Learn Japanese through Dialogues: At the Restaurant
DIALOGUE ONE: Making Reservations
In this article, we will look at a typical restaurant reservations scenario. Listen to the dialogue while going through the text, spend some time going through the grammar notes, and then listen to it once more–this time, hopefully, with greater comprehension.
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Let’s begin today’s lesson…
Dialogue One: in Japanese
Making Reservations
あの、すみませんが、今夜８時に予約をしたいのですが。
Hello. I would like to make a reservation for tonight at eight.
Grammatical Notes
あの—um; 「すみませんが」 would mean “Sorry for the trouble but ~”—it is something you would say to be polite before making a request.
VOCABULARY
あの umm [said as a polite way to get someone’s attention]
すみません sorry; excuse me
が but; however
今夜 tonight
８時に at 8 o’clock
予約 reservation
を [direct object marker]
したい want to
のですが The 「の」 + 「です」 is a sentence ender which indicates the speaker is explaining something. The 「が」, meaning “but,” is added to soften the request.
はい、かしこまりました。何名様ですか？
Sure, how many people will be in your party?
Grammatical Notes
「はい、かしこまりました」 would mean “Yes, I will respectfully obey your request”; this is a standard reply used by servers when they take orders or requests from the customers.
VOCABULARY
はい yes
かしこまりました I understand; yes [to obey respectfully]
何名様 how many people [Normally, you can say 「何人」 for “how many people,” but in the context of a restaurant, you will hear the very polite 「何名様」.]
です copula [a word used to link the subject of a sentence with a predicate; often like the English “to be”]
か [question marker]
四人です。
Four.
Grammatical Notes
Notice the pronunciation is よにん not よんにん.
VOCABULARY
四人 four people
室内のテーブル席になさいますか？それとも、屋外になさいますか？
Would you like a table inside or would you prefer a seat outside?
Grammatical Notes
席 is usually “seat” but in this case it is “table”
VOCABULARY
室内 inside (the restaurant)
の [shows possession or relationship between two things]
テーブル table
席 seat
になさいますか？ will be?
それとも or
屋外 outside (the restaurant)
になさいますか？ will be?
天気がいいので、外がいいと思います。
The weather is nice so outside would be great.
Grammatical Notes
「〜ので」 is “because ~” but notice its position in the sentence. It connects and shows a relationship between two phrases.
いい—good; 天気がいい—fine weather; 外がいい—the outside is good.
VOCABULARY
天気 weather
が [grammar: usually marks the subject of the sentence.]
いい good; nice
ので because; therefore
外 outside
と思います I think
はい、かしこまりました。なにかほかにご希望などはございませんか？
Sure. Is there anything else I can get for you?
Grammatical Notes
ご希望 (ご + 希望 “hope”) – something you would want; adding the polite ご shows respect to the customer.
VOCABULARY
はい yes
かしこまりました I understand; yes
なにか something
ほかに in addition
ご希望 your wish; your order [the ご makes it polite when referring to someone else’s wish.]
など etc.
は [particle topic marker—written は but pronounced わ]
ございません there isn’t
か question marker [grammatical]
はい、あります。私の妻の誕生日ですので、ケーキをテーブルに持ってきてほしいのですが。
Yes, it is my wife’s birthday and I would like a cake brought to the table.
Grammatical Notes
A sentence which ends with 「〜ですが」 is a soft way of requesting something instead of making it sound like a direct order.
VOCABULARY
はい yes
あります have; exist
私 I; me (used by males and females)
の [shows possession or relationship between two things]
妻 wife
誕生日 birthday
ので because; therefore
ケーキ cake
を [direct object marker]
テーブル table
に to (the table)
持ってきて brought [literally, “hold and come”]
ほしい want
のですが The 「の」 + 「です」 is a sentence ender which indicates the speaker is explaining something. The 「が」, meaning “but,” is added to soften the request.
それは素敵なお考えですね。お食事のあと、ケーキをお持ちいたします。
How nice! Yes, we can have it brought out at the end of your meal.
Grammatical Notes
素敵 means “nice,” “lovely,” or “cool” and is very commonly used.
VOCABULARY
それは as for that
素敵な nice; good
お考え thought
ね isn’t it? [a very common and versatile sentence ender]
お食事 food
の [shows possession or relationship between two things]
あと after
ケーキ cake
を [direct object marker]
お持ちいたします will carry out
いいですね、それと、食後にワインもお願いしたいのですが
Great! I would also like a bottle of wine after the meal.
Grammatical Notes
それと – also; 食後 – 食 (to eat) + 後 (after)
VOCABULARY
いい good; nice
ね isn’t it? [a very common and versatile sentence ender]
それと that and
食後に after eating
ワイン wine
も also
お願いしたい want to ask a favor [The 「したい」 adds the meaning of “to want to…”]
のですが The 「の」 + 「です」 is a sentence ender which indicates the speaker is explaining something. The 「が」, meaning “but,” is added to soften the request.
はい、屋外のお席、８時にご予約承りました。
Okay, your table for four outside will be ready for you at eight o’clock.
Grammatical Notes
承りました is usually used by a restaurant receptionist when confirming an appointment. It means “I have respectfully received (your appointment).”
VOCABULARY
はい yes
屋外 outside (the restaurant)
の [shows possession or relationship between two things]
お席 seat [polite]
８時に at 8 o’clock
ご予約 reservation [polite]
承りました received
ありがとうございます。ワインとケーキは、ウエイトレスが持ってきてくれますね？
Thank you, and our server will bring out the wine and cake?
Grammatical Notes
Adding 「ね？」 at the end can make the sentence a question by asking for a confirmation.
VOCABULARY
ありがとうございます thank you
ワイン wine
と and
ケーキ cake
ウエイトレス waitress
が [grammar: usually marks the subject of the sentence.]
持ってきてくれます will bring
ね [sentence ender asking for confirmation]
はい、お食事のあと、お持ちいたします。そのほかになにかございますか？
Yes, at the end of your meal. May I help you with anything else?
Grammatical Notes
お持ちいたします means “(The server) will bring (them)”
VOCABULARY
はい yes
お食事 food; meal [polite]
の possession [grammatical]
あと after
お持ちいたします will bring (to you)
そのほかに something else
なにか something
ございます is; exists [polite form of です]
か question marker [grammatical]
いえ、ありません。以上です。
No, thank you. That will be all.
Grammatical Notes
「以上です」—that will be all; that is all; that’s it
VOCABULARY
いえ no
ありません isn’t; doesn’t exist
以上 that is all
ありがとうございました。
Thank you.
Grammatical Notes
ありがとうございました is more polite than plain ありがとう, which would not be appropriate here.
VOCABULARY
ありがとう thank you
ございました past of ございます [use the past form to thank for what was done already.]
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