Japanese for Intermediate Learners: Giving Detailed Feedback on a Meal
Learn to give a thoughtful overall review of a meal in Japanese, using intermediate grammar to describe taste, texture, and presentation, and to make recommendations.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you eat at a restaurant, you might want to share your overall impressions with friends or in a review. This lesson teaches you how to give detailed feedback on a meal in Japanese, focusing on the overall experience rather than sending food back. You will learn to use expressions like 〜は〜だった, 〜すぎる, and 〜ほうがいい to describe flavors, textures, and to make suggestions. By the end, you will be able to construct a balanced review that sounds natural and polite.
By the end, you can…
- describe the taste, texture, and presentation of a meal using appropriate adjectives and grammar.
- give an overall assessment of a meal, including positive and negative points, and make a recommendation.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
全体的に美味しかったです。
Overall, it was delicious.
Zentai-teki ni oishikatta desu.
Use this to give a positive overall impression at the beginning of your review.
味は濃すぎました。
The flavor was too strong.
Aji wa kosugimashita.
Use 〜すぎる to say something is too much. Here, 濃い (koi) means strong-flavored; its stem is 濃 (ko-).
食感が良かったです。
The texture was good.
Shokkan ga yokatta desu.
食感 (shokkan) refers to mouthfeel or texture. Use this to comment on how the food felt in your mouth.
もう少し塩が少ないほうがいいと思います。
I think it would be better with a little less salt.
Mō sukoshi shio ga sukunai hō ga ii to omoimasu.
Use 〜ほうがいい to make a suggestion for improvement. This is a polite way to give constructive feedback.
また来たいと思います。
I would like to come again.
Mata kitai to omoimasu.
Use this to express a positive overall impression and willingness to return.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To describe a meal's characteristics, use adjectives in the past tense. For example, 美味しい (oishii) becomes 美味しかった (oishikatta) for 'was delicious'. To say something is too much, use the stem of an i-adjective or the stem of a verb plus すぎる (sugiru). For example, 濃い (koi) becomes 濃すぎる (kosugiru) meaning 'too strong', and 食べる (taberu) becomes 食べすぎる (tabesugiru) meaning 'to eat too much'. To make a suggestion, use the conditional form 〜ほうがいい (hō ga ii) after a verb or adjective. For instance, 塩が少ないほうがいい (shio ga sukunai hō ga ii) means 'it would be better with less salt'. These patterns allow you to give nuanced feedback.
When to use it
Use these patterns when you want to give an overall review of a meal, not when you are sending food back. For example, if the dish was too salty, you might say 塩が効きすぎています (shio ga kiki sugite imasu) to a friend, but to a waiter you might politely say もう少し塩を控えていただけますか (mō sukoshi shio o hikaete itadakemasu ka) if you need to send it back. In a review, you can combine positive and negative points: 味は良かったですが、少し油っこかったです (aji wa yokatta desu ga, sukoshi aburakkatta desu) meaning 'The taste was good, but it was a bit oily.' This balanced approach is common in Japanese reviews.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
昨日のレストラン、どうだった？
How was the restaurant yesterday?Kinō no resutoran, dō datta?全体的に美味しかったよ。でも、味が濃すぎたかな。
Overall it was delicious. But the flavor was maybe too strong.Zentai-teki ni oishikatta yo. Demo, aji ga kosugita kana.そうなんだ。食感はどうだった？
I see. How was the texture?Sō nan da. Shokkan wa dō datta?食感は良かったよ。でも、もう少し塩が少ないほうがいいと思った。
The texture was good. But I thought it would be better with a little less salt.Shokkan wa yokatta yo. Demo, mō sukoshi shio ga sukunai hō ga ii to omotta.A little context goes a long way
In Japanese, giving feedback on a meal often involves balancing positive and negative comments to maintain politeness. Direct criticism is softened with expressions like ちょっと (chotto) or 少し (sukoshi). When writing online reviews, Japanese people tend to be detailed and may use formal language. However, in casual conversation, plain forms and particles like よ and ね are common. Remember that sending food back is rare in Japan; instead, you might politely ask for an adjustment. This lesson focuses on overall review, which is more common.
One thing to watch for
Using 〜すぎる with a noun, e.g., 塩すぎる (shio sugiru).
Try this instead: 〜すぎる attaches to the stem of an i-adjective or a verb, not to a noun. For 'too salty', say 塩辛すぎる (shiokarasugiru) or 塩が効きすぎている (shio ga kiki sugite iru). For 'too much salt', say 塩が多すぎる (shio ga ōsugiru).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'The texture was too soft'?
Show a sample answer
食感が柔らかすぎました。
This uses 〜すぎる with the adjective 柔らかい (yawarakai) to mean 'too soft'. Alternative: 食感が柔らかすぎた (casual).
2Make a suggestion: 'I think it would be better with less oil.'
Show a sample answer
油が少ないほうがいいと思います。
This uses 〜ほうがいい with the negative adjective 少ない (sukunai). You could also say 油を控えたほうがいい (abura o hikaeta hō ga ii) meaning 'it would be better to reduce oil'.
3What phrase would you use to say 'Overall, it was delicious'?
Show a sample answer
全体的に美味しかったです。
This is a standard way to give a positive overall review. In casual speech, you might say 全体的に美味しかった (zentai-teki ni oishikatta).
When reviewing a meal in Japanese, start with an overall impression, then give specific details using 〜すぎる for excess and 〜ほうがいい for suggestions. Balance positive and negative points to sound natural and polite.
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