Lesson 32 · about 3 minutes

Order a beer, toast, get another, and pay

biiru o kudasai · kanpai! · mou ippai · okawari · okaikei onegaishimasu

びーる を ください・かんぱい・もう いっぱい・おかわり・おかいけい おねがいします

You'll learn five lines to get through a night at a Japanese bar: order, toast, another round, and the check.

The words

RomajiJapaneseReadingMeaning
biiru o kudasaiビール を くださいびーる を くださいa beer, please
kanpai!かんぱい!かんぱいcheers!
mou ippaiもう いっぱいもう いっぱいone more glass
okawariおかわりおかわりa refill, the same again
okaikei onegaishimasuおかいけい おねがいしますおかいけい おねがいしますthe check, please

Say it out loud

ビール を ください。かんぱい!もう いっぱい。おかいけい おねがいします。

How they differ

The pattern in plain English: thing + o kudasai, or thing + onegaishimasu. You know both. Biiru o kudasai gets you a beer. Biiru (ビール) is beer. Hold up fingers for more: biiru futatsu, two beers.

Kanpai (かんぱい) comes once the glasses arrive. Wait for everyone, lift, clink, then drink. In a group, the first sip waits for the toast.

For another round there are two easy ways. Mou ippai means "one more glass"; add kudasai to make it a request. Okawari (おかわり) means "the same again" and works for beer, rice, or anything refillable. Lift your empty glass and say okawari onegaishimasu. That is the whole job.

When you're done, catch the staff's eye and say okaikei onegaishimasu. Okaikei (おかいけい) is the bill. Many bars bring it to the table; some want you to pay at the register by the door. No tip.

You will hear staff lines. Irasshaimase (いらっしゃいませ) is the welcome shout, and kashikomarimashita (かしこまりました) means "certainly, got it." Just hear them; you don't say them back. A nod is the answer.

Memory trick: mou ippai = "more, one cup." O-KAWA-ri: the glass gets a new "kawa" (river) of beer. Okaikei has "kai" like "pay" with a K.

Say it out loud, then try this: order two beers and ask for the check. You'll see this next: the hotel, where you go after the bar.

See it in a sentence

  1. sumimasen, biiru o kudasai.

    すみません、ビール を ください。

    Excuse me, a beer please.

  2. jaa, kanpai!

    じゃあ、かんぱい!

    Okay, cheers!

  3. mou ippai kudasai.

    もう いっぱい ください。

    One more, please.

  4. okawari onegaishimasu.

    おかわり おねがいします。

    Same again, please.

  5. sumimasen, okaikei onegaishimasu.

    すみません、おかいけい おねがいします。

    Excuse me, the check please.

Staff say this — recognize only

Understand these; do not produce them as a customer.

  • irasshaimase

    いらっしゃいませ

    welcome (staff greeting)

  • kashikomarimashita

    かしこまりました

    certainly (staff got your order)

  • nanmei-sama desu ka?

    なんめいさま ですか?

    how many people? (staff)

Watch out

mou ippai = one more glass (new drink); okawari = same again (refill). ippai can also mean 'full' — context tells you. okaikei is the bill; don't say okane (money).

Try it

  1. Order two beers.

    biiru futatsu kudasai. · ビール ふたつ ください。 · Two beers, please.

  2. Ask for the same again.

    okawari onegaishimasu. · おかわり おねがいします。 · Same again, please.

  3. Ask for the check.

    okaikei onegaishimasu. · おかいけい おねがいします。 · The check, please.