How to Say “Coffee” in Japanese

コーヒー
kōhī[ko̞ːçiː]
The English phrase coffee is said in Japanese as コーヒー (kōhī). Wiktionary also lists カフェ (kafe).
Meaning: beverage (noun)

Ways to say it

“coffee” in Japanese
Japanese Romanization (Wiktionary) IPA
コーヒー kōhī [ko̞ːçiː] (narrow)
カフェ kafe [ka̠ɸe̞] (narrow)

The word refers to the beverage. It can also be used as an adjective to describe things that are a pale brown colour using the forms コーヒー色の or 珈琲色の.

Related words

How do you pronounce it?

kōhī

Did you know?

  • In Japan, there is a distinct culture called kissaten, which are traditional coffee shops. These differ from modern カフェ by offering a quieter atmosphere and a more formal service style.
  • The Japanese word コーヒー was borrowed from the Dutch word 'koffie' and the English word 'coffee'. It eventually traces back to the Arabic word qahwa.
  • The Japanese spelling 珈琲 is a way to write 'coffee' using kanji (Chinese characters) to give it a more traditional or sophisticated appearance, though it is pronounced exactly like the katakana version コーヒー.

Examples in context

  • コーヒー作るわ。
    I will make some coffee.
    This sentence is useful for saying you will make some コーヒー.
    Tatoeba #224858 by bunbuku, translation #62194 by CC
  • コーヒーはどう?
    Won't you have some coffee?
    This sentence is useful for offering someone some コーヒー.
    Tatoeba #1274165 by bunbuku, translation #62282 by CK
  • コーヒー、飲む?
    Do you drink coffee?
    This sentence is useful for asking if someone drinks コーヒー.
    Tatoeba #10630513 by small_snow, translation #449095 by CK
  • 607 more sentences on Tatoeba

Example conversation

At a cafe, Hiroto and Misaki are deciding what to order.

  1. 大翔 Hiroto

    コーヒー、何にする?
    kōhī, nani ni suru?
    What coffee will you have?
  2. 美咲 Misaki

    私はアイスコーヒーにする。
    watashi wa aisukōhī ni suru.
    I will have an iced coffee.
  3. 大翔 Hiroto

    じゃあ、僕もコーヒーにしよう。
    jaa, boku mo kōhī ni shiyō.
    Then, I'll have coffee too.
  4. 美咲 Misaki

    大翔はブラックが好きだね。
    Hiroto wa burakku ga suki da ne.
    Hiroto, you like black coffee, don't you?

Sources

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Madeline Sofia
Madeline SofiaHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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