What does it mean word for word?
The word お昼 (ohiru) literally means "midday" or "noon", and is the standard way to refer to lunch. The phrase 何にする？ (nani ni suru?) literally means "what will you make it?" or "what will you decide on?", which is the standard way to ask for a choice in Japanese.
Which one should you use?
While the default form お昼は何にする？ is casual and should be used with friends, family or peers, rather than in formal business settings, you may encounter other variations. For example, Hirugohan wa nani? (ひるごはんはなに？) is another informal way to ask "What's for lunch?" and Kyo no hirugohan wa nani? (きょうのひるごはんはなに？) specifically asks "What's today's lunch?" in an informal way.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make this question polite for use with superiors or strangers, change the casual suru? to the polite shimasu ka?, resulting in お昼は何にしますか？ (What will you have for lunch?).
How do you pronounce it?
ohiru wa nani ni suru?
Did you know?
- If you use the polite form お昼は何にしますか？ with a very close friend, it can actually backfire. Using high levels of politeness can create an unintentional social wall that makes you sound cold or distant.
- In many Japanese schools, the question お昼は何にする？ is almost never heard. Instead, students eat a fixed menu called 給食 (kyūshoku) in their classrooms, which eliminates the need for individual choices.
- The word お昼 (ohiru) is derived from 昼 (hiru), meaning 'daytime'. Adding the prefix お (o) is a form of 'beautification' called 'bikago' that makes the word sound softer and more polite in daily conversation.
Examples in context
- お昼は何にする？ohiru wa nani ni suru?What do you want for lunch?
- お昼は何にする？まだ決めてないよ。ohiru wa nani ni suru? mada kimetenai yo.What are we doing for lunch? I haven't decided yet.
- ねえ、今日のお昼は何にする？nee, kyou no ohiru wa nani ni suru?Hey, what are we having for lunch today?
Example conversation
Two colleagues are talking in the office during a break.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太、今日のお昼は何にする？Youta, kyou no ohiru wa nani ni suru?Youta, what do you want for lunch today?
- 陽太 Yotaうーん、お寿司にしようかな。Uun, osushi ni shiyou kana.Hmm, I think I'll go with sushi.
- 美咲 Misakiいいね！私もそれにしたい。Ii ne! Watashi mo sore ni shitai.Sounds good! I want that too.
- 陽太 Yotaじゃあ、早速行こうか。Jaa, sassoku ikou ka.Then, let's head out right away.
