When you are leaving the office...

[pink dragon]

When I'm leaving the office to go home, I want to let my American boss and coworkers know I'm leaving the office.
When you have got the day's work done and you are leaving the office, what do you say to your boss/cowokers who are still working?

Our language has special words OSAKINI SITSUREISHIMASU, which mean "Excuse me for leaving earlier than you", and those who still work reply with the words OTSUKARESAMA for appreciating your work of the day.

I know you don't have special words for this, but what do you usually say?
"I'm going home" or just "Bye, see you tomorrow"?

[Tdol]

We don't have anything special like that. I would just say something like 'I'm off home now.'

[Ouisch]

In the US we're much less formal about being the first to leave at the end of the day. Some phrases you can use that are perfectly polite and acceptable:

"See you tomorrow!"
"Have a good evening, see you tomorrow!"
"I'm going to call it a night. See you in the morning!"
"Good night, everyone!"

(Even if your work day ends at 5:00, which is still technically the afternoon, we still usually say "good night".)

If you know your co-workers well and often joke with them during the day, you can always leave with a humorous remark:

"Well, I've had enough fun for one day. I'm out of here!"

[mykwyner]

One of the things I love about this forum is that I get to see the interaction of culture and language firsthand.

America is not an "excuse me for leaving earlier than you" culture.

It's an "I'm outta here, suckers" culture.

[Coffa]

Originally Posted by mykwyner

One of the things I love about this forum is that I get to see the interaction of culture and language firsthand.
America is not an "excuse me for leaving earlier than you" culture.
It's an "I'm outta here, suckers" culture.

I doubt the intention is cultural. In fact, having worked with US colleagues, they are usually more inclined to work late than the British (or even more so, Continental Europeans).

Americans just don't THINK they should dissemble like that. The British (and I often think the Japanese are far more British in many ways than the British) just want you to think they have thought about you, when they really couldn't care less.

[pink dragon]

Dear Tdol, Ouisch, mykwyner, and coffa,
Thank you all for the very useful and interesting replies!
I'm glad I asked.

[MrPedantic]

You can wish your fellow drones a pleasant evening, if you want to be polite, e.g.

1. See you tomorrow. Have a good evening.

(I am looking forward to trying out "Excuse me for leaving earlier than you". It would annoy them intensely.)

MrP

[Coffa]

Originally Posted by MrPedantic

You can wish your fellow drones a pleasant evening, if you want to be polite, e.g.
1. See you tomorrow. Have a good evening.
(I am looking forward to trying out "Excuse me for leaving earlier than you". It would annoy them intensely.)
MrP

Perhaps, but I'm sure they would simply reply: "Not at all - your contribution today was much appreciated."

[pink dragon]

Thank you MrP and Coffa,

If you have a chance to try it out, please let me know the result!