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Japanese for “Ordering at a café”
You are at a small café in Japan. You order an iced coffee in medium size, add a chocolate cake, choose takeout, and pay at the register.
Sample dialogue
Barista
いらっしゃいませ。ご注文はお決まりですか。irasshaimase. go chuumon wa okimari desu ka.
Welcome. Have you decided on your order?
You (Customer)
コーヒーをください。koohii o kudasai.
Coffee, please.
Barista
ホットですか、アイスですか。hotto desu ka, aisu desu ka.
Hot or iced?
You (Customer)
アイスで、Mサイズをお願いします。aisu de, M saizu o onegai shimasu.
Iced, medium size, please.
Barista
アイスコーヒーのMですね。ほかに何かいりますか。aisu koohii no M desu ne. hoka ni nani ka irimasu ka.
Iced coffee, medium, right? Do you want anything else?
You (Customer)
あ、チョコケーキもください。a, choko keeki mo kudasai.
Oh, and a chocolate cake, please.
Barista
はい。店内でお召し上がりですか、お持ち帰りですか。hai. tennai de o meshiagari desu ka, o mochikaeri desu ka.
Sure. Is it for here or to go?
You (Customer)
持ち帰りでお願いします。mochikaeri de onegai shimasu.
To go, please.
Barista
かしこまりました。お会計は六百八十円です。kashikomarimashita. o kaikei wa roppyakuhachijuuen desu.
Certainly. The total is 680 yen.
You (Customer)
千円でお願いします。senen de onegai shimasu.
I'll pay with a 1,000 yen bill, please.
Phrases you can use
ホットですか、アイスですかhotto desu ka, aisu desu ka
Hot or iced?
Staff ask this when you order a drink, so answer with ホット or アイス.
ホットですか、アイスですか。hotto desu ka, aisu desu ka.
Hot or iced?
アイスで、Mサイズをお願いしますあいすで、Mさいずをおねがいしますaisu de, M saizu o onegai shimasu
Iced, medium size, please.
Say your choice of temperature with で first, then the size, to order clearly.
ホットで、Lサイズをお願いします。hotto de, L saizu o onegai shimasu.
Hot, large size, please.
ほかに何かいりますかほかになにかいりますかhoka ni nani ka irimasu ka
Do you want anything else?
This is what a clerk asks before finishing your order, and you can answer with はい or いいえ.
ほかに何かいりますか。 はい、お水もください。hoka ni nani ka irimasu ka. hai, o mizu mo kudasai.
Do you want anything else? Yes, please give me some water too.
お持ち帰りでお願いしますおもちかえりでおねがいしますo mochikaeri de onegai shimasu
To go, please.
Use this when you want your food or drink to take away instead of eating or drinking in the café.
サンドイッチをお持ち帰りでお願いします。sandoitchi o o mochikaeri de onegai shimasu.
Casual vs polite
Casualアイスコーヒー、ちょうだい。aisu koohii, choudai.
Politeアイスコーヒーをください。aisu koohii o kudasai.
Use the casual version only with close friends. The polite version is the safe choice when ordering from staff.
Casual持ち帰りにする。mochikaeri ni suru.
Politeお持ち帰りでお願いします。o mochikaeri de onegai shimasu.
The casual version sounds like you are talking to yourself or a friend. Use the polite version with a clerk.
Casual千円でいい？senende ii?
Polite千円でお願いします。senen de onegai shimasu.
Casual is fine with a friend. At a shop, always use the polite version to show respect.
Culture tip
In Japanese cafés, staff usually ask ここで飲みますか or お持ち帰りですか, so being ready with a clear answer helps things go smoothly. When paying, many people place cash on the small tray at the register instead of handing it over directly.
Ready to say it out loud?
On Tuned you can practice this scene in 3 steps: copy the model, build it up bit by bit, then role-play with an AI partner — at your level.