食べたいですか
tabetai desu ka
The English phrase "do you want to eat?" is expressed in Japanese as 食べたいですか (tabetai desu ka).
This phrase is a question used to ask if someone has a desire to eat food. When discussing food, note that the word ごはん is commonly used to refer to a meal in general.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The standard polite form is 食べたいですか. In casual conversation with friends or family, you can drop the ですか and simply use a rising intonation on 食べたい to say 食べたい？ For a very polite and formal way to invite someone for a meal, use お食事になりませんか？
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the particle ですか (desu ka) to the end of this form turns the statement into a polite question.
How do you pronounce it?
tabetai desu ka
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers should be aware that asking 食べたいですか directly to a superior can sometimes sound too blunt or intrusive in Japanese culture. Using more indirect phrasing is often preferred in formal settings.
When do people say it?
When responding to an invitation to eat, you can say はい、お願いします for "Yes, please" or いいです for "No, thank you".
Did you know?
- The word ごはん literally means 'cooked rice' but is used interchangeably to mean any 'meal' regardless of what is actually being served.
- When declining an offer to eat, Japanese speakers often use a vague 'it is a bit…' (ちょっと…) to avoid saying a direct 'no'.
- The polite form お食事になりませんか (oshokuji ni narimasen ka) uses the honorific verb なる (naru), which elevates the act of eating to a respectful level.
Examples in context
- あのレストランでご一緒しませんか？ごはんを食べませんか？Would you like to join me at that restaurant? Do you want to eat?
- ちょっとランチに行こうよ。食べる？Let's grab lunch. Do you want to eat?
- 何か食べたいですか？Nani ka tabetai desu ka?Do you want to eat something?
- 今、何か食べたいですか？Ima, nani ka tabetai desu ka?Do you want to eat something now?
- 甘いものが食べたいですか？Amai mono ga tabetai desu ka?Do you want to eat something sweet?
Example conversation
Misaki and Kenta are walking through a mall.
- 美咲 Misaki健太さん、何か食べたいですか。Kenta-san, nanika tabetai desu ka.Kenta, do you want to eat something?
- 健太 Kentaはい、お腹が空きました。Hai, onaka ga sukimashita.Yes, I'm hungry.
- 美咲 Misakiあそこの店に行きましょう。Asoko no mise ni ikimashou.Let's go to that shop over there.
- 健太 Kentaいいですね。行きましょう。Ii desu ne. Ikimashou.That sounds good. Let's go.
