How to Order a Drink like a Badass In Japanese

Getting Started:

While ordering drinks in Japanese, there’s one critical word that stands above the rest: “please”. Politeness is ingrained in the language, so please don’t forget it.

Japanese has two forms of please.
Kudasai
ください 

And the more formal and polite:
Onegaishimasu
おねがいします

When to use each one depends on the context of the request. The other phrase you’ll want to master, is “Cheers!” To say “Cheers” in Japanese, simply shout “KAMPAI!” So with your “please” and “kampai” in hand, let’s gear up for a night of language learning and drunkenness.

Sober Drinks:

Tea
Ocha
おちゃ or お茶

Coffee
Koh-hee
コーヒー

Water
O-mizu/ mizu
おみず or お水

 

Beer
Bee-ru (ビール)

Red Wine
Aka wain
あかワイン

White Wine
Shiro wain
しろワイン

Champagne
Shanpan
シャンパン

There are also various Japanese drinks you can choose from:

 

Simple Ordering:

Draft Beer please
Nama beeru kudasai
なまビール を ください

For the following examples, we will use beer. But wine, mixed drink, or Japanese drinks can be used in their place. The basic principle still applies.

 

One beer please!
Beeru o ippai kudasai

ビール を いっぱい おねがいします

Two beers please!
Beeru o ni hai kudasai
ビール を にはい おねがいします

Three beers please!
Beeru o san bai kudasai
ビール を さんばい おねがいします

Four beers please!
Beeru o yon hai kudasai
ビール を よんはい おねがいします

Beeru o go hai kudasai
ビール を ごはい おねがいします

Six beers
Beeru o roppai kudasai
ビール を ろっぱい おねがいします

One bottle 
Ippon
いっぽん

Two bottles 
Nippon
にほん

Sanbon
さんぼん

What’s your recommendation? 
Osusume wa nandeska?
おすすめ は なんですか？ 

Lasto orda wa nanji desuka?
ラストオーダーは何時間ですか？

Can credit cards be used?
Credito cardo tsukaimasuka?

Check please!
O kaikei o onegaishimasu
お会計お願いします

With these basics, you’ll have all your essentials to delivering flawless Japanese at any of the bars in Tokyo. 

 

Ready to learn more Japanese? Check out our complete guide to Free Japanese Learning Apps!