Drinks after work
Ordering at an izakaya in Japanese: words and phrases
You're friends, meeting up at an izakaya at the end of a long week. Ren 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 Ren, at the izakaya
How Ren opens the conversation
Ren always speaks first. This is the scene's own opening line, with a reply you could give back at the same level:
お疲れ！とりあえず、ビールでいい？
Otsukare! Toriaezu, bīru de ii?
Good work this week! Beer to start?
You could say
うん、ビールで！乾杯しよう！
Un, bīru de! Kanpai shiyō!
Yeah, beer! Let's toast!
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:
金曜の夜なのに、意外と空いてるな。
Kin'yō no yoru nanoni, igai to suiteru na.
It's Friday night, but it's surprisingly empty in here.
You could say
ほんとだ。ゆっくりできるね。
Honto da. Yukkuri dekiru ne.
You're right. We can take our time.
俺、枝豆頼むけど、何か食べたい？
Ore, edamame tanomu kedo, nani ka tabetai?
I'm getting edamame — is there anything you want to eat?
You could say
じゃあ、から揚げ食べたい！
Jā, karaage tabetai!
Then I want some fried chicken!
そういえば、店長が猫を飼い始めたんだ。
Sō ieba, tenchō ga neko o kai hajimeta n da.
Oh yeah, my boss started keeping a cat.
You could say
えっ、いいなあ。名前は？
E', ii nā. Namae wa?
Oh, nice! What's its name?
なんか疲れた顔してるな。今週忙しかった？
Nanka tsukareta kao shiteru na. Konshū isogashikatta?
You look kind of tired. Busy week?
You could say
うん、ちょっとね。やっと終わった。
Un, chotto ne. Yatto owatta.
Yeah, a bit. It's finally over.
壁のメニュー、全部手書きなんだな。
Kabe no menyū, zenbu tegaki nan da na.
The menu on the wall — it's all handwritten, huh.
You could say
ほんとだ。字がきれいだね。
Honto da. Ji ga kirei da ne.
You're right. The writing's beautiful.
Phrases worth knowing here
Lines for what you do at the izakaya, each with when you'd say it.
- とりあえず生でいい？Toriaezu nama de ii?Draft beer to start, okay?The standard opener when ordering the first round at an izakaya.
- 唐揚げ頼まない？Karaage tanomanai?Wanna order the fried chicken?Casual way to suggest a dish while sharing the menu.
- 取り皿もらおうかTorizara moraō kaLet's get some small plates.Say this when shared dishes arrive and you need plates to divide them.
- すみませーん、おかわりくださいSumimasēn, okawari kudasaiExcuse me — another one, please.Call out to the staff for a refill; stretch the すみませーん to get their attention.
- そろそろ締めにする？Sorosoro shime ni suru?Should we wrap up with a last dish?Near the end of the night, suggesting a final rice or noodle dish before the bill.
Words you'll hear
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 生ビール | nama bīru | draft beer |
| 枝豆 | edamame | edamame (boiled soybeans) |
| 居酒屋 | izakaya | izakaya, Japanese pub |
| 店員 | ten'in | staff, server |
| 注文 | chūmon | order (food/drinks) |
| おすすめ | osusume | recommendation |
| 疲れた | tsukareta | I'm beat / tired |
| 残業 | zangyō | overtime |
| レコード | rekōdo | record (vinyl) |
| 週末 | shūmatsu | weekend |
How polite to be
casual Here Ren 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.
Eating out somewhere else? The guide to ordering food in Japanese walks through a whole meal, from the door to the check.
Try it out loud
In Unsubtitled, Ren 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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Or see every scene, with all four characters.