How to Leave the Table Politely in Japanese: Excuse Me and Thank You for the Meal
Learn beginner Japanese phrases for leaving a table briefly during a meal or at the end, including gochisōsama deshita and sumimasen, with polite and casual register guidance.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
In Japanese meals, how you leave the table matters as much as how you begin. This lesson teaches two narrow, practical skills: politely excusing yourself for a moment during a meal, and politely marking the end of a meal before you get up. You will learn set phrases such as sumimasen, chotto shitsurei shimasu, and gochisōsama deshita, plus the particles and politeness levels that make them sound natural. We do not cover other kinds of departures, such as leaving a workplace or ending a phone call. All examples use natural Japanese script with consistent Hepburn romanization.
By the end, you can…
- politely excuse myself from the table for a short time during a meal.
- thank the host or cook at the end of a meal before leaving the table.
- choose between casual and polite forms for these two situations.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
すみません。
Excuse me. / Sorry.
su-mi-ma-sen
A versatile polite attention-getter. At the table it can begin a brief excuse, but by itself it does not say you are leaving.
ちょっと失礼します。
Excuse me for a moment.
chot-to shi-tsu-rei shi-ma-su
The standard polite phrase for leaving the table briefly, for example to use the restroom or take a call. Chotto softens it to 'just a moment.'
すぐ戻ります。
I'll be right back.
su-gu mo-do-ri-ma-su
Often added after chotto shitsurei shimasu. Sugu means 'soon' or 'right away,' and modorimasu is the polite form of 'return.'
ごちそうさまでした。
Thank you for the meal. (said after eating)
go-chi-sō-sa-ma de-shi-ta
The set phrase for the end of a meal. Use it when you finish eating and before you leave the table. The past tense deshita marks the meal as finished.
おいしかったです。
It was delicious.
o-i-shi-kat-ta de-su
A warm, polite compliment to the cook or host. It pairs naturally with gochisōsama deshita at the end of a meal.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
For a temporary exit, use a short apology plus a statement that you will return: すみません、ちょっと失礼します。すぐ戻ります。 (Sumimasen, chotto shitsurei shimasu. Sugu modorimasu.) The pattern is [apology] + [chotto shitsurei shimasu] + [sugu modorimasu]. Chotto makes the exit sound small and considerate. At the end of a meal, the pattern changes: use ごちそうさまでした (Gochisōsama deshita) before you stand up. If you want to add a compliment, say おいしかったです (Oishikatta desu). Do not use shitsurei shimasu as a way to end the whole meal; it is for a brief absence, not a final goodbye.
When to use it
Use ちょっと失礼します (Chotto shitsurei shimasu) when you need to leave the table for a short time and plan to come back, such as to answer a phone or use the restroom. Use ごちそうさまでした (Gochisōsama deshita) when the meal is finished and you are leaving the table for good. At a friend's home, you can say ごちそうさま (Gochisōsama) casually, but in a restaurant or with a boss, keep the full polite form. If others are still eating, a brief お先に失礼します (Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu), meaning 'Excuse me for leaving before you,' can be added, but this lesson focuses on the two core situations above.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、ちょっと失礼します。すぐ戻ります。
Excuse me for a moment. I'll be right back.Su-mi-ma-sen, chot-to shi-tsu-rei shi-ma-su. Su-gu mo-do-ri-ma-su.はい、どうぞ。
Sure, go ahead.Ha-i, dō-zo.ごちそうさまでした。おいしかったです。
Thank you for the meal. It was delicious.Go-chi-sō-sa-ma de-shi-ta. O-i-shi-kat-ta de-su.よかったです。またどうぞ。
I'm glad. Please come again.Yo-kat-ta de-su. Ma-ta dō-zo.A little context goes a long way
Politeness in Japanese table talk depends on setting and relationship. With close friends, ごちそうさま (Gochisōsama) and ちょっと失礼 (Chotto shitsurei) are common, but with a host, teacher, or coworker, use the full forms ごちそうさまでした and ちょっと失礼します. Tone also matters: a quick, soft delivery sounds considerate, while a loud or abrupt exit can seem rude. When others are still eating, acknowledging them before you leave is a thoughtful habit.
One thing to watch for
Saying ごちそうさまでした (Gochisōsama deshita) when you only step away for a moment and will return to eat more.
Try this instead: Use ちょっと失礼します (Chotto shitsurei shimasu) for a brief absence, and save ごちそうさまでした for the end of the meal. For example: すみません、ちょっと失礼します。すぐ戻ります。 (Sumimasen, chotto shitsurei shimasu. Sugu modorimasu.)
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You need to leave the table briefly to take a phone call. What polite phrase do you say?
Show a sample answer
すみません、ちょっと失礼します。すぐ戻ります。 (Sumimasen, chotto shitsurei shimasu. Sugu modorimasu.)
This combines a polite apology, the set phrase for a brief absence, and a promise to return. ちょっと失礼します alone is also acceptable if the situation is clear.
2The meal is over and you are about to leave the table at a friend's house. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
ごちそうさまでした。おいしかったです。 (Gochisōsama deshita. Oishikatta desu.)
ごちそうさまでした marks the end of the meal, and おいしかったです adds a polite compliment. At a close friend's home, ごちそうさま alone is also fine.
3Which phrase is wrong for a temporary exit, and why? ごちそうさまでした or ちょっと失礼します?
Show a sample answer
ごちそうさまでした is wrong for a temporary exit.
ごちそうさまでした thanks someone for a finished meal, so it signals that you are done eating. For a short absence, use ちょっと失礼します. Context can allow other variants, but the core distinction stays the same.
Remember two moments: ちょっと失礼します (Chotto shitsurei shimasu) for a brief exit, and ごちそうさまでした (Gochisōsama deshita) when the meal is truly over. Match the politeness level to the people at the table.
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