Comments on: Ordering food in real Japanese (part 1) http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2010/01/30/ordering-food-in-real-japanese-part-1/ Japanese, Chinese, and a dash of Korean Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:42:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Julie http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2010/01/30/ordering-food-in-real-japanese-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-13102 Julie Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:07:54 +0000 http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/?p=358#comment-13102 Also, how exactly do you order food, like the sentence pattern that you use? The way I was taught was: (food)を下さい/おねがいします Also, how exactly do you order food, like the sentence pattern that you use?
The way I was taught was: (food)を下さい/おねがいします

]]> By: Julie http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2010/01/30/ordering-food-in-real-japanese-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-13101 Julie Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:02:11 +0000 http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/?p=358#comment-13101 So regardless of age, I can just order food in casual Japanese? So regardless of age, I can just order food in casual Japanese?

]]> By: Paul http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2010/01/30/ordering-food-in-real-japanese-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-7213 Paul Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:25:03 +0000 http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/?p=358#comment-7213 Nah, not necessarily Jonadab. Its not a matter of how much more quality they are, restaurants in Japan just serve different fare. In my experience, they vary from the ludicrously unhealthy salaryman-slop options to cheap traditional-fare places - they can be hard to come by in some suburbs of the big cities but worth the search as its pretty much homecooked style. Catch is, these cheaper and healthier ones never have English nor photo menus. Basically, the only time I feel the need to cook at home solely to get "real food" (vs saving money) is for Western fare. TaeK: I'm loving these recent updates, seriously useful things that just aren't so honestly covered in any other texts I've seen. Thank you, its helping me a lot! :D Nah, not necessarily Jonadab. Its not a matter of how much more quality they are, restaurants in Japan just serve different fare. In my experience, they vary from the ludicrously unhealthy salaryman-slop options to cheap traditional-fare places – they can be hard to come by in some suburbs of the big cities but worth the search as its pretty much homecooked style. Catch is, these cheaper and healthier ones never have English nor photo menus. Basically, the only time I feel the need to cook at home solely to get “real food” (vs saving money) is for Western fare.

TaeK: I’m loving these recent updates, seriously useful things that just aren’t so honestly covered in any other texts I’ve seen. Thank you, its helping me a lot! :D

]]> By: Jonadab the Unsightly One http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2010/01/30/ordering-food-in-real-japanese-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-7200 Jonadab the Unsightly One Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:16:05 +0000 http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/?p=358#comment-7200 > You’re not obligated to say much... You do however > need to understand a bunch of honorific language That asymmetry is going to take some getting used to. As a Westerner my first instinct, if someone speaks to me politely, is to speak politely back. Conversely, if someone speaks to me in informal language, my instinct is to answer in kind. I suspect this may be more than just linguistic background and probably gets at some deeper east/west cultural differences. As for getting all food from restaurants and convenience stores just because there's no kitchen, meh. I would find a way to cook at least some meals at home even if it means sleeping with a hotpot and an electric skillet under my pillow and my feet propped on a microwave (which, given what I've heard about the typical size of a Japanese apartment, may not be too far off). Even if restaurants in Japan are a hundred times better than in the States, you can still only eat in restaurants so much. Sometimes you've just got to have real food, and that means cooking at home. > You’re not obligated to say much… You do however
> need to understand a bunch of honorific language

That asymmetry is going to take some getting used to. As a Westerner my first instinct, if someone speaks to me politely, is to speak politely back. Conversely, if someone speaks to me in informal language, my instinct is to answer in kind. I suspect this may be more than just linguistic background and probably gets at some deeper east/west cultural differences.

As for getting all food from restaurants and convenience stores just because there’s no kitchen, meh. I would find a way to cook at least some meals at home even if it means sleeping with a hotpot and an electric skillet under my pillow and my feet propped on a microwave (which, given what I’ve heard about the typical size of a Japanese apartment, may not be too far off). Even if restaurants in Japan are a hundred times better than in the States, you can still only eat in restaurants so much. Sometimes you’ve just got to have real food, and that means cooking at home.

]]> By: jack http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2010/01/30/ordering-food-in-real-japanese-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-7197 jack Fri, 05 Feb 2010 03:53:46 +0000 http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/?p=358#comment-7197 Great topic. One thing I would make sure to mention is that often the above phrases get put into volitional form (「お箸をお付けしましょうか？｣). Great topic. One thing I would make sure to mention is that often the above phrases get put into volitional form (「お箸をお付けしましょうか？｣).

]]> By: URAHARA http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2010/01/30/ordering-food-in-real-japanese-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-7174 URAHARA Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:03:14 +0000 http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/?p=358#comment-7174 no, of course not, just to read the menus and understand that this is raw, this is salty etc. ;) In average restaurants it is pretty easy (I am speaking not about restaurants in Japan, because I have not been there yet ;), but in general ). But if it is exquisite - e.g. there are several words which used as synonym to "covered". You know, those lunch cards, when only by reading your mouth is watering. no, of course not, just to read the menus and understand that this is raw, this is salty etc. ;) In average restaurants it is pretty easy (I am speaking not about restaurants in Japan, because I have not been there yet ;) , but in general ). But if it is exquisite – e.g. there are several words which used as synonym to “covered”. You know, those lunch cards, when only by reading your mouth is watering.

]]> By: Denys http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2010/01/30/ordering-food-in-real-japanese-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-7173 Denys Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:01:18 +0000 http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/?p=358#comment-7173 Very useful post! I was very surprised by this strange keigo when I arrived in Japan and it took several months before I understood the whole questions. Very useful post! I was very surprised by this strange keigo when I arrived in Japan and it took several months before I understood the whole questions.

]]> By: Leonardo Boiko http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2010/01/30/ordering-food-in-real-japanese-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-7172 Leonardo Boiko Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:43:05 +0000 http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/?p=358#comment-7172 The politeness thing always get me. I can’t get my mind around the fact that the proper answer for a hearty «irasshaimase!» is cold silence. As a compromise I generally say «konnichiwa» briefly. The politeness thing always get me. I can’t get my mind around the fact that the proper answer for a hearty «irasshaimase!» is cold silence. As a compromise I generally say «konnichiwa» briefly.

]]> By: taekk http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2010/01/30/ordering-food-in-real-japanese-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-7171 taekk Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:10:26 +0000 http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/?p=358#comment-7171 Do you mean for learning how to cook them for yourself? Are you going to have your own kitchen? Do you mean for learning how to cook them for yourself? Are you going to have your own kitchen?

]]> By: taekk http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2010/01/30/ordering-food-in-real-japanese-part-1/comment-page-1/#comment-7170 taekk Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:09:28 +0000 http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/?p=358#comment-7170 I actually haven't encountered this too often as they automatically put a sticker if you tell them you don't need a bag. I actually haven’t encountered this too often as they automatically put a sticker if you tell them you don’t need a bag.

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