Japanese - Lesson 144 of 168: Food and Drink

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

いただきます

Itadakimasu.

Let’s eat / Thank you for the meal.

Meaning: Let’s eat / Thank you for the meal.

When to use: Say this before you start eating or drinking, as a short polite way to show gratitude for the food.

Tip: Sometimes learners say いただきます after finishing the meal — it should be said before you start eating.

みんなでお皿を前にして、いただきます。

Minna de osara o mae ni shite, itadakimasu.

Everyone faces their plates and says 'itadakimasu.'

温かいうどんが来たら、まず『いただきます』と言います。

Atatakai udon ga kitara, mazu 'itadakimasu' to iimasu.

When the hot udon arrives, first say 'itadakimasu.'

ごちそうさまでした。

Gochisō-sama deshita.

Thank you for the meal.

Meaning: Thank you for the meal.

When to use: Say this after finishing a meal, whether at a friend’s house, home, or a restaurant.

デザートまで全部食べて、みんなで『ごちそうさまでした』。

Dēsāto made zenbu tabete, minna de 'Gochisō-sama deshita.'

After eating dessert, everyone says 'gochisō-sama deshita.'

店を出る前に『ごちそうさまでした』と言っておきます。

Mise o deru mae ni 'Gochisō-sama deshita' to itte okimasu.

Say 'gochisō-sama deshita' before leaving the restaurant.

乾杯

Kanpai.

Cheers.

Meaning: Cheers.

When to use: Raise glasses and say this before drinking with others.

友だちとビールを持って、みんなで『乾杯』。

Tomodachi to bīru o motte, minna de 'Kanpai.'

Holding beers with friends, everyone says 'Kanpai.'

食事の始めに乾杯して、飲み物を一口飲みます。

Shokuji no hajime ni kanpai shite, nomimono o hitokuchi nomimasu.

They toast at the start of the meal and take a sip.

お会計お願いします。

Okaikei onegai shimasu.

The check, please.

Meaning: The check, please.

When to use: Use this polite phrase when you are ready to pay at a restaurant or café.

食事を終えて、テーブルで『お会計お願いします』と言います。

Shokuji o oete, tēburu de 'Okaikei onegai shimasu' to iimasu.

After finishing the meal, say 'Okaikei onegai shimasu' at your table.

レジに行かずに、店員さんに『お会計お願いします』と言ってください。

Reji ni ikazu ni, ten'in san ni 'Okaikei onegai shimasu' to itte kudasai.

Tell the staff 'The check, please' instead of going to the register.

禁煙席はありますか。

Kin'enseki wa arimasu ka.

Do you have non-smoking seats?

Meaning: Do you have non-smoking seats?

When to use: Ask this when you prefer a non-smoking area in a restaurant or café.

席につく前に『禁煙席はありますか』と店員に聞きます。

Seki ni tsuku mae ni 'Kin'enseki wa arimasu ka' to ten'in ni kikimasu.

Before taking a seat, ask the staff 'Do you have non-smoking seats?'

小さな子どもがいるから、『禁煙席はありますか』と確認しました。

Chīsana kodomo ga iru kara, 'Kin'enseki wa arimasu ka' to kakunin shimashita.

Because there’s a small child, we checked 'Do you have non-smoking seats?'

窓側の席がいいです。

Madogawa no seki ga ii desu.

I’d like a window seat.

Meaning: I’d like a window seat.

When to use: Say this when you prefer a seat by the window in a café, restaurant, train, or plane.

予約で『窓側の席がいいです』とリクエストしました。

Yoyaku de 'Madogawa no seki ga ii desu' to rikuesuto shimashita.

I requested a window seat when I booked.

カフェに入って、『窓側の席がいいです』と言うと案内してくれます。

Kafe ni haitte, 'Madogawa no seki ga ii desu' to iu to annai shite kuremasu.

Enter the café and say 'I'd like a window seat' and they will show you one.

メニューをお願いします。

Menyū o onegai shimasu.

The menu, please.

Meaning: The menu, please.

When to use: Use this when you need a menu or another copy at a restaurant or café.

テーブルにメニューがないときは『メニューをお願いします』。

Tēburu ni menyū ga nai toki wa 'Menyū o onegai shimasu.'

If there’s no menu on the table, say 'The menu, please.'

英語のメニューが欲しいときは『メニューをお願いします』と言ってみてください。

Eigo no menyū ga hoshii toki wa 'Menyū o onegai shimasu' to itte mite kudasai.

If you want an English menu, try saying 'The menu, please.'

おすすめは何ですか。

Osusume wa nan desu ka.

What do you recommend?

Meaning: What do you recommend?

When to use: Ask this when you want the staff’s recommendation in a restaurant or shop.

初めての店では『おすすめは何ですか』と聞きます。

Hajimete no mise de wa 'Osusume wa nan desu ka' to kikimasu.

At a new place, ask 'What do you recommend?'

店員さんのおすすめを聞いて、今日の特製を頼みました。

Ten'in san no osusume o kiite, kyō no tokusei o tanomimashita.

I asked the staff’s recommendation and ordered today’s special.

これは辛いですか。

Kore wa karai desu ka.

Is this spicy?

Meaning: Is this spicy?

When to use: Ask this to check how spicy a dish is; useful for sensitive eaters.

Tip: 注意: 辛い is read からい (karai) when it means spicy — don’t use a wrong reading.

辛い料理を食べる前に『これは辛いですか』と聞きます。

Karai ryōri o taberu mae ni 'Kore wa karai desu ka' to kikimasu.

Ask 'Is this spicy?' before eating spicy food.

辛さが心配なら『これは辛いですか』と確認しましょう。

Karasa ga shinpai nara 'Kore wa karai desu ka' to kakunin shimashō.

If you worry about heat, check 'Is this spicy?'

アレルギーがあります。

Arerugī ga arimasu.

I have an allergy.

Meaning: I have an allergy.

When to use: Tell staff you have an allergy; name the allergen beforehand if needed (e.g., 卵のアレルギーがあります).

Tip: Beginner tip: say the allergen first, e.g., 卵のアレルギーがあります, so staff know what to avoid.

アレルギーがあります。卵がダメです。

Arerugī ga arimasu. Tamago ga dame desu.

I have an allergy. I can't have eggs.

注文のときに『アレルギーがあります』と伝えてください。

Chūmon no toki ni 'Arerugī ga arimasu' to tsutaete kudasai.

Tell the staff 'I have an allergy' when ordering.

___抜きでお願いします。

___ nuki de onegai shimasu.

Without ___, please.

Meaning: Without ___, please.

When to use: Use this to request something be left off your dish, like ねぎ抜きでお願いします (without green onions).

Tip: Be sure to name the ingredient before 抜きで (nuki de); leaving out the name makes the request unclear.

ねぎが苦手なら『ねぎ抜きでお願いします』と言います。

Negi ga nigate nara 'Negi nuki de onegai shimasu' to iimasu.

If you don't like green onion, say 'Without green onion, please.'

サラダを注文して『チーズ抜きでお願いします』と頼みました。

Sarada o chūmon shite 'Chīzu nuki de onegai shimasu' to tanomimashita.

I ordered the salad and asked 'No cheese, please.'

持ち帰りでお願いします。

Mochikaeri de onegai shimasu.

To go, please.

Meaning: To go, please.

When to use: Say this when you want your order packed for takeaway at cafés, bakeries, or fast food shops.

カフェで『持ち帰りでお願いします』と言ってコーヒーを持ち帰りました。

Kafe de 'Mochikaeri de onegai shimasu' to itte kōhī o mochikaerimashita.

I said 'To go, please' at the café and took the coffee away.

パン屋で『持ち帰りでお願いします』と伝えました。

Pan'ya de 'Mochikaeri de onegai shimasu' to tsutaemashita.

I told the bakery 'To go, please.'

店内でお願いします。

Tennai de onegai shimasu.

For here, please.

Meaning: For here, please.

When to use: Use this when staff ask if you want to eat in or take out and you choose to stay and eat.

店員に聞かれて『店内でお願いします』と答えました。

Ten'in ni kikarete 'Tennai de onegai shimasu' to kotaemashita.

When the staff asked, I answered 'For here, please.'

イートインがあるカフェで『店内でお願いします』と伝えます。

Īto in ga aru kafe de 'Tennai de onegai shimasu' to tsutaemasu.

At a café with eat-in, say 'For here, please.'

Japanese - Food and Drink

1. Reading + Listening Practice

2. Conversational Listening Practice

3. Guided Practice

Which phrase do you say before you start eating?

How do you ask a restaurant if they have non-smoking seats?

If you want to say 'Cheers' when raising glasses, which phrase do you use?

Which phrase would you use to ask for the menu?

When sushi arrives and hands are put together, before eating everyone says 'itadakimasu.'

After finishing the meal and before paying at the register, say 'Okaikei onegai shimasu.'

If you want to eat the bakery bread inside the shop, say 'Tennai de onegai shimasu.'

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice