Celebrating a finished project

Japanese for drinks after work: celebrating with coworkers

You and Yoko are coworkers who've become friends. The project you've both been buried in just wrapped up, and you're celebrating at an izakaya. Yoko speaks first, in casual Japanese: plain forms, without です and ます, the way friends and family talk. Here is how it can begin, and the phrases and words worth having ready.

casualWith Yoko, at the izakaya

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How Yoko opens the conversation

Yoko always speaks first. This is the scene's own opening line, with a reply you could give back at the same level:

かんぱーい！いやー、やっと終おわったね。本当ほんとうにお疲つかれさま！
Kanpāi! Iyā, yatto owatta ne. Hontō ni otsukaresama!
Cheers! Wow, it's finally over. Great work, really!
You could say
お疲つかれさま！陽子ようこさんのおかげだよ。
Otsukaresama! Yōko-san no okage da yo.
You too! It's all thanks to you, Yoko.

Other ways it can begin

No two conversations go the same way, and the first line changes too. Each of these can open the scene:

私わたし、ハイボールにするね。何なに飲のむ？
Watashi, haibōru ni suru ne. Nani nomu?
I'm going with a highball. What'll you drink?
You could say
じゃあ、私わたしも同おなじのにする。
Jā, watashi mo onaji no ni suru.
Then I'll have the same.
聞きいた？部長ぶちょうが今日きょうおごってくれるって！
Kiita? Buchō ga kyō ogotte kureru tte!
Did you hear? The boss is treating us tonight!
You could say
え、本当ほんとう？やった！
E, hontō? Yatta!
Really? Yes!
今回こんかい、一番いちばん大変たいへんだったのは何なんだった？
Konkai, ichiban taihen datta no wa nan datta?
What was the hardest part this time?
You could say
うーん、資料しりょう作づくりかな。
Ūn, shiryō-zukuri kana.
Hmm, making the documents, I guess.
あー、肩かたがかたい。ずっとパソコンだったからね。
Ā, kata ga katai. Zutto pasokon datta kara ne.
Ugh, my shoulders are stiff. It was nothing but computer work.
You could say
私わたしも。目めも疲つかれたよ。
Watashi mo. Me mo tsukareta yo.
Me too. My eyes are tired as well.
この店みせ、いい感かんじだね。よく来くるの？
Kono mise, ii kanji da ne. Yoku kuru no?
This place has a nice feel. Do you come here often?
You could say
ううん、今日きょうが初はじめて。
Uun, kyō ga hajimete.
No, this is my first time.

Phrases worth knowing here

Lines for what you do at the izakaya, each with when you'd say it.

打うち上あげ、やっとできたねUchiage, yatto dekita neWe finally get to have our wrap party.Say it as you sit down, to mark what the drinks are for.
長ながかったね、このプロジェクトNagakatta ne, kono purojekutoThat project sure dragged on, huh.Good opener for looking back on the hard weeks together.
お互たがい、よく頑張がんばったよOtagai, yoku ganbatta yoWe both worked really hard.Warm praise to a coworker who shared the workload.
終おわったって、まだ実感じっかんないなあOwatta tte, mada jikkan nai nāIt still doesn't feel like it's over.Use when the relief hasn't sunk in yet.
ハイボール、もう一杯いっぱいいこうかなHaibōru, mō ippai ikō ka naMaybe I'll have one more highball.Half to yourself, hinting you're settling in for the night.

Words you'll hear

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
乾杯かんぱい	kanpai	cheers; a toast
ハイボール	haibōru	highball (whisky and soda)
生なま	nama	draft beer (short for 生ビール)
枝豆えだまめ	edamame	edamame; boiled soybeans
串くし	kushi	skewer (yakitori etc.)
注文ちゅうもん	chūmon	an order (of food/drink)
店員てんいん	ten'in	staff member; server
打うち上あげ	uchiage	celebration party after a project wraps
終おわった	owatta	it's over; we finished
お疲つかれ	otsukare	good work; you must be tired

How polite to be

casual Here Yoko speaks casual Japanese: plain forms, without です and ます, the way friends and family talk, and the replies suggested to you match the level you'd use back. The guide to keigo explains the three levels, and when each is right.

Try it out loud

In Unsubtitled, Yoko says these lines in their own voice, and answers whatever you say back, typed or dictated, with furigana, romaji, and a translation until you no longer need them.

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More scenes with Yoko

Or see every scene, with all four characters.