Japanese course

Lesson 151 of 240

New here? This is lesson 151 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.

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A birthday at the kissa in Japanese

Rain beads on the glass at Kissa Hotaru. Today is Masako's birthday, and a small cake waits on the wooden counter.

Leo holds a wrapped cup and tries not to bow into the icing. Goro has brought extra toast. Kenta says birthday rain is lucky.

You will wish someone a happy birthday, hand over a small gift, and share cake.

Keep it polite. Casual birthday lines come later, with close friends.

By the end of this lesson

Wish someone a happy birthday and give a small gift.

  • お誕生日(たんじょうび)おめでとうございます。Happy birthday.
  • これ、どうぞ。This is for you.
  • 開(あ)けてもいいですか。May I open it?
  • 一緒(いっしょ)に歌(うた)いましょうか。Shall we sing together?
  • ケーキはいかがですか。Would you like some cake?
  • 願(ねが)い事(ごと)をしてください。Please make a wish.

Scene — cake on the counter

The lane is wet, but Kissa Hotaru is warm. A small cake sits on the counter with unlit candles. Masako wipes a cup and pretends not to notice.

Leo stands by the booth with a wrapped gift. Goro has ordered extra toast. Kenta leans in from the door, still in his shop apron.

Leo stands by the booth with a wrapped gift while Masako wipes a cup and Goro sits with extra toast.

Learn — a birthday wish

These six lines cover a birthday wish, handing over a gift, and sharing cake.

You will also ask to open a present, offer a song, and ask someone to make a wish.

  1. Kenta leans into the cafe from the wet lane with a greeting gesture as Masako wipes a cup.

    お誕生日(たんじょうび)おめでとうございます。

    Happy birthday.

    When to use it: Use this on the day to wish someone a happy birthday.

    おめでとうございます is the polite congratulations piece.

    Say it: Give ん its own beat; do not skip it.

  2. Leo holds out a wrapped gift toward Masako while Goro sits behind him with extra toast.

    これ、どうぞ。

    This is for you.

    When to use it: Use this as you hold out a small gift.

    どうぞ here means please take this, not go ahead.

  3. Masako pauses with the wrapped gift in both hands before opening it.

    開(あ)けてもいいですか。

    May I open it?

    When to use it: Ask this before you open a gift you were given.

    て plus もいいですか asks permission in a polite way.

  4. Goro sits in the booth with his arms slightly raised, ready to start a song.

    一緒(いっしょ)に歌(うた)いましょうか。

    Shall we sing together?

    When to use it: Use this to suggest a song with everyone.

    ましょうか makes the idea a soft suggestion, not an order.

    Say it: Keep しょう long; do not cut it short.

  5. Masako presents the small cake toward Leo and Goro at the booth.

    ケーキはいかがですか。

    Would you like some cake?

    When to use it: Offer a guest cake or another small treat.

    は marks cake as the thing you are offering.

  6. Leo gestures toward the unlit candles as Masako faces the cake, ready to make a wish.

    願(ねが)い事(ごと)をしてください。

    Please make a wish.

    When to use it: Say this before someone blows out the candles.

    て plus ください turns the verb into a polite request.

Story — toast and candles

Leo has a wrapped cup for Masako. Goro brought extra toast, and the cake is waiting on the counter.

Highlighted phrases are the new lines. Turn on Show English if you want a gloss.

  1. Rain on the glass. A small cake waits on the counter.
  2. Leoお誕生日(たんじょうび)おめでとうございます。Happy birthday.
  3. Masakoありがとうございます。Thank you.
  4. Kenta今日(きょう)は母(はは)の誕生日(たんじょうび)です。Today is my mother's birthday.
  5. Leoこれ、どうぞ。This is for you.
  6. He holds out a wrapped cup and bows too close to the cake.
  7. Masako開(あ)けてもいいですか。May I open it?
  8. Leoはい、どうぞ。Sure, go ahead.
  9. Goroええと、バタートーストもどうぞ。Um, buttered toast for you too.
  10. Kenta誕生日(たんじょうび)の雨(あめ)は縁起(えんぎ)がいいですよ。Rain on a birthday is good luck.
  11. Goro一緒(いっしょ)に歌(うた)いましょうか。Shall we sing together?
  12. Leoはい、歌(うた)いましょう。Yes, let's sing.
  13. Masakoケーキはいかがですか。Would you like some cake?
  14. Leoはい、お願(ねが)いします。Yes, please.
  15. Goro願(ねが)い事(ごと)をしてください。Please make a wish.
  16. Masako shuts her eyes. Goro still has not touched his coffee.

Practice — pick the right wish

Eleven short tasks wait in this round. You will listen, match meanings, fill a gap, and build a line.

Each one is small, so you move on quickly.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    Japanese

    お誕生日(たんじょうび)おめでとうございます。Drop the English here
    これ、どうぞ。Drop the English here
    ケーキはいかがですか。Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Japanese, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    You hold out a wrapped cup for Masako at the counter.

  4. Pick the reply

    Goro says:

    ええと、バタートーストもどうぞ。

    Um, buttered toast for you too.

    And you reply with:

  5. Fill the gap

    May I open it?

    開(あ)けて____いいですか。

  6. What does it mean?

    ケーキはいかがですか。

  7. Build the line

    Please make a wish.

    。

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Swap the word

    The candles are lit. You want everyone to sing, not eat.

    一緒(いっしょ)に____か。

  9. Find the mistake

  10. Pick the reply

    Masako says:

    ケーキはいかがですか。

    Would you like some cake?

    And you reply with:

  11. Pick the reply

    Masako says:

    開(あ)けてもいいですか。

    May I open it?

    And you reply with:

Say it — your turn to speak

You are Leo at Masako's kissa birthday. When the cue is yours, tap the microphone and say the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear it. The recording stays on this device.

  1. Masakoこんにちは。Hello.
  2. Leo (you)Wish her a happy birthday.

    お誕生日(たんじょうび)おめでとうございます。

    Happy birthday.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

JapaneseEnglish
お誕生日(たんじょうび)おめでとうございます。Happy birthday.
これ、どうぞ。This is for you.
開(あ)けてもいいですか。May I open it?
一緒(いっしょ)に歌(うた)いましょうか。Shall we sing together?
ケーキはいかがですか。Would you like some cake?
願(ねが)い事(ごと)をしてください。Please make a wish.
Next: lesson 152A small shrine

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Keep these birthday lines in your pocket. Open the Yak Cards for this lesson and run them on the train.

A short Yak Cards round before a party keeps the wish ready.

Open Yak Cards