Restaurant and Household Vocabulary

Ordering at a Restaurant

When ordering at a restaurant, the server (店員, てんいん, server) usually asks with 「お決まりですか」(おきまりですか, have you decided?) or 「何になさいますか」(なにになさいますか, what would you like?). The form 「〜になさいます」 is the honorific form of 「する」 that staff use toward guests. The appropriate answer is to name your choice directly.

Guests usually end their reply with 「〜をお願いします」(〜をおねがいします, I would like ... / please ...), the most polite pattern for ordering or requesting something, for example 「お水をお願いします」(おみずをおねがいします, water, please) or 「お箸をもう一膳お願いします」(おはしをもういちぜんおねがいします, one more pair of chopsticks, please). When the server offers something with 「〜はいかがですか」(〜はいかがですか, how about ...?), the guest can accept with 「はい、〜をお願いします」.

For drinks, 「温(あたた)かい」(あたたかい, warm) and 「冷(つめ)たい」(つめたい, cold) are used to express temperature, while for coffee and tea 「ホット」(hot) and 「アイス」(ice) are also used. The server usually asks about a choice with the pattern 「〜と〜、どちらになさいますか」. If you want to change a drink that has already been ordered, use 「〜に変えてください」(〜にかえてください, please change it to ...). Questions about payment 「会計」(かいけい, payment) are not part of ordering food and are usually handled at the 「レジ」(kasir, cash register).

When an item is sold out, the server says 「〜てしまいました」(... has run out) or 「売(う)り切(き)れ」(うりきれ, sold out). The expression 「申し訳ありません」(もうしわけありません, we sincerely apologize) is used to deliver bad news, and then the server offers an alternative with 「〜でしたら、すぐにお出しできます」(〜でしたら, if it is ..., we can serve it right away).

Guests can change their decision with 「〜にしようと思ったんですけど、やっぱり〜にします」(〜にしようとおもったんですけど、やっぱり〜にします, I was going to choose ... but in the end I will choose ...). The pattern 「〜にします」 is used to state a choice, while 「〜にしようと思う」 expresses a plan that is not yet certain.

Special requests use 「〜を抜いてもらうことはできますか」(〜をぬいてもらうことはできますか, can you leave out ...?) or 「〜に変更できますか」(〜にへんこうできますか, can it be changed to ...?). Vocabulary that often appears includes 「大盛り」(おおもり, large portion), 「辛さ」(からさ, spiciness), which can be made 「控えめ」(ひかえめ, mild), and 「分けやすい」(わけやすい, easy to share). If a child does not like eggs, menu options without 「卵」(たまご, egg) can be discussed using the words 「苦手」(にがて, not good at / dislikes) or 「アレルギー」(alergi, allergy).

When arranging the order, 「後で決めます」(あとできめます, I will decide later) is used to postpone a choice, and 「お決まりになりましたらお声をかけてください」(おきまりになりましたらおこえをかけてください, when you have decided, please call me) is used by the server. The words 「食後」(しょくご, after meal) and 「食前」(しょくぜん, before meal) indicate when a drink is served. Guests can also say 「〜てから決めます」 to state a decision that will be made after a certain condition occurs.

For reservations, 「予約」(よやく, reservation) is used for a booking of a table. The server greets with 「お待ちしておりました」(おまちしておりました, we have been waiting for you), and 「承ります」(うけたまわります, we will receive and record) is used to accept an order. Availability of a time is asked with 「〜でしたら空いておりますが」, and then the guest can agree or request another time. If the number of people changes, the guest must call the restaurant again to change the 「人数」(にんずう, number of people).

If a guest will be late, express it with 「〜ぐらい遅れそうなんです」(〜ぐらいおくれそうなんです, it seems I will be late by about ...). The server replies with 「〜ぐらいでしたら大丈夫ですよ」, or sets a time limit with 「〜を過ぎると」(〜をすぎると, if ... is passed).

To complain that an order has not yet arrived, the guest uses 「〜んですが」(〜んですが, I would like to mention ...), which makes the sentence sound gentle, followed by 「まだ〜ないんですが」(まだ〜ないんですが, it has not yet ... but ...). 「ごちそうさまでした」 is used only after the meal is finished, while 「結構です」(けっこうです, no thank you / not necessary) is used to politely decline an offer.

To ask for a recommendation, 「おすすめ」(recommendation) is used with the pattern 「おすすめは〜でしょうか」(おすすめは〜でしょうか, what do you recommend?). The question 「〜てもいいですか」 means asking for permission, not asking for a recommendation.

Certain menu items are often available only at specific times, for example 「〜のメニューだけ」(only the ... menu), and the server asks guests to order early with 「お早めにご注文ください」(おはやめにごちゅうもんください, please order early).

In restaurant announcements, 「定番」(ていばん, standard menu) refers to dishes that are always available. The pattern 「〜ので、〜ことにしました」 states a decision together with its reason, and 「ぜひ〜てみてください」(ぜひ〜てみてください, please do try ...) is used to invite customers to try something. Menu announcements also often mention changes in 「値段」(ねだん, price).

The question 「〜くないものはありますか」(is there anything that is not ...?) is answered with 「はい」 or 「いいえ」, followed by a suitable explanation.

To suggest something, 「〜ようか」(〜ようか, shall we ...?) is used. A reason for moving to another place usually relates to 「待ち時間」(まちじかん, waiting time) that is 「長すぎる」(ながすぎる, too long).

The server says 「すぐにお持ちします」(すぐにおもちします, I will bring it right away) and asks guests to wait with 「少々お待ちください」(しょうしょうおまちください, please wait a moment). A guest who wants to order a drink first while waiting for friends to arrive can say 「先に〜ておこう」(さきに〜ておこう, let me order ... first).

Daily household chores

Daily household chores are often divided among 「当番」(とうばん, duty rotation). When giving instructions politely, 「〜ておいて」(〜ておいて, please do ... in advance) or the more polite 「〜ておいてほしい」 is used. The pattern 「〜は〜でいい」(〜は〜でいい, ... is fine ...) indicates that a task may be done later.

Closing work at a shop includes 「閉店」(へいてん, closing the store), 「締め作業」(しめさぎょう, closing the cash register work), and cleaning the 「冷蔵庫」(れいぞうこ, refrigerator). Dividing tasks can be expressed with 「〜は私がやるから」(〜はわたしがやるから, I will do ... since ...).

When preparing food, 「お弁当を作る」(おべんとうをつくる, making a packed lunch) is a common activity. The pattern 「〜ほうがいい」 (it is better to ...) is used for suggestions, 「〜ないといけない」(must ...) for obligations, and 「いらない」(not needed) to state that something is not required. The form 「〜てくれる?」 is used to ask someone else to do something.