Japanese course

Lesson 204 of 240

New here? This is lesson 204 of a free 240-lesson Japanese course.

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Asking for a recommendation in Japanese

On Yanaka Ginza, a visitor turns to Leo for a local food tip. The croquette stand is close, but Leo wants to give a useful recommendation, not just point.

You’ll ask what’s popular, compare a few choices, and suggest a dish to try. You’ll also learn a gentle way to say when you would not recommend a place.

Listen for the difference between asking for a recommendation and giving one. Then practise a short exchange you can use with a visitor in Yanaka.

By the end of this lesson

Ask for and give recommendations for food and places.

  • おすすめの店(みせ)はありますか。Do you have a place you'd recommend?
  • ここはおすすめですよ。I'd recommend this place.
  • 一番(いちばん)人気(にんき)は何(なん)ですか。What's the most popular thing?
  • どれが一番(いちばん)おすすめですか。Which one do you recommend most?
  • 行(い)ったらこれを食(た)べてみてください。If you go, try this.
  • あまりおすすめしません。I wouldn't really recommend it.

Scene — a tip on Yanaka Ginza

Yanaka Ginza is busy after lunch. A visitor stops Leo near Kenta’s croquette stand and asks where to eat. Leo knows the street, but checks with Kenta before recommending a dish.

Across the lane, the old black umbrella stays in the kissa stand. Goro sits in the booth with his coffee, still untouched.

Leo stands beside Kenta’s croquette stand on busy Yanaka Ginza, while Goro sits across the lane with his coffee untouched.

Learn — recommend a place or dish

These six lines help you ask where to go, check what is popular, and recommend a dish or place.

Notice how a short phrase can make advice sound clear without sounding pushy.

  1. A visitor pauses near the stand and asks Leo for a place he would recommend.

    おすすめの店(みせ)はありますか。

    Do you have a place you'd recommend?

    When to use it: Ask this when you want someone to suggest a place to eat or visit.

    The の links the recommendation to 店, making this a question about a recommended place.

  2. Leo recommends Kenta’s stand and gestures toward it.

    ここはおすすめですよ。

    I'd recommend this place.

    When to use it: Say this when you want to recommend the place you are at or pointing to.

    よ adds a gentle, confident emphasis when you share your recommendation.

  3. Kenta listens as the visitor asks which food is most popular.

    一番(いちばん)人気(にんき)は何(なん)ですか。

    What's the most popular thing?

    When to use it: Ask this when you want to know which item is most popular.

    一番人気 asks about the top-ranked choice, not just something popular.

  4. Leo turns to Kenta and asks which croquette he recommends most.

    どれが一番(いちばん)おすすめですか。

    Which one do you recommend most?

    When to use it: Use this when you have several choices and want the strongest recommendation.

    が marks どれ as the choice you want the other person to recommend.

  5. Kenta presents a freshly fried croquette as Leo points it out as the one to try.

    行(い)ったらこれを食(た)べてみてください。

    If you go, try this.

    When to use it: Offer this as a friendly suggestion about something to eat at a place.

    行ったら means if or when you go, and 食べてみてください invites someone to try it.

  6. Leo gives a mild, courteous gesture toward the neighboring shop as he advises against it.

    あまりおすすめしません。

    I wouldn't really recommend it.

    When to use it: Use this to give a mild negative recommendation.

    あまり softens a negative statement, so the advice sounds less blunt.

Story — a visitor asks Leo

A visitor asks Leo for a food recommendation on Yanaka Ginza. Leo checks what is popular at Kenta’s stand, then gives the visitor a tip.

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

  1. The visitor pauses beside the croquette stand and looks down the street.
  2. Visitorこんにちは。谷中(やなか)銀座(ぎんざ)でおすすめの店(みせ)はありますか。Hello. Do you have a place you'd recommend on Yanaka Ginza?
  3. Leoありますよ。近(ちか)くに店(みせ)がたくさんあります。Yes, there are. There are lots of shops nearby.
  4. Visitorこの辺(へん)で食(た)べるなら、どこがいいですか。If I want to eat around here, where would be good?
  5. Leoここはおすすめですよ。I'd recommend this place.
  6. Visitor一番(いちばん)人気(にんき)は何(なん)ですか。What's the most popular thing?
  7. Kentaコロッケですよ。よく出(で)ます。Croquettes. They sell well.
  8. Leo健太(けんた)さん、どれが一番(いちばん)おすすめですか。Kenta, which one do you recommend most?
  9. Kenta揚(あ)げたてのコロッケですね。The freshly fried croquette.
  10. Leo行(い)ったらこれを食(た)べてみてください。If you go, try this.
  11. Visitor隣(となり)のお店(みせ)はどうですか。How about the shop next door?
  12. Leoあまりおすすめしません。I wouldn't really recommend it.
  13. Leo健太(けんた)さんはお釣(つ)りを間違(まちが)えることがあるので、確認(かくにん)してくださいね。Kenta sometimes gets the change wrong, so please check it.
  14. Kentaちょっと、聞(き)こえていますよ。Hey, I can hear you.
  15. Visitorありがとうございます。コロッケにします。Thank you. I'll have the croquette.

Practice — choose a useful recommendation

The practice round mixes listening, matching, building, and choosing a reply.

You’ll also fix a small mistake and use an earlier greeting in a new situation.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    Japanese

    おすすめの店(みせ)はありますか。Drop the English here
    ここはおすすめですよ。Drop the English here
    あまりおすすめしません。Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    Your visitor is standing by Kenta's croquette stand. You think it is a good place to try.

  4. Build the line

    What's the most popular thing?

    。

    Tap the words in order.

  5. Fill the gap

    Which one do you recommend most?

    どれ____一番(いちばん)おすすめですか。

  6. Pick the reply

    Visitor says:

    この店(みせ)に行(い)ったら、何(なん)を食(た)べたらいいですか。

    If I go to this shop, what should I eat?

    And you reply with:

  7. Swap the word

    Tell your visitor to try the croquette when they go.

    行(い)ったら____を食(た)べてみてください。

  8. Find the mistake

  9. What do you say?

    You meet a visitor at two in the afternoon and want to say hello.

  10. True or false?

    Leo says there are lots of shops nearby.

Say it — help a visitor decide

Imagine a visitor has stopped you on Yanaka Ginza and wants a local tip. Say each line when its cue appears, and listen to the other speakers between your turns.

You can play the example first. Speaking practice is for recording, not a pronunciation score.

  1. Visitor谷中(やなか)銀座(ぎんざ)でおすすめの店(みせ)はありますか。Do you have a place you'd recommend on Yanaka Ginza?
  2. Leo (you)Recommend the place you are standing by.

    ここはおすすめですよ。

    I'd recommend this place.

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

JapaneseEnglish
おすすめの店(みせ)はありますか。Do you have a place you'd recommend?
ここはおすすめですよ。I'd recommend this place.
一番(いちばん)人気(にんき)は何(なん)ですか。What's the most popular thing?
どれが一番(いちばん)おすすめですか。Which one do you recommend most?
行(い)ったらこれを食(た)べてみてください。If you go, try this.
あまりおすすめしません。I wouldn't really recommend it.
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Keep these recommendation phrases handy. Open the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them on the train.

A quick review helps you ask for a local tip and share one clearly.

Open Yak Cards