Japanese for Ordering Mistakes: Saying 'I Ordered This Without Cheese' and Asking for a Fix
Learn elementary Japanese to explain that a dish was prepared incorrectly, specifically that you ordered it without cheese, and politely ask the server to fix it.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When a dish arrives wrong, the useful skill is not just naming a missing item, but explaining that the preparation itself is incorrect. In Japanese, you can say what you ordered using the pattern '～抜きで頼みました' (nuki de tanomimashita), meaning 'I ordered it without ~'. This lesson teaches you to say 'I ordered this without cheese', check that the server understands, and ask for the dish to be fixed politely. You will practice restaurant-ready phrases for a wrong-preparation problem, not a missing side dish.
By the end, you can…
- say that I ordered a dish without a specific ingredient.
- explain that the dish was prepared incorrectly and ask for it to be fixed.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
チーズ抜きで頼みました。
I ordered this without cheese.
chīzu nuki de tanomimashita
Use this when the dish has cheese but you requested no cheese. 抜き means 'without' or 'removed'.
これはチーズ入りですか。
Does this have cheese in it?
kore wa chīzu iri desu ka
Ask before eating if you are unsure. 入り means 'contains' or 'with'.
すみません、注文と違います。
Excuse me, this is not what I ordered.
sumimasen, chūmon to chigaimasu
A polite way to signal a preparation mistake without sounding angry.
チーズ抜きでお願いします。
Without cheese, please.
chīzu nuki de onegaishimasu
Use when ordering or when reminding the server of your request.
作り直していただけますか。
Could you please remake it?
tsukurinaoshite itadakemasu ka
A polite request for the kitchen to prepare the dish again correctly.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern 'X 抜きで頼みました' means 'I ordered it without X'. Put the ingredient before 抜き: チーズ抜き (chīzu nuki) = without cheese, 玉ねぎ抜き (tamanegi nuki) = without onion. Add で頼みました (de tanomimashita) to say you ordered it that way. To ask for the fix, use 'X 抜きで作り直してください' (X nuki de tsukurinaoshite kudasai), meaning 'Please remake it without X'. This focuses on incorrect preparation, not a missing item.
When to use it
Use these phrases when the dish arrives with an ingredient you asked to be removed. First say 'すみません' (sumimasen) to get attention, then 'チーズ抜きで頼みました' (chīzu nuki de tanomimashita). If the server looks unsure, add '注文と違います' (chūmon to chigaimasu). Then ask '作り直していただけますか' (tsukurinaoshite itadakemasu ka). This is different from saying a side dish is missing; here you are correcting how the dish was made.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、チーズ抜きで頼みました。
Excuse me, I ordered this without cheese.sumimasen, chīzu nuki de tanomimashita申し訳ありません。確認します。
I'm very sorry. I'll check.mōshiwake arimasen. kakunin shimasuこれはチーズ入りですか。作り直していただけますか。
Does this have cheese in it? Could you please remake it?kore wa chīzu iri desu ka. tsukurinaoshite itadakemasu kaはい、チーズ抜きで作り直します。少々お待ちください。
Yes, I'll remake it without cheese. Please wait a moment.hai, chīzu nuki de tsukurinaoshimasu. shōshō omachi kudasaiA little context goes a long way
In Japanese restaurants, politeness matters more than directness. Saying 'すみません' first and using '～ていただけますか' softens the request. Avoid accusing the staff; focus on the order, not the person. If the mistake is serious, you can say 'アレルギーがあります' (arerugī ga arimasu), meaning 'I have an allergy', but only if true. Tipping is not customary, so a polite request is the normal way to fix a dish.
One thing to watch for
Saying 'チーズがありません' (chīzu ga arimasen), meaning 'There is no cheese', when the dish actually has cheese you did not want.
Try this instead: Use 'チーズ抜きで頼みました' (chīzu nuki de tanomimashita) to say you ordered it without cheese. This explains the preparation mistake, not a missing item.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I ordered this without cheese' in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
チーズ抜きで頼みました。 (chīzu nuki de tanomimashita)
This uses the pattern X 抜きで頼みました. Other ingredients can replace チーズ, such as 玉ねぎ抜きで頼みました.
2What phrase politely asks the server to remake the dish?
Show a sample answer
作り直していただけますか。 (tsukurinaoshite itadakemasu ka)
This is a polite request. A slightly less formal alternative is 作り直してください (tsukurinaoshite kudasai).
3How do you check if a dish contains cheese?
Show a sample answer
これはチーズ入りですか。 (kore wa chīzu iri desu ka)
入り means 'contains'. You can also ask チーズは入っていますか (chīzu wa haitte imasu ka), which is equally natural.
Use 'X 抜きで頼みました' to explain a wrong preparation, then ask '作り直していただけますか' to request a fix politely.
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