昼食を楽しんでください
chūshoku o tanoshinde kudasai
The English phrase "enjoy your lunch" is expressed in Japanese as 昼食を楽しんでください (chūshoku o tanoshinde kudasai).
This phrase is a polite expression used to wish someone a pleasant experience while they eat their midday meal.
Which one should you use?
While 昼食を楽しんでください focuses on the 'enjoyment' of the meal, 召し上がってください is a more standard, polite way to tell someone to "please eat" or "help yourself" to a meal.
How do you pronounce it?
chūshoku o tanoshinde kudasai
Did you know?
- If you are at a restaurant and want to tell someone to enjoy their meal, you might say ごゆっくりどうぞ (go-yukkuri dōzo). This actually means 'please take your time' and is the standard way staff or companions offer comfort.
- If you use 昼食を楽しんでください (chūshoku o tanoshinde kudasai) to a superior, such as a boss, it might sound strangely condescending. In Japanese culture, wishing enjoyment to someone of higher status can imply you are evaluating their experience.
- The word 昼食 (chūshoku) is a formal, Sino-Japanese word. In casual daily conversation, people are much more likely to use the word ランチ (ranchi), which is the English loanword 'lunch'.
Examples in context
- どうぞ、召し上がってくださいPlease go ahead and eat.
Example conversation
Yui is leaving the office for a lunch break with Yota.
- 結衣 Yui陽太さん、行きましょう。Yōta-san, ikimashō.Yota, let's go.
- 陽太 Yotaはい、お腹が空きましたね。Hai, onaka ga sukimashita ne.Yes, I'm hungry.
- 結衣 Yuiいいお店を予約したので、昼食を楽しんでください。Ii omise o yoyaku shita node, chūshoku o tanoshinde kudasai.I booked a nice restaurant, so please enjoy your lunch.
- 陽太 Yotaありがとうございます、楽しみです！Arigatō gozaimasu, tanoshimi desu!Thank you, I'm looking forward to it!
