly welcomes participants with appropriate politeness.
These phrases demonstrate how Japanese ceremonial occasions successfully blend required formal respect with genuine personal warmth – showing that even highly structured business celebrations maintain space for authentic human connection and enthusiasm. Understanding this language helps you navigate formal Japanese business events while appreciating the cultural values embedded in ceremonial language.