Japanese: Say 'I am making ___' and Describe the Dish
Learn to say 'I am making ___' in Japanese and describe the dish using simple adjectives and nouns. Perfect for elementary learners to talk about food they are preparing.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
In this lesson, you will learn how to say 'I am making ___' in Japanese and how to describe the dish you are making. This is different from describing cooking actions; here, we focus on the dish itself. You will use the pattern '[dish] o tsukutte imasu' to mean 'I am making [dish]'. Then, you can add descriptions like 'It is a healthy dish' or 'It is a Japanese dish' using simple adjectives and nouns. By the end, you will be able to talk about what you are making and give basic details about it.
By the end, you can…
- say 'I am making ___' in Japanese using the pattern '[dish] o tsukutte imasu'.
- describe a dish with simple adjectives like 'oishii' (delicious) and 'kenkou-teki' (healthy).
- name common dishes in Japanese and ask others what they are making.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
カレーを作っています。
I am making curry.
Karē o tsukutte imasu.
Use this pattern with any dish name. 'Karē' means curry. The particle 'o' marks the object, and 'tsukutte imasu' means 'am making'.
これは日本の料理です。
This is a Japanese dish.
Kore wa Nihon no ryōri desu.
Use 'kore wa' to point out the dish you are making. 'Nihon no ryōri' means 'Japanese dish'. You can replace 'Nihon' with other countries.
この料理はおいしいです。
This dish is delicious.
Kono ryōri wa oishii desu.
Use 'kono ryōri wa' to describe the dish you are making. 'Oishii' means delicious. This is a simple way to compliment your own cooking.
健康的な料理を作っています。
I am making a healthy dish.
Kenkō-teki na ryōri o tsukutte imasu.
Use 'kenkō-teki na' to describe a healthy dish. Place the adjective before 'ryōri'. This is useful when talking about nutritious food.
何を作っていますか。
What are you making?
Nani o tsukutte imasu ka.
Use this question to ask someone what they are making. The particle 'ka' at the end makes it a question. Respond with '[dish] o tsukutte imasu'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The basic pattern is '[dish] o tsukutte imasu', which means 'I am making [dish]'. For example, 'sushi o tsukutte imasu' means 'I am making sushi'. To describe the dish, you can add a sentence like 'Kore wa [adjective] ryōri desu' (This is a [adjective] dish). For instance, 'Kore wa oishii ryōri desu' means 'This is a delicious dish'. You can also use 'kenkō-teki na ryōri' for 'healthy dish'. Remember to use 'na' after 'kenkō-teki' because it is a na-adjective.
When to use it
Use these phrases when you are cooking and want to tell someone what you are making. For example, if you are making ramen, you can say 'Rāmen o tsukutte imasu'. If you want to add that it is a Japanese dish, say 'Kore wa Nihon no ryōri desu'. You can also use these phrases when someone asks 'Nani o tsukutte imasu ka'. It is polite to use the 'masu' form when speaking to people you do not know well. With friends, you can use the casual form 'tsukutte iru' instead of 'tsukutte imasu'.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
今、何を作っていますか。
What are you making now?Ima, nani o tsukutte imasu ka.カレーを作っています。
I am making curry.Karē o tsukutte imasu.いいですね。どんな料理ですか。
That's nice. What kind of dish is it?Ii desu ne. Donna ryōri desu ka.これは日本の料理で、とてもおいしいです。
This is a Japanese dish, and it is very delicious.Kore wa Nihon no ryōri de, totemo oishii desu.A little context goes a long way
In Japanese, when describing food you are making, it is common to be modest. Saying 'oishii desu' about your own cooking might sound boastful, so you can soften it with 'tabun oishii desu' (probably delicious) or 'oishiku naru to omoimasu' (I think it will be delicious). Also, using the polite 'masu' form is standard when speaking to acquaintances or superiors. With close friends, casual forms like 'tsukutte iru' are fine.
One thing to watch for
Using 'tsukuru' instead of 'tsukutte imasu' to mean 'I am making'.
Try this instead: 'Tsukuru' means 'to make' (dictionary form) or 'I make' (habitual). To say 'I am making' right now, use the te-iru form: 'tsukutte imasu'. For example, 'Sushi o tsukutte imasu' means 'I am making sushi'. If you say 'Sushi o tsukurimasu', it can mean 'I will make sushi' or 'I make sushi' (habitually), not necessarily right now.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I am making ramen' in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
ラーメンを作っています。 (Rāmen o tsukutte imasu.)
This uses the pattern '[dish] o tsukutte imasu'. 'Rāmen' is the dish, 'o' marks the object, and 'tsukutte imasu' means 'am making'. You could also say 'Rāmen o tsukutte iru' in casual speech.
2How do you ask someone 'What are you making?' in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
何を作っていますか。 (Nani o tsukutte imasu ka.)
This is the polite way to ask. 'Nani' means 'what', 'o' marks the object, 'tsukutte imasu' means 'are making', and 'ka' makes it a question. In casual speech, you can say 'Nani o tsukutte iru?'.
3How do you say 'This is a healthy dish' in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
これは健康的な料理です。 (Kore wa kenkō-teki na ryōri desu.)
This uses 'kore wa' (this is) + 'kenkō-teki na' (healthy) + 'ryōri' (dish) + 'desu' (is). Note that 'kenkō-teki' is a na-adjective, so it takes 'na' before the noun. You could also say 'Kore wa kenkō ni ii ryōri desu' to mean 'This is a dish good for health'.
Use '[dish] o tsukutte imasu' to say 'I am making [dish]', and add 'kore wa [adjective] ryōri desu' to describe it. Remember to use polite forms with acquaintances and casual forms with friends.
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