Japanese Dialogues: At the Restaurant

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.

• 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 o (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”) [の usually indicates an explanation or reason]

hai, kashikomarimashita. nanmei sama desu ka?
Sure, how many people will be in your party?

• はい hai yes
• かしこまりました kashikomarimashita I understand; yes [polite]
• 何名様 nanmei sama how many people [polite; a less formal way to ask is 何人 nan nin (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)

yonin desu.
Four.

• 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”)

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?

• 室内 shitsunai inside (the restaurant)
• の no possession (grammatical)
• テーブル te-buru table
• 席 seki seat; table
• 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?

tenki ga ii node, soto ga ii to omoimasu.
The weather is nice so outside would be great.

• 天気 tenki weather
• が ga subject marker (grammar)
• いい ii good; nice
• ので node because; therefore
• 外 soto outside
• いい ii good; nice
• と思います to omoimasu I think

hai, kashikomarimashita. nanika hokani gokibou nado wa gozaimasen ka?
Sure. Is there anything else I can help you with?

• はい hai yes
• かしこまりました kashikomarimashita I understand; yes [polite]
• 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)

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.

• 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 o (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 [a polite ender to soften a request]

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.

• 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 [particle that links two nouns: after the food]
• あと ato after
• ケーキ ke-ki cake
• を o (direct object marker)
• お持ちいたします o mochi itashimasu will carry out

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.

• いい ii good; nice
• 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?
• それと sore to that and
• 食後に shokugo ni with 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”)

hai, okugai no oseki,hachi ji ni goyoyaku uketamawarimashita.
Okay, your table for four outside will be ready for you at eight o’clock.

• はい hai yes
• 屋外 okugai outside (the restaurant)
• の no possession; links "seat" with "outside" (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

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?

• 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

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?

• 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)

ie, arimasen. ijou desu.
No, thank you that will be all.

• 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”)

arigatou gozaimashita.
Thank you, sir.

• 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”)