Japanese - Ordering & Sharing at a Table

Lesson 145 of 168

A friendly Japanese izakaya table with small plates, chopsticks, and a glass of water — illustrating restaurant phrases in Japanese.

Goal: Polite phrases for asking for water, utensils, and saying you’re full

Free Japanese lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Welcome! This short lesson helps you handle common restaurant moments in Japan — asking for items, saying you haven’t decided, and complimenting food. Have fun speaking aloud and imagining a cozy table.

Level A1: In this CEFR-aligned mini-lesson you’ll learn polite, Japan-specific phrases for ordering and sharing food. We practice useful lines like “まだ決まっていません。” (Mada kimatte imasen.) and requests such as “取り皿をください。” (Torizara o kudasai.). You’ll listen, repeat, and do quick quizzes to lock these everyday restaurant phrases in.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and say eight polite restaurant phrases (Level A1).
  • Use requests like “水をお願いします。” (Mizu o onegai shimasu.) when speaking to staff.
  • Tell someone you haven’t decided yet and finish your order with “以上です。” (Ijō desu.).
Two friends at a cozy restaurant table in Japan deciding what to order, with chopsticks and small sharing plates visible.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

まだ決まっていません。

Mada kimatte imasen.

I haven’t decided yet.

Meaning: I haven’t decided yet.

When to use: Say this when the server asks for your order but you need more time.

Tip: Do not shorten to casual forms with strangers; keep polite です/ません in restaurants.

すみません、まだ決まっていません。もう少し見てもいいですか？

Sumimasen, mada kimatte imasen. Mō sukoshi mite mo ii desu ka?

Excuse me, I haven’t decided yet. Can I look a bit longer?
友達に聞きます。今はまだ決まっていません。

Tomodachi ni kikimasu. Ima wa mada kimatte imasen.

I’ll ask my friend. I haven’t decided yet.

以上です

Ijō desu.

That’s all.

Meaning: That’s all.

When to use: Use this after you finish ordering to tell the server there is nothing more.

はい、以上です。お願いします。

Hai, ijō desu. Onegai shimasu.

Yes, that’s all. Please.
デザートは要りません。以上です。

Dezāto wa irimasen. Ijō desu.

I don’t need dessert. That’s all.

水をお願いします。

Mizu o onegai shimasu.

Water, please.

Meaning: Water, please.

When to use: Ask for water at a restaurant or café; often given free in Japan but it’s polite to request.

暑いですね。水をお願いします。

Atsui desu ne. Mizu o onegai shimasu.

It’s hot, isn’t it? Water, please.
すみません、水をお願いします。氷は入れてください。

Sumimasen, mizu o onegai shimasu. Kōri wa irete kudasai.

Excuse me, water please. Please add ice.

取り皿をください。

Torizara o kudasai.

Please give me small sharing plates.

Meaning: Please give me small sharing plates.

When to use: Request these when you share dishes with others at a restaurant.

みんなで分けます。取り皿をください。

Minna de wakemasu. Torizara o kudasai.

We’ll share. Please give small plates.
天ぷらを取り分けたいので、取り皿をください。

Tempura o toriwaketai node, torizara o kudasai.

I want to portion the tempura — please give small plates.

お箸をください。

Ohashi o kudasai.

Please give me chopsticks.

Meaning: Please give me chopsticks.

When to use: When you need chopsticks at a restaurant or convenience store; adding お before 箸 is polite.

すみません、お箸をください。箸入れはどこですか？

Sumimasen, ohashi o kudasai. Hashi-ire wa doko desu ka?

Excuse me, chopsticks please. Where is the chopstick holder?
フォークが必要ないので、お箸をください。

Fōku ga hitsuyō nai node, ohashi o kudasai.

I don’t need a fork, so please give me chopsticks.

スプーンをください。

Supūn o kudasai.

Please give me a spoon.

Meaning: Please give me a spoon.

When to use: Ask for a spoon when you need one for soup, dessert, or certain dishes.

スープを飲みたいです。スプーンをください。

Sūpu o nomitai desu. Supūn o kudasai.

I want to drink the soup. Please give a spoon.
子ども用にスプーンをください。

Kodomo-yō ni supūn o kudasai.

Please give a spoon for the child.

お腹がいっぱいです。

Onaka ga ippai desu.

I’m full.

Meaning: I’m full.

When to use: Say this politely after eating when you want to indicate you can’t eat more.

Tip: Beginners sometimes say おなかいっぱい casually—keep polite ending です when speaking to staff.

ごちそうさまでした。お腹がいっぱいです。

Gochisōsama deshita. Onaka ga ippai desu.

Thank you for the meal. I’m full.
今日はよく食べた。もうお腹がいっぱいです。

Kyō wa yoku tabeta. Mō onaka ga ippai desu.

I ate a lot today. I’m already full.

とてもおいしいです。

Totemo oishii desu.

It’s very delicious.

Meaning: It’s very delicious.

When to use: Use this polite compliment to praise food or a drink in a restaurant or home.

このラーメン、とてもおいしいです。おすすめは何ですか？

Kono rāmen, totemo oishii desu. Osusume wa nan desu ka?

This ramen is very delicious. What do you recommend?
母の料理はいつもとてもおいしいです。

Haha no ryōri wa itsumo totemo oishii desu.

My mother’s cooking is always very delicious.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Two friends at a table deciding and asking for small items before ordering.

Anna and David talking politely at a table, asking for water and small plates while complimenting the food in Japanese.

What do Anna and David ask the staff for before ordering?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

すみません、まだ決まっていません。少し時間をください。

Sumimasen, mada kimatte imasen. Sukoshi jikan o kudasai.

Excuse me, I haven’t decided yet. Please give me a little more time.

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

じゃあ、先に水をお願いします。

Jā, saki ni mizu o onegai shimasu.

Then, water first please.

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

お箸と取り皿をください。みんなで分けます。

Ohashi to torizara o kudasai. Minna de wakemasu.

Chopsticks and small plates, please. We’ll share.

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

決まったら、また呼んでください。以上です。

Kimattara, mata yonde kudasai. Ijō desu.

Call us again when you decide. That’s all.

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

この焼き魚、とてもおいしいです。

Kono yakizakana, totemo oishii desu.

This grilled fish is very delicious.

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

もうお腹がいっぱいです。満足だね。

Mō onaka ga ippai desu. Manzoku da ne.

I’m full already. We’re satisfied.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which Japanese phrase means “That’s all” when finishing an order?

You want a spoon for dessert. Which phrase do you say?

Which phrase politely tells the server you need more time to choose?

You’ve finished eating and want to say you’re full. Which is correct?

They said “Water, please.” to the waiter and ordered water.

ウェイターに「___」と言って、水を頼みました。

Because they are sharing, they asked the staff for small plates.

みんなで食べるので、店員さんに「___」と頼みました。

After eating dessert they said “I’m full.” to their friend.

デザートを食べて、友達に「___」と言いました。

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

まだ決まっていません。

Mada kimatte imasen.

I haven’t decided yet.

Say this phrase out loud:

以上です

Ijō desu.

That’s all.

Say this phrase out loud:

水をお願いします。

Mizu o onegai shimasu.

Water, please.

Say this phrase out loud:

取り皿をください。

Torizara o kudasai.

Please give me small sharing plates.

Say this phrase out loud:

お箸をください。

Ohashi o kudasai.

Please give me chopsticks.

Say this phrase out loud:

スプーンをください。

Supūn o kudasai.

Please give me a spoon.

Say this phrase out loud:

お腹がいっぱいです。

Onaka ga ippai desu.

I’m full.

Say this phrase out loud:

とてもおいしいです。

Totemo oishii desu.

It’s very delicious.