お茶をください
ocha o kudasai
To say "green tea, please" in Japanese, use お茶をください (ocha o kudasai).
This phrase is used to make a polite request when ordering a serving of green tea.
Which one should you use?
While お茶をください is a standard polite way to request the drink, you may also encounter お茶をお願いします, which is a slightly more formal alternative often used in restaurants. For very casual situations, the word Choudai can be used to mean "please give me".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
お茶をください is a formal way to express your request. For a slightly more formal tone in professional or restaurant settings, use お茶をお願いします. In casual settings with friends or family, you might use Choudai.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this Japanese phrase, the object (tea) is placed before the verb (please give).
How do you pronounce it?
ocha o kudasai
Did you know?
- While お茶 is used for green tea, the word for black tea is actually 紅茶, which literally translates to 'red tea' because of the color of the liquid.
- In many Japanese restaurants, you may never actually need to use this phrase because green tea is often served for free and refilled automatically.
- Japanese has a specific word 茶道 meaning 'the way of tea', treating the preparation and serving of green tea as a spiritual discipline.
Examples in context
- お茶をください。Ocha o kudasai.Green tea, please.
- 温かいお茶をください。Atatakai ocha o kudasai.Warm green tea, please.
- 冷たいお茶をください。Tsumetai ocha o kudasai.Cold green tea, please.
Example conversation
Ordering at a traditional Japanese cafe.
- 健太 Kentaいらっしゃいませ。ご注文はお決まりですか？Irasshaimase. Go-chuumon wa okimari desu ka?Welcome. Have you decided what to order?
- 美咲 Misakiはい。お茶をください。Hai. Ocha o kudasai.Yes. Green tea, please.
- 健太 Kentaかしこまりました。少々お待ちください。Kashikomarimashita. Shou-shou omachi kudasai.Certainly. Please wait a moment.
- 美咲 Misakiありがとうございます。Arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you.
