Japanese Dialogues: At the Restaurant

あの、すみませんが、今夜８時に予約をしたいのですが。
ano, sumimasen ga, konya hachi ji ni yoyaku wo shitai no desu ga.
Hello. I would like to make a reservation for tonight at eight.

NOTE: "ano" - "um" "sumimasen ga" would mean "Sorry for the trouble but ~ " ; it is something you would say to be polite before making a request.

はい、かしこまりました。何名様ですか？
hai, kashikomarimashita. nanmei sama desu ka?
Sure, how many people will be in your party?

NOTE: "hai, kashikomarimashita" would mean, "Yes, I have respectfully received your request"; this is a standard reply used by servers when they take orders or requests from the customers.

四人です。
yonin desu.
Four.

NOTE: Notice the pronunciation is "yonin" not "yonnin."

室内のテーブル席になさいますか？それとも屋外になさいますか？
shitsunai no te-buru seki ni nasaimasu ka? soretomo okugai ni nasaimasu ka?
Would you like a table inside or would you prefer an outside table?

"seki" is usually "seat" but in this case it is "table"; "soretomo" - "or"

天気がいいので、外がいいと思います。
tenki ga ii node, soto ga ii to omoimasu.
The weather is nice so outside would be great.

NOTE: "~ node" is the same as "because ~" but notice its position in the sentence.

はい、かしこまりました。なにかほかにご希望などはございませんか？
hai, kashikomarimashita. nanika hokani gokibou nado wa gozaimasen ka?
Sure. Is there anything else I can help you with?

NOTE: "gokibou" ("go" + "kibou - hope") - something you would want; it shows respect to the customer.

はい、あります。私の妻の誕生日ですので、ケーキをテーブルに持ってきてほしいのですが？
hai, arimasu. watashi no tsuma no tanjoubi desu node, ke-ki wo te-buru ni motte kite hoshii no desu ga?
Yes, it is my wife's birthday and I would like a cake brought to the table.

NOTE: A sentence which ends with "~ desu ga?" is a soft way of requesting something instead of sounding too direct like giving an order.

それは素敵なお考えですね。お食事のあと、ケーキをお持ちいたします。
sore wa suteki na okangae desu ne. o shokuji no ato, ke-ki wo omochi itashimasu.
How nice! Yes, we can have it brought out at the end of your meal.

NOTE: "suteki" means "nice", "lovely" or "cool."

いいですね、それと、食後にワインもお願いしたいのですが。
ii desu ne, soreto, shokugo ni wain mo onegai shitai no desu ga.
Great! I would also like a bottle of wine at that time.

NOTE: "soreto" - also; "shokugo 食後 " - shoku (to eat) + go (after)

はい、屋外のお席、８時にご予約承りました。
hai, okugai no oseki,hachi ji ni goyoyaku uketamawarimashita.
Okay, your table for four outside will be ready for you at eight o'clock.

NOTE: "uketamawarimasita" is usually used by a restaurant receptionist when confirming an appointment. It means "I have respectfully received (your appointment)"

ありがとうございます。ワインとケーキは、ウエイトレスが持ってきてくれますね？
arigatou gozaimasu. wain to ke-ki wa, ueitoresu ga motte kite kuremasu ne?
Thank you, and our server will bring out the cake and wine?

NOTE: Adding "ne?" at the end can make the sentence a question asking for a confirmation.

はい、お食事のあとお持ちいたします。そのほかになにかございますか？
hai, o shokuji no ato omochi itashimasu. sono hokani nanika gozaimasu ka?
Yes, it will be brought at the end of your meal. May I help you with anything else?

NOTE: "omochi itashimasu" means "(The server) will bring (them)"

いえ、ありません。以上です。
ie, arimasen. ijou desu.
No, thank you that will be all.

NOTE: "ijou desu" - that will be all; that is all; or that's it

ありがとうございました。
arigatou gozaimashita.
Thank you, sir.

"arigatou gozaimashita" is in the past tense since the reason for thanking was already done.

DIALOGUE 1: Vocabulary
あの ano umm; said as a polite way to get someone's attention
すみません sumimasen sorry; excuse me
が ga but; however
今夜 konya tonight
８時に hachi ji ni at 8 o'clock
予約 yoyaku reservation
を wo (direct object marker)
したい shitai want to
のですが no desu ga copula (a word used to link the subject of a sentence with a predicate; often like the English "to be")
はい hai yes
かしこまりました kashikomarimashita I understand; yes
何名様 nanmei sama how many people
です desu copula (a word used to link the subject of a sentence with a predicate; often like the English "to be")
か ka question marker (grammatical)
四人 yonin four people
です desu copula (a word used to link the subject of a sentence with a predicate; often like the English "to be")
室内 shitsunai inside (the restaurant)
の no possession (grammatical)
テーブル te-buru table
席 seki seat
になさいますか？ ni nasaimasu ka? will be?
それとも soretomo or 
屋外 okugai outside (the restaurant)
になさいますか？ ni nasaimasu ka? will be?
天気 tenki weather
が ga subject marker (grammar)
いい ii good; nice
ので node because; therefore
外 soto outside
が ga subject marker (grammar)
いい ii good; nice
と思います to omoimasu I think
はい hai yes
かしこまりました kashikomarimashita I understand; yes
なにか nanika something
ほかに hokani in addition
ご希望 go kibou your wish; your order (the "go" makes it polite when referring to someone else's wish)
など nado etc.
は wa (particle topic marker - hiragana "ha" but pronounced "wa")
ございません gozaimasen there isn't
か ka question marker (grammatical)
はい hai yes
あります arimasu have; exist
私 watashi I; me (used by males and females)
の no possession (grammatical)
妻 tsuma wife
の no possession (grammatical)
誕生日 tanjoubi birthday
です desu copula (a word used to link the subject of a sentence with a predicate; often like the English "to be")
のでnode because; therefore
ケーキ ke-ki cake
を wo (direct object marker)
テーブル te-buru table
に ni to (table)
持ってきて motte kite go and grab
ほしい hoshii want
のですが no desu ga copula (a word used to link the subject of a sentence with a predicate; often like the English "to be")
それは sore wa that
素敵な suteki na nice; good
お考え o kangae thought
です desu copula (a word used to link the subject of a sentence with a predicate; often like the English "to be")
ね ne isn't it?; hasn't it?
お食事 o shokuji food
の no possession (grammatical)
あと ato after
ケーキ ke-ki cake
を wo (direct object marker)
お持ちいたします o mochi itashimasu will carry out
いい ii good; nice
です desu copula (a word used to link the subject of a sen tence with a predicate; often like the English "to be")
ね ne isn't it?; hasn't it?
それと sore to that and
食後に shokugo ni after eating
ワイン wain wine
も mo also
お願いしたい onegai shitai want to ask a favor [The "shitai" adds the meaning of "to want to..."]
のですが no desu ga copula (a word used to link the subject of a sentence with a predicate; often like the English "to be")
はい hai yes
屋外 okugai outside (the restaurant)
の no possession (grammatical)
お席oseki seat (polite)
８時に hachi ji ni at 8 o'clock
ご予約 goyoyaku reservation (polite)
承りました uketamawarimashita received
ありがとうございます arigatou gozaimasu thank you
ワイン wain wine
と to and
ケーキ ke-ki cake
は wa (particle topic marker - hiragana "ha" but pronounced "wa")
ウエイトレス ueitoresu waitress
が ga subject marker (grammar)
持ってきてくれます motte kitekuremasu will bring
ね ne sentence ender asking for confirmation
はい hai yes
お食事oshokuji food; meal (polite)
の no possession (grammatical)
あと ato after
お持ちいたします omochi itashimasu will bring (to you)
そのほかに sono hoka ni something else
なにか nanika something
ございます gozaimasu is; exists
か ka question marker (grammatical)
いえ ie no
ありません arimasen isn't; doesn't exist
以上 ijou that is all
です desu copula (a word used to link the subject of a sentence with a predicate; often like the English "to be")
ありがとう arigatou thank you
ございました gozaimashita copula (a word used to link the subject of a sentence with a predicate; often like the English "to be")