Japanese: Ask for Local Recommendations with 'Nani ga osusume desu ka'
Learn elementary Japanese for asking what locals recommend seeing or doing, using osusume and polite question patterns, and understanding the suggestions you receive.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
Asking for a local recommendation is not the same as asking for directions. Directions questions usually ask how to reach a known place, while recommendation questions ask someone to choose or suggest something for you. In Japanese, the key word is おすすめ (osusume), meaning 'recommendation' or 'recommended item.' This lesson teaches polite, natural questions such as 何がおすすめですか (nani ga osusume desu ka), 'What do you recommend?' You will also learn how to ask specifically about sightseeing, understand common suggestion patterns, and respond when someone recommends a place. The focus is on spoken, polite Japanese suitable for shops, hotels, stations, and conversations with local people.
By the end, you can…
- ask what someone recommends in polite Japanese.
- ask specifically what is recommended for sightseeing.
- understand simple recommendation answers using が and は.
- respond politely to a recommendation and ask a short follow-up.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
何がおすすめですか。
What do you recommend?
Nani ga osusume desu ka.
A general polite question. Use it in shops, hotels, or when asking a local person for a suggestion. The particle が marks what is being recommended. Note that 何 is read nan here because it precedes が.
観光は何がおすすめですか。
What do you recommend for sightseeing?
Kankō wa nani ga osusume desu ka.
Use this when you specifically want sightseeing suggestions. 観光は (kankō wa) sets the topic as sightseeing.
この辺でおすすめの場所はありますか。
Is there a recommended place around here?
Kono hen de osusume no basho wa arimasu ka.
この辺で means 'around here.' This is useful when you are already in an area and want a nearby suggestion. Note that この辺 is read kono hen, not kono hen de alone; で marks the location where you are looking.
おすすめは何ですか。
What is your recommendation?
Osusume wa nan desu ka.
A slightly more topic-focused version. It is common in restaurants and shops when asking about a menu or product.
それはどこにありますか。
Where is that located?
Sore wa doko ni arimasu ka.
A follow-up after someone recommends a place. It asks for the location of the recommended thing, not for general directions.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is 何がおすすめですか (nani ga osusume desu ka). Here 何 (nani) means 'what,' が (ga) marks the subject, おすすめ (osusume) means 'recommendation,' and ですか (desu ka) makes it a polite question. To ask about a specific category, replace 何 with a topic phrase: 観光は何がおすすめですか (kankō wa nani ga osusume desu ka), 'What do you recommend for sightseeing?' You can also use おすすめの before a noun: おすすめの場所 (osusume no basho), 'a recommended place,' or おすすめの料理 (osusume no ryōri), 'a recommended dish.' Note that 何 is read nan before が, so the phrase is nani ga osusume desu ka in careful speech, but the 何 itself is nan in this position.
When to use it
Use 何がおすすめですか when you want the other person to choose for you. It is polite enough for staff at a hotel, station, or shop, and friendly enough for a casual conversation with a local person. If you already know the category, say it with は: 観光は何がおすすめですか (kankō wa nani ga osusume desu ka). If you want something nearby, use この辺でおすすめの場所はありますか (kono hen de osusume no basho wa arimasu ka). Avoid using this pattern to ask for directions to a place you already know; for that, use 〜はどこですか (〜 wa doko desu ka).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、観光は何がおすすめですか。
Excuse me, what do you recommend for sightseeing?Sumimasen, kankō wa nani ga osusume desu ka.そうですね。古い寺と川の近くの公園がおすすめです。
Let me see. The old temple and the park near the river are recommended.Sō desu ne. Furui tera to kawa no chikaku no kōen ga osusume desu.ありがとうございます。それはどこにありますか。
Thank you. Where is that located?Arigatō gozaimasu. Sore wa doko ni arimasu ka.駅から歩いて十分ぐらいです。地図を見せますね。
It is about ten minutes on foot from the station. I will show you a map.Eki kara aruite juppun gurai desu. Chizu o misemasu ne.A little context goes a long way
おすすめ (osusume) is a polite, useful word, but the level of politeness depends on the ending. 何がおすすめですか is safe and polite. With friends, you may hear 何がおすすめ？ (nani ga osusume?) without ですか. In service situations, staff may use keigo, such as おすすめはこちらです (osusume wa kochira desu), 'The recommendation is this one.' When someone suggests something, a short ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu) is natural before asking a follow-up question. Note that おすすめ is a noun meaning 'recommendation' or 'recommended item,' not a verb, so it combines with です rather than being conjugated.
One thing to watch for
Using 何をおすすめですか (nani o osusume desu ka) to mean 'What do you recommend?'
Try this instead: Use 何がおすすめですか (nani ga osusume desu ka). The particle が marks what is recommended. を would mark a direct object of an action verb, but おすすめです is a noun-plus-copula pattern, so が is the natural choice here. Note that 何 is read nan before が.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'What do you recommend for sightseeing?' in polite Japanese?
Show a sample answer
観光は何がおすすめですか。 (Kankō wa nani ga osusume desu ka.)
This uses 観光は to set sightseeing as the topic, then 何がおすすめですか to ask what is recommended. 観光について何がおすすめですか is also understandable, but the は pattern is shorter and natural. Note that 何 is read nan before が.
2You are in a shop and want a general recommendation. Which phrase fits best: 何がおすすめですか or それはどこにありますか?
Show a sample answer
何がおすすめですか。 (Nani ga osusume desu ka.)
何がおすすめですか asks for a recommendation. それはどこにありますか asks where something is located, so it is a follow-up after you already have a recommendation.
3Someone says 古い寺がおすすめです (Furui tera ga osusume desu). What does this mean, and what is a polite follow-up?
Show a sample answer
It means 'The old temple is recommended.' A polite follow-up is それはどこにありますか。 (Sore wa doko ni arimasu ka.), 'Where is that located?'
The recommendation is the old temple. Asking それはどこにありますか is natural because それ refers to the recommended place. You could also ask 駅から遠いですか (Eki kara tōi desu ka), 'Is it far from the station?' Note that 古い寺 is read furui tera, with 寺 as tera.
Use 何がおすすめですか (nani ga osusume desu ka) to ask for a recommendation, add a topic like 観光は for sightseeing, and follow up with それはどこにありますか when you need the location. Remember that 何 is read nan before が.
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