ごちそうさまでした
gochisousamadeshita
The Japanese phrase for "thank you for the delicious food" is ごちそうさまでした (gochisousamadeshita).
ごちそうさまでした is the standard phrase used to signal the end of a meal and to express gratitude to the person who prepared or served the food. It is a way to say thank you for the meal.
What does it mean word for word?
The noun ごちそう (gochisou) refers to a feast or a meal that was prepared with significant effort or expense.
Which one should you use?
The phrase ごちそうさま (gochisousama) is the informal version of the expression, whereas ごちそうさまでした (gochisousamadeshita) is the full, polite form.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the past tense でした (deshita) because it is spoken after the meal has been completed.
How do you pronounce it?
gochisousamadeshita
When do people say it?
When finishing a meal in a home or a restaurant, it is common practice to say ごちそうさまでした aloud or to accompany the phrase with a slight bow.
Did you know?
- The word ごちそう (gochisou) originally meant 'to run around' to gather ingredients. It refers to the hard work and effort the host put into sourcing the food before the guest arrived.
- In Japan, it is common to see people clasping their hands together in a prayer-like position while saying ごちそうさまでした, a gesture more common in religious contexts elsewhere.
- The suffix さま (sama) is an honorific usually used for people, but here it is applied to the meal to elevate the act of providing the food.
Examples in context
- Arigatou. Oishikatta yo! Mainichi oishii shokuji o tsukutte kureru ne. (ありがとう。おいしかったよ！毎日おいしい食事を作ってくれるね)Thank you. It was so delicious! You always make such delicious meals every day.
- 本当にごちそうさまでした！Hontouni gochisousama deshita!Thank you so much for the meal!
- お父さん、ごちそうさまでした。Otousan, gochisousama deshita.Dad, thank you for the delicious meal.
Example conversation
Yui and Yota have just finished a home-cooked dinner.
- 結衣 Yui陽太君、とっても美味しかったよ。Youta-kun, tottemo oishikatta yo.Yota, it was very delicious.
- 陽太 Yota喜んでもらえてよかった。Yorokonde moraete yokatta.I'm glad you enjoyed it.
- 結衣 Yuiごちそうさまでした。Gochisousama deshita.Thank you for the delicious food.
- 陽太 Yotaまた作るね。Mata tsukuru ne.I'll make it again.
