Japanese for Guests: Say 'Thank You for Having Me' and Praise the Meal
Learn to thank your host for their hospitality and compliment the food in natural Japanese, using set phrases for arriving and leaving a Japanese home.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you visit a Japanese home, thanking your host for having you and praising the meal are essential social rituals. Unlike simply complimenting someone's cooking, these phrases focus on the hospitality you received. In this lesson, you'll learn set expressions for arrival, during the meal, and departure, so you can show appreciation politely and naturally.
By the end, you can…
- thank my host for inviting me when I arrive.
- compliment the meal by focusing on the host's hospitality.
- express gratitude when leaving a Japanese home.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
お招きいただき、ありがとうございます。
Thank you for inviting me.
O-maneki itadaki, arigatō gozaimasu.
Formal and polite; use when you arrive at your host's home or at a formal gathering.
おもてなし、ありがとうございます。
Thank you for your hospitality.
Omotenashi, arigatō gozaimasu.
Directly appreciates the host's hospitality, not just the food. Suitable after the meal or when leaving.
とてもおいしかったです。
It was very delicious.
Totemo oishikatta desu.
A simple, sincere compliment about the food. Use after eating, not before.
ごちそうさまでした。
Thank you for the meal.
Gochisōsama deshita.
Said after finishing a meal, to the host or restaurant staff. Shows gratitude for the food and the effort.
おかまいなく。
Please don't go to any trouble.
O-kamai naku.
Polite phrase to say when your host offers more food or attention; it shows consideration.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To thank someone for an action, use the te-form of a verb + ありがとうございます (arigatō gozaimasu). For example, 招いてくれてありがとうございます (maneite kurete arigatō gozaimasu) means 'Thank you for inviting me.' However, the set phrase お招きいただき、ありがとうございます (o-maneki itadaki, arigatō gozaimasu) is more formal and common for invitations. To praise the meal while focusing on hospitality, combine おもてなし (omotenashi, hospitality) with ありがとうございます, as in おもてなし、ありがとうございます. You can also say おいしかったです (oishikatta desu) to compliment the food directly.
When to use it
Use お招きいただき、ありがとうございます when you first enter your host's home. During the meal, say おいしいです (oishii desu) or とてもおいしいです (totemo oishii desu) to compliment the food as you eat. After finishing, say ごちそうさまでした to thank your host for the meal. When leaving, say おもてなし、ありがとうございます or 今日はありがとうございました (kyō wa arigatō gozaimashita) to express overall gratitude. If your host offers more food, politely decline with おかまいなく.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
お招きいただき、ありがとうございます。
Thank you for inviting me.O-maneki itadaki, arigatō gozaimasu.いいえ、どうぞお入りください。
Not at all, please come in.Iie, dōzo o-hairi kudasai.おもてなし、ありがとうございます。とてもおいしかったです。
Thank you for your hospitality. It was very delicious.Omotenashi, arigatō gozaimasu. Totemo oishikatta desu.よかったです。ごちそうさまでした。
I'm glad. Thank you for the meal.Yokatta desu. Gochisōsama deshita.A little context goes a long way
In Japanese culture, expressing gratitude for hospitality is often more important than complimenting the food itself. Phrases like おもてなし、ありがとうございます acknowledge the host's effort and care. When leaving, it's customary to say おじゃましました (ojama shimashita, 'I'm sorry for disturbing you') in addition to thanks. Politeness levels vary: use formal phrases with acquaintances, and casual ones like ありがとう with close friends.
One thing to watch for
Using おいしいです (oishii desu) before eating to compliment the food.
Try this instead: Wait until you have tasted the food to say おいしいです. Before eating, say いただきます (itadakimasu) to express gratitude for the meal. After eating, use ごちそうさまでした. For example, when your host serves the food, say いただきます, then after tasting, say おいしいです.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1What do you say when you arrive at your host's home to thank them for inviting you?
Show a sample answer
お招きいただき、ありがとうございます。
This is the standard polite phrase for thanking someone for an invitation upon arrival. A more casual alternative is 招いてくれてありがとう.
2How do you compliment the meal while focusing on the host's hospitality?
Show a sample answer
おもてなし、ありがとうございます。
This directly thanks the host for their hospitality. You can also add とてもおいしかったです to compliment the food.
3What do you say after finishing a meal at someone's home?
Show a sample answer
ごちそうさまでした。
This is the set phrase to thank someone for the meal. It is used after eating, not before.
Thank your host for their hospitality with おもてなし、ありがとうございます, and use ごちそうさまでした after meals. These phrases show appreciation for the effort, not just the food.
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