How to order at a café in Japanese
コーヒーをください
kōhī o kudasai
“a coffee, please”
When: Ordering at the counter
The moment
You are at the counter of a small Tokyo coffee shop ordering a coffee and something to eat.
A1 · Unit 2 · Café & food
The lines
Ordering with kudasai
Name the item plus "o kudasai" (please give me). "Kōhī o kudasai" is a complete, polite order.
コーヒーをください
kōhī o kudasai
“a coffee, please”
When to use it: Ordering at the counter
What you’ll hear back: かしこまりました。 kashikomarimashita. (Certainly.)
Asking for the bill
Say "okaikei onegaishimasu" (the bill, please). Onegaishimasu is the polite all-purpose "please".
お会計お願いします
o-kaikei onegaishimasu
“the bill, please”
When to use it: When you are ready to pay
What you’ll hear back: 五百円になります。 gohyaku en ni narimasu. (That will be 500 yen.)
Words for this scene
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| コーヒーをください | kōhī o kudasai | a coffee, please |
すみません、コーヒーをください。 Excuse me, a coffee please. Tip: X o kudasai works for ordering anything. | ||
| すみません | sumimasen | excuse me / sorry |
すみません、注文お願いします。 Excuse me, I would like to order. Tip: The universal attention-getter in Japan. | ||
| お会計お願いします | o-kaikei onegaishimasu | the bill, please |
すみません、お会計お願いします。 Excuse me, the bill please. Tip: Works at cafés and restaurants alike. | ||
Your objective
Order a drink and say how you’d like it, then ask how much it is or ask for the bill.
- a drink
- how you’d like it
- the price or the bill
Lines that get it done
- コーヒーをください · a coffee, please
- お会計お願いします · the bill, please
In the live scene the objective stays on screen, and the Replay afterwards says whether you got it done.
Check yourself
1. How do you order a coffee politely?
- コーヒーをください
- コーヒーだ
- コーヒーが好き
- コーヒーはどこ
Show the answer
コーヒーをください
"X o kudasai" is the polite order pattern.
2. What is the universal way to get staff attention?
- すみません
- こんばんは
- さようなら
- いただきます
Show the answer
すみません
Sumimasen works as "excuse me" everywhere.
3. "お会計お願いします" asks for...
- The bill
- The menu
- More water
- A table
Show the answer
The bill
O-kaikei = the bill; onegaishimasu = please.