ごちそうさまでした
gochisōsamadeshita
In Japanese, the phrase for "thank you for the food" is ごちそうさまでした (gochisōsamadeshita).
This phrase is used to express gratitude after finishing a meal, effectively meaning "thank you for the meal" or "it was delicious."
What does it mean word for word?
The noun part, ごちそう, literally refers to a feast or a lavish meal that required great effort to prepare.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ primarily in their level of politeness. ごちそうさまでした is the full, polite version, while ごちそうさま is the casual version. There is also a shortened, slightly less formal version written as ご馳走様.
How does it change in a sentence?
The full form ending in でした is used for polite speech. Dropping the polite でした at the end to create ごちそうさま makes the phrase informal and suitable for use with family or close friends.
How do you pronounce it?
gochisōsamadeshita
When do people say it?
It is customary to say this phrase aloud, often with a slight bow, to acknowledge the effort of the cook or the provider of the food.
Did you know?
- The word ごちそう is composed of characters that historically refer to 'running around' to prepare food. This evokes the image of someone rushing through the streets or countryside to gather fresh ingredients for a guest.
- The character 様 in the written form ご馳走様 is an honorific usually reserved for people, effectively treating the meal as a respected guest.
- Saying ごちそうさまでした is not just a courtesy to the cook, but also a way of showing respect to the ingredients and the nature that provided them.
Examples in context
- ごちそうさまでした。本当においしかったです。Thank you for the meal. It was truly delicious.
- ご馳走様。本当にありがとうございました。Thank you for the meal. I truly appreciate it.
- ごちそうさま。めっちゃおいしかった！Thanks for the meal. It was incredibly delicious!
- ありがとう！ごちそうさまでした！Thanks! It was a great meal!
- とても美味しかったです。ごちそうさまでした。totemo oishikatta desu. gochisousama deshita.It was very delicious. Thank you for the food.
- お母さん、ごちそうさまでした！okaasan, gochisousama deshita!Mom, thank you for the meal!
Example conversation
Hina and Kenta finish eating lunch at home.
- 陽葵 Himariごちそうさまでした。Gochisousama deshita.Thank you for the food.
- 健太 Kentaお腹いっぱいになった？Onaka ippai ni natta?Are you full?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、すごく美味しかった！Un, sugoku oishikatta!Yes, it was delicious!
- 健太 Kentaよかった。片付けを手伝ってね。Yokatta. Katazuke o tetsudatte ne.I'm glad. Help me clean up, okay?
