ごゆっくりどうぞ
goyukkuri dōzo
The English phrase "enjoy the meal" is translated into Japanese as ごゆっくりどうぞ (goyukkuri dōzo).
In a restaurant setting, this phrase is used by staff to signal that a guest should relax and enjoy their food at their own pace. It is a polite way to tell a guest to take their time and enjoy their food.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally means "please (do something) leisurely/slowly".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ごゆっくりどうぞ is a polite expression. The use of the honorific prefix "go" and the polite "dōzo" makes it a respectful expression suitable for service staff. For even more formal situations, you may encounter お召し上がりください, which means "please enjoy" and is a polite way to invite someone to start their meal or ごゆっくり召し上がって下さい, which is a formal way to say "enjoy your meal" that conveys the idea of taking one's time and savoring the food.
How do you pronounce it?
goyukkuri dōzo
Did you know?
- In many Japanese restaurants, instead of saying 'enjoy your meal', staff might simply say 失礼いたします (I will excuse myself) as they depart after placing the food.
- The phrase ごゆっくりどうぞ is versatile and can be used in non-dining contexts, such as a hotel clerk telling a guest to enjoy their stay or a host telling a visitor to relax in their home.
- While staff use ごゆっくりどうぞ to encourage relaxation, a customer would never use this phrase to their host, as it could sound like they are commanding the host to take their time.
Examples in context
- お料理、ごゆっくりどうぞ。Oryōri, go yukkuri dōzo.Please enjoy your food.
- 温かいうちに、ごゆっくりどうぞ。Atatakai uchi ni, go yukkuri dōzo.Please enjoy it while it is still warm.
- こちら、ごゆっくりどうぞ。Kochira, go yukkuri dōzo.Please, enjoy your meal here.
Example conversation
A waiter serves food to a customer at a restaurant.
- 大翔 Hirotoお待たせいたしました。パスタです。O-matase itashimashita. Pasuta desu.Thank you for waiting. Here is your pasta.
- 陽葵 Himariありがとうございます。Arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you very much.
- 大翔 Hirotoごゆっくりどうぞ。Go-yukkuri douzo.Please enjoy your meal.
- 陽葵 Himariいただきます。Itadakimasu.I will start eating now.
