デザート
dezāto[de̞za̠ːto̞]
The Japanese word for "desserts" is デザート (dezāto).
デザート refers to sweet foods eaten at the end of a meal. Depending on the context, you might use other terms: スイーツ (borrowed from the English word "sweets") is a term favored by younger generations, while 甘いもの (literally "sweet things") is used to refer to desserts in casual conversation. Specific items include ケーキ (cake) and アイスクリーム (ice cream).
How do you pronounce it?
dezāto
Did you know?
- While デザート is used for Western-style sweets, a traditional Japanese dessert like mochi is often referred to as 和菓子 (wagashi), a term that distinguishes it completely from the category of デザート.
- In Japan, デザート often includes savory-sweet combinations, such as fruit served with a piece of salty cheese or a slice of salted butter.
- The word デザート is written in katakana, which signals to a Japanese reader that the concept is a foreign import, distinguishing it from indigenous-style sweets.
Examples in context
- すみません、デザートのメニューをお願いします。Excuse me, could I please have the dessert menu?
- 彼女はスイーツが大好きです。She loves desserts.
- 今日は甘いものが食べたい！Today, I want to eat something sweet!
- デザートにアイスを食べたいです。dezāto ni aisu o tabetai desu.I want to eat ice cream for dessert.
- この店のデザートはとても美味しいです。kono mise no dezāto wa totemo oishii desu.The desserts at this shop are very delicious.
- デザートは何にしますか？dezāto wa nani ni shimasu ka?What would you like for dessert?
Example conversation
A couple is deciding what to order after lunch.
- 陽太 Yotaデザートに何か食べたいですか？dezāto ni nani ka tabetai desu ka?Do you want to eat something for dessert?
- 美咲 Misakiはい、甘いデザートが食べたいです。hai, amai dezāto ga tabetai desu.Yes, I want to eat something sweet for dessert.
- 陽太 Yotaじゃあ、ケーキを頼みましょう！jaa, kēki o tanomimashō!Then, let's order some cake!
- 美咲 Misakiいいですね、楽しみです。ii desu ne, tanoshimi desu.That sounds good, I'm looking forward to it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry デザート, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
