Looking to order takeout in Japan? In Japan, many chain restaurants offer a takeout option on their menu. When almost everyone’s busy working, ordering takeout can be pretty convenient for the vast majority who’d like to grab a quick meal. Still, ordering takeout in a foreign language can be intimidating, but with a few key phrases and some practice, it can become a breeze. In this article, we will learn how to order our food in a natural-sounding way.

Read here to learn more about how to order food at a restaurant!

Step 1: Greeting

When you first enter the restaurant or call to place an order, the staff will politely greet you with a “いらっしゃいませ” (irasshaimase). In return, a common greeting is “こんにちは” (konnichiwa), which means “hello” or “good afternoon.”

After that, you’ll often be asked:
いらっしゃいませ、こちらでおがりですか
Irrashaimase, kochira de omeshi agari desu ka?
Welcome. Are you eating in?)

いらっしゃいませ、店内てんないでおがりですか。
Irrashaimase, tennai de omeshiagarimari desu ka?
Welcome. Would you like to eat in (the restaurant).

がり is a noun coming from the verb がる a very formal/honorific way to say “to eat”. Using honorifics is one of the ways staff show respect for the customer they are serving. Here again, お is added to the noun so as to sound more polite. If you are confused with the difference between お and ご, click here.

Step 2: Saying “I’d Like Take-out!” in Japanese

かえりで(おねがいします)。
Takeout (please).

かえり translates to takeout. It comes from the verb かえる, meaning “to bring back” or “to carry home”.

The prefix お makes the noun sound more polite. As for the particle で, in this context, indicates a mean or a method. This particle literally translates to “by”, “with”, “by means of” or “in”. It implies that you make a choice from a series of options. Here, you’ve opted for takeout instead of dining in at the restaurant. Adding “おねがいします” makes you sound more polite. However, this phrase is often skipped by the Japanese themselves so time’s wasted when ordering food! Click here for more phrases that make you sound more polite!

Step 3: Communicate In Japanese to Order Take-out

Now let’s continue our conversation with the staff! If you want to order a takeout you can answer the counter staff with this:

いいえ、おかえりで(おねがいします).
Iie, omochiaeri de (onegai shimasu).
No, takeout please.

If you’d like to eat in instead, you can say はい、ここで (Yes, here) or はい、店内てんないで (Yes, here).
At a fast food restaurant, the waiter might ask directly if you’re ordering takeout:

店員: いらっしゃいませ、おかえりですか。
Waiter: Welcome, would you like a takeout?
You can then answer : はい、おかえりで(おねがいします)(Yes, takeout (please)).

The waiter will follow up by asking you for your order:

注文ちゅうもんをどうぞ.
Gochuumon o douzo.
May I take your order?

The literal translation would be closer to “place your order”. However, the phrase here is a polite way to ask if the customer is ready to order their food. They can also say:

ご注文をお伺いします.
Gochuumon o oukagai shimasu.
I would like to ask your oder.

The verb お伺いします (oukagaishimasu) is actually stemmed from an already humble form of ask, kiku (聞く): ukagau (伺う). As you talk with the restaurant staff, you’ll notice that they are using polite Japanese to talk to you, so it can be confusing at first when you are only learning daily Japanese vocabulary and basic verb forms.

Don’t worry, though! The more you go out to eat in Japan and order omochikaeri, the more you’ll get used to keigo (敬語).

Ordering your food is the easy part. Even if you can’t really speak or read Japanese, simply point on the menu to indicate what you want.

If you have any questions about the menu items, you can ask the staff “これはなんですか?” (kore wa nan desu ka?), which means “What is this?” or “What is it?”

If you can’t read the menu but know your order through the pictures, you can use phrases such as “これをください” (kore o kudasai),

You can use the counter つ (ひとつ (one of…)、ふたつ (two of…) etc.) to indicate the amount you want. You can learn how to count in Japanese through this article. For exampe, if you are ordering a two hamburgers, you can say:

ハンバーガーを二つください。
Hanbaagaa o futatsu kudasai.
Two hamburger, please.

Step 4: Customizing Your Takeout in Japan

Food Portion Sizes

Sizes in Japan can also be known as エス (S for small), エム (M, medium) or エル (L, large).

Some restaurants might use the Japanese sizing system too:

Big Sizes: 大盛おおもり (oomori)
Regular Sizes:  普通ふつう (futsuu) or 並盛(なみも)り (namimori)
Small Sizes: すくなめ (sukuname) or ミニ (Mini)

Check out this blog for more food sizes in Japanese!

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Combining what we learned so far, let’s see how a typical takeout order in Japan usually goes!

Staff:いらっしゃいませ。
Irrashaimase.
Welcome.

You: こんにちは、ビッグマックを一つと、フレンチフライをLサイズでお願いします。
Konnichiha, biggu makku o hitotsu to, furenchi furai o eru saizu de onegai shimasu.
Good afternoon. I’d like one Big Mac and an L-size french fires.

Saff: 店内(てんない)でお召(め)し上(あ)がりですか。
Tennai de omeshiagarimari desu ka?
Welcome. Would you like to eat in (the restaurant)?

You: いいえ、お持(も)ち帰(かえ)りで(お願(ねが)いします).
Iie, omochiaeri de (onegai shimasu).
No, takeout please.

Staff: はい、ビッグマック一つ、フレンチフライLサイズ、注文いたします。何か追加でいかがですか?
Hai, biggu makku hitotsu, furenchi furai eru saizu, chuumon itashimasu. Nanika tsuika de ikaga desuka?
One Big Mac and L-size french fries. Would you like to add anything else?

You: いいえ、それだけです。
Iie, sore dake desu.
No, just that.

Staff: かしこまりました。お会計は1300円になります。
Kashikomarimashita. Okaikei wa sen-sanhyaku en ni narimasu.
Noted. The total is 1,300 yen.

You: 現金でお願いします。
Genkin de onegaishimasu.
(I’d like to pay) with cash, please.

Staff: はい、お預かりいたします。
Hai, oazukari itashimasu.
Alright, I’ll take care of it

Ordering takeout in Japanese may seem daunting at first, but with practice and the right phrases, it can become a comfortable and rewarding experience. Remember to take your time to choose your order, make any special requests, confirm your order, and pay for your order in a courteous manner. With these tips in mind, you’ll be able to confidently order takeout in Japanese in no time.

Check out some other commonly used words below!

Vocabulary:
  • ホット ー Hot (for drinks)
  • アイス ー Cold (for drinks)
  • ポテトフライ ー French fries
  • ケチャップ ー Ketchup
  • マスタード ー Mustard
  • ハンバーガー ー Hamburger

Click to tweet this article and let more people know how to order a take out in Japan! If you would like to find out more about how you can make a purchase in Japanese, check out this blog!

 


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What is takeout in Japanese?

Takeout in Japanese is テイクアウト (teikuauto) or お持ち帰り (omochikaeri)

How do you request for a takeout in Japanese?

お持ち帰りでお願いします(omochikaeri de onegaishimasu).

What are some good restaurants to get takeout in Japan?

There are many great restaurants in Japan that offer takeout options. Some popular chains include McDonald’s, KFC, and Yoshinoya. You can also find local restaurants and cafes that offer delicious takeout meals.

How can I find takeout options near me in Japan?

You can use apps like Google Maps or Tabelog to search for restaurants and cafes near your location that offer takeout. You can also look for signs that say “omochikaeri” (お持ち帰り) outside of restaurants and cafes.

Should you use moshi moshi (もしもし) every time you pick up a phone call in Japanese? While our students love having an opportunity to practice their Japanese skills, one of the biggest challenges is always answering the phone. In-person conversation is a great way to practice because you can rely on body language and other visible cues from your speaking partner. However, on the phone, you rely only on the voice, so it can be incredibly intimidating for new students.

It’s all about word choice and intonation. We’ll cover some of the basics of phone etiquette to get you on your way.

 

Jump to:

Moshi Mosh” as “Hello”
When Not to Use “Moshi Moshi”
Thank You for Your Ongoing Support

“Moshi Moshi” as “Hello” in Japanese

You’ve likely heard moshi moshi before — in anime shows, TV series and documentaries. It’s a basic expression used by Japanese people when they pick up the phone. The word moshi is derived from the verb “to say” in humble Japanese: (もうす).

The important thing to remember is that moshi moshi is primarily a casual expression, and you should use it with your friends and family. The common follow-up is, “Yes, this is (your name)”

もしもし、はいマイクです。
Moshi moshi, hai maiku desu.
Hello, yes this is Mike.

Casual phone calls are a great way to practice your phone conversation skills since your Japanese friends will likely try to help you out and communicate more effectively. If you run into problems on the phone, here are some key phrases to remember:

 

If the speaker speaks too fast for you:
すみません、もっとゆっくりしてください。
Sumimasen, motto yukkuri hanashite kudasai.
Please, could you speak more slowly?

If you did not understand the explanation:
すみません、もう一度いちどねがいします。
Sumimasen, mou ichido onegaishimasu.
Please, could you repeat that?)

If you don’t understand anything:
すみません、(全然ぜんぜん)わかりません。
Sumimasen, zenzen wakarimasen.
I am sorry, I do not understand any of that.

When Not to Use “Moshi Moshi” When Talking in Japanese

If you are receiving a professional phone call, you should not use moshi moshi. In this situation, はい (“yes”) is used as “Hello”. You typically state your name and/or company name when answering the phone in this way. As with everything else, you can upgrade your politeness level depending on your situation.

はい、ジョンです。
Hello, this is John.

はい、コト・ランゲージアカデミーです。
Hello, this is Coto Japanese Academy.

はい、コト・ランゲージアカデミーのアニタです。
Hello, this is Anita from Coto Japanese Academy

Alternatively, when it comes to business phone etiquette — meaning when you’re receiving a call from your (not-so-close) colleague or client — there are other ways to give a good, clean introduction.

お電話ありがとうございます。コト・ランゲージアカデミーのアニタです。
Odenwa arigatou gozaimasu. Koto Rangeeji Akademii no Anita desu.
Thank you for calling. This is Anita from Coto Language Academy.

お疲れ様です。
Otsukare sama desu.
Thank you for your hard work. (Check out the full explanation of お疲れ様です here).

Cultural note: speed is important when it comes to answering the phone in Japanese offices. You should always try to answer the phone as soon as it rings. If it rings 3 or more times before you pick up, you should apologize for being late to answer:

 

たせしました。コト・ランゲージアカデミーでございます。
Omataseshimashita. Koto Rangeeji Akademii de gozaimasu.
Thank you for waiting. This is Coto Academy.

Beyond Moshi Moshi: Thank You for Your Ongoing Support

Another key business phrase you can use is お世話になっております, read as osewa ni natte orimasu. お世話 means to “care”, while 世話になる means “to be taken care of”.

Although the literal translation may sound awkward for English speakers, the term osewa ni natte orimasu can be closely interpreted as “Thank you for your support”.

You can use it as a very polite greeting when answering the phone or after taking knowledge of the caller’s identity. In this last case, you can add いつも itsumo (“always”). In Japanese culture, you should always care to share your appreciation for someone’s work.
世話せわになっております。コト・ランゲージアカデミーでございます。
Thank you for your support, this is Coto Japanese Academy.

いつもお世話せわになっております。
Itsumo osewa ni natte orimasu.
Thank you for your (continuous) support.

Here’s a look at some other possible phone call situations, and the phrases that go along with them:

Redirecting a Call in Japanese

At work, if the phone call needs to be forwarded to someone else, you can use:

かしこまりました、少々しょうしょうちくださいませ。
Kashikomarimashita. Shoushou omachikudasaimase.
Yes (I understand). Just a moment, please.

The person you’ve forwarded the call to will say:

電話でんわわりました。
Odenwa kawarimashita.
The call has been forwarded.

“Please Hold”

You likely know the phrase chotto matte kudasai. You can use the more formal version of that during a phone call where you need to place the caller on hold.

少々しょうしょうちくださいませ。
Shoushou omachi kudasaimase.
Please wait a moment.

Bad connection call

We all know how awkward it can be when you’re on a phone call with a bad connection. You can use these phrases should this happen to you while on a phone call in Japanese:

もしもし?
Hello?
すみません、こえますか.
Excuse me, can you hear me?
おそります。お電話でんわとおいようです。
Pardon me, it seems the phone is far. (bad connection)

Hanging up

Of course, you’re not going to say “bye” when talking to your boss. Japanese communication has different levels of honorifics. In English, you might just end it with a simple, “Talk to you later” or, “Goodbye.” The case is entirely different.

Ending the phone call with friends can be done with a simple “See you later.”

またね!
Mata ne!
See you!

あとでね!
Ato de ne!
Later then!

バイバイ!
Bai bai!
Bye bye

At work, you’ll use the more formal method:

失礼しつれいします。
Shitsurei shimasu.
Please excuse me.

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You can never say “thank you” in Japanese or be thanked enough when expressing appreciation and gratitude in any situation.

Depending on who you’re talking with, the social proximity and status between the speaker and the degree of politeness, “thank you” phrases in Japanese vary. For example, if a friend did you a favor, you thank them as a way to show gratitude. Pretty straightforward, right?

This is completely different when you’re trying to show gratitude to a client. You might say “thank you”, but that needs a lot of bowing and apologizing too. Suddenly, ありがとう becomes something complicated, right?

It’s no wonder that there are multiple ways to say thank you in Japanese too. From the formal kansha shimasu to the English loanword that’s popular among young men sankyuu, every situation calls for a different “thank you”. 

Luckily, with a little bit of crash course, you’ll be able to understand the social cues of the art of saying thank you in Japanese.

Kanji for Arigatou(ありがとう)

The kanji for arigatou is 有り難い. The word was originally used in Buddhism, where 有る (aru) means “existing; being”.  If you’ve learned a few kanji, you will probably be familiar with the second character, 難, which is also used for the Japanese adjective muzukashii (難しい) which means “difficult”. 

Here,  難い comes from gatou (難う), which carries the same meaning (muzukashii) and is derived from the Japanese adjective “difficult.”

Together, they both can be translated  to “something that rarely exists,” “difficult to have,” or “something rare and precious.“

Think of the phrase arigatou as a Japanese proverb: Having someone do something for you is a rare and precious thing.

Now, the word arigatou is often written in hiragana. ありがとう or, if you’re familiar with the more formal and long way to say thank you, ありがとうございます (arigatou gozaimasu).

history and kanji arigatou gozaimasu

History of Arigatou(ありがとう)

It’s interesting to look at the kanji characters that trace their historical roots back to the 8th Century.

According to the kokugo dictionary (national dictionary), arigatashi originally meant “difficult to exist”, which later had its meaning changed to “something rare”. It wasn’t until the 15th century that it eventually came to mean welcome or thankful. 

Culture of Saying Thank You in Japan

Japanese culture and way of living are reflected in its language. Different pronouns, honorific titles and verb forms are used depending on the relationship between speaker and listener, ranging from downright rude to the utmost respect.

Similar to saying sorry, expressing the basic arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) is tightly related to the Japanese culture of groupthink, humility and compassion. In Japan, people try to put the priority of their in-group (uchi) ahead of their own personal desires.

Ironically, one “ありがとうございます” in a Japanese work setting can come off as curt and insincere. Instead, say thanks a second time is necessary to show one’s sincere feelings of appreciation for receiving a kind gesture.

For example, instead of saying “Thank you for waiting,” Japanese people might opt to say “Sorry for keeping you so long.” They might not necessarily seek forgiveness, but this apology is a token of politeness and humility. 

This is because “thank you” and “sorry” fits nicely with one another — or, at least, in Japan’s structured society. Sometimes, it seems like a few minutes of Japanese thank-yous amongst a group of recipients will last an eternity.

Keep in mind that in formal writing and business situations, the word can be written as either 有り難う or 有難う followed by ございます.

It’s perfectly acceptable and quite common in business situations to say thank you in its hiragana form as ありがとうございます. And if you feel really appreciative of what you have received, you can add どうも or おおきに to the beginning of the previous word.

How to Say Thank You in Japanese

thank you in japanese

We’re listing them based on the degree of formality, from the most casual to the most polite. 

1. Sankyuu (サンキュー)

Sounds familiar? The word sankyuu is a loanword taken too literally from the English phrase “thank you”. The Japanese alphabet doesn’t recognize the consonant “th, so the “s” is used (full table on converting English to Japanese consonants here).

And because it’s a loanword, it means it’s written in katakana, too. There are typically two written versions: サンキュー (with a long “u” vowel sound at the end) and サンキュ (with a short “u” vowel). 

It goes without saying, but never use サンキュー to someone socially higher or older than you. Only use this to your friends who you are close with, as even saying it to a same-aged classmate or colleague can give the wrong impression of being “too friendly”. 

Most of the time, this casual way of saying thank you in Japanese is used by young Japanese people.  

2. Azassu (あざっす)

Sankyuu is a loan word, but azassu is a popular Japanese slang. The word actually comes from the original ありがとうございます. If you try saying it fast, you’ll notice that you’re going to skip some vowels and consonants. That’s how azassu was born.

This is one of the slang words that are popular among Japanese men. In the same way saying ore sounds more rough and masculine, あざっす has a light and casual tone. It can be written as あざーす、あざーっす or あざす. It depends on the length of the vowel you might want to emphasize.  

3. Azamasu (あざます)

Another branch of the same slang word above, あざます is popular among young people in Japan. Other variations include ざす(zasu) and あざお(azao). You’ll notice that men tend to use these slang words more often than women, too.

4. Doumo (どうも)

Domo and arigatou tend to have similar formality levels expressed in quite casual situations. Domo is used more often by male speakers and is less often heard among Japanese women. 

It’s a quick, shortened way to say thank you to your friends or family if you don’t want to use slang words. Keep in mind that, rank-wise, doumo is more casual than the shortened arigatou. Because of this, save this for someone who has the same social status, if not lower than, you. 

This phrase for saying thank you is extremely casual. It’s an even more casual way to say thank in Japanese than “arigatou”. Because of its extreme light tone, this phrase is often used with people at the same social status level as you or lower — like your friends and younger siblings. It’s also okay to say it to the cashier or restaurant staff.

say thank you in japanese

5. Arigatou (ありがとう)

Arigatou is really an archetypical way to express a friendly-casual thank you in Japanese. Arigatou has an identical meaning to the English “thanks”, which means that you probably know that it shouldn’t be used in formal situations.

However, because it’s less casual than doumo, you can still use it with someone older than you, like your senpai, parents or ojiisan. Keep in mind that, while it’s acceptable, the most important thing is the relationship distance you have with them.  

6. Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます)

Adding gozaimasu signifies an even more formal situation, the distance between the speakers and is typically used in business encounters. It shows respect and politeness.  You can also use this form for strangers, like a waiter, the konbini clerk or a distant acquaintance. 

Notice sometimes people switch between the present and past tense of arigatou gozaimasu? You say arigatou gozaimashita (ありがとうございました) when someone has already helped or done a favor.  

For example, if someone is offering a hand to carry your luggage, you will use the present tense. 

荷物を持ってくれてありがとうございます。
Nimotsu o motte kurete arigatou gozaimasu.
Thank you for carrying my luggage. 

However, if that person has carried the luggage yesterday, you’d opt for arigatou gozaimashita instead. 

昨日, 荷物を持ってくれてありがとうございました。
Kinou, nimotsu o motte kurete arigatou gozaimashita.
Thank you for carrying my luggage yesterday. 

7. Doumo arigatou gozaimasu (どうもありがとうございます)

In this case, adding doumo on the front emphasizes your appreciation further and makes it more polite. Besides that, you can use hontou ni (本当に), which means truly. 

本当にありがとうございます。
I am truly thankful. 

8. Kansha shimasu (感謝します)

This is usually used in business emails, more often written than spoken as you can come off as stiff or “old-schooled” if you attempt to say it. The word kansha (感謝) means thanks or gratitude — which is, of course, the same as the other thank-yous above, but it has a more polite tone to it.

In business Japanese emails, you can start off with itsumo sapoto shiteitadaki, kansha shimasu (いつもさーポッとしていただき、感謝します), which means “thank you for your continued support”

You will need to add the verb する after the end. If you want to level up the formality and flex your business Japanese skill, you can use Japanese keigo instead and follow the typical rule of adding a prefix on the noun and changing する to its humble form: いたす.

The highest degree you can get from using 感謝します as an alternative to arigatou gozaimasu is ご感謝いたします (gokansha ita shimasu).

心の底からご感謝いたします。
Kokoro no soko kara gokansha ita shimasu.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

7. Osoreirimasu (恐れ入ります)

Lastly is the most formal phrase 恐れ入ります (おそれいります), used to thank someone for the trouble they went through to help you. The word osore (恐れ) means uneasiness, reverence or concern.

Like sumimasen, 恐れ入ります doesn’t translate immediately as “thank you” in Japanese. Even Japanese people don’t use it often, as it’s only used in super formal situations like in meetings. You can think of this phrase as something like, “Would you be so kind?”

Unlike sumimasen, which can be used as an apology, osoreirimasu is used to only acknowledge the trouble someone has done for you. 

恐れ入りますが、私手紙を出してくれませんか?
Osoreirimasuga, watashi tegami o dashitekuremasenka?
Would you be so kind as to post my letter?

9. Arigataki shiawase (ありがたき幸せ)

We can’t help but sneak this one in. If you’ve never heard of it before, that’s completely understandable. Arigataki shiawase is an old-fashioned way used by Japanese samurai to show gratitude to their lord. If you like to watch Japanese historical drama, you’ve probably come across it a few times.

Now, some people still like to use it in a sarcastic way. It is sometimes used as an old-fashioned expression with humor when you catch a person doing something they don’t usually do. 

まさか、お弁当を作って下さるなんて、誠にありがたき幸せにござります。
Masaka, obentou o tsukutte kudasaru nante, makoto ni arigataki shiwase ni gozarimasu.
No way… I am very grateful and happy you made me a lunch box.

Sumimasen and Arigatou

If you live in Japan, you’ll probably realize that sumimasen might as well be Japanese people’s favorite word. That’s because すみません is a versatile word with multiple meanings, ready to be used across different social contexts. It can be said in situations where the English “excuse me” and “sorry” would fit.

遅くてすみませんでした!
Osokute sumimasen deshita!
I’m sorry for being late!

すみません、通ります。
Sumimasen, toorimasu.
Excuse me, I’m going through. 

Check out: Apologizing in Japanese

Besides these two functions, sumimasen can be used to express gratitude for someone who’s gone through all the trouble helping us. Think of the word as “sorry for being a nuisance.” In other words, when you’re thanking someone, you’re also making a fuss or bothering them. You thank them for allowing you to inconvenience them. This is why, oftentimes, “thank you” goes hand in hand with “I’m sorry”. 

Because of this, Japanese people actually use sumimasen a lot more than arigatou. For example, instead of being grateful that someone holding the elevator for you, you’d say sumimasen. In this case, you’re implying, “Sorry (but thank you) for holding the elevator for me.”

Sumimasen and arigatou don’t have to be used separately, though. You can combine domo, sumimasen and arigatou together when speaking Japanese. 

Occasionally, you can attach the word wazawaza (わざわざ ), which means “purposefully”. When you do, it emphasizes your appreciation for bothering someone. 

わざわざ、すみません。ありがとうございます。
Wazawaza, sumimasen. Arigatou gozaimasu.

どうも、すみません、ありがとうございました。
Doumo, sumimasen, arigatou gozaimashita.

Conclusion

And there you have, a quick guide on how the Japanese use all these permutations to specifically show their appreciation and thanks based upon the situation at hand. Pay particular attention to the situation for which you have been thanked and you will gradually develop a greater sensitivity to how the expression “thank you” is properly used in Japanese.

If you want to learn more about how to speak Japanese confidently, visit our contact page and get your Japanese level checked.