In a small restaurant, you often want to know what is available today before you order. This workshop gives you short, polite Japanese lines for asking about the daily special, checking what a set meal contains, and choosing the recommendation. You will read both customer and staff roles aloud, listen for the reply, and then recall the exchange with the roles swapped. The recordings provide the exact Japanese you need, so you can practice without inventing new phrases.
Asking what is available today
Start with a polite question. «今日のおすすめは何ですか。» means "What is today's special?" and «日替わり定食はありますか。» means "Do you have a daily set meal?" Both are useful when you sit down and want to know the day's options. If you want to ask about the recommendation instead, «おすすめをお願いします。» means "I'll have the recommendation, please." Use «今日のおすすめは何ですか。» or «日替わり定食はありますか。» when you need information, and use «おすすめをお願いします。» when you are ready to order and trust the staff's choice. Keep your voice calm and friendly; a short pause after the question gives the staff time to answer.
Understanding the reply and asking what is in it
When the staff answers, listen for the main dish and the set. «今日は日替わり定食です。魚と野菜です。» means "Today it is the daily set meal. It is fish and vegetables." That tells you the daily set meal is the special and that it includes fish and vegetables. To check the details, ask «それは何が入っていますか。», which means "What is in it?" The staff may then list the items. «焼き魚とご飯と味噌汁です。八百円です。» means "Grilled fish, rice, and miso soup. It is 800 yen." This reply names the food and the price. Notice that «そうですか。それは何が入っていますか。» means "I see. What is in it?" and shows a natural way to acknowledge the first answer before asking for more detail.
Putting the exchange together
A full exchange can move from a general question to a specific one. The customer asks «すみません、今日のおすすめは何ですか。», which means "Excuse me, what is today's special?" The staff replies with «今日は日替わり定食です。魚と野菜です。». The customer acknowledges and asks «そうですか。それは何が入っていますか。», and the staff answers with «焼き魚とご飯と味噌汁です。八百円です。». If you prefer to order right away, you can use «おすすめをお願いします。» instead of asking more questions. Practice the lines in this order first, then swap roles with a partner. The order of the conversation stays the same: question, reply, follow-up question, and final answer.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
今日のおすすめは何ですか。
What is today's special?
kyō no osusume wa nan desu ka
日替わり定食はありますか。
Do you have a daily set meal?
higawari teishoku wa arimasu ka
それは何が入っていますか。
What is in it?
sore wa nani ga haitte imasu ka
おすすめをお願いします。
I'll have the recommendation, please.
osusume o onegaishimasu
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
すみません、今日のおすすめは何ですか。
Excuse me, what is today's special?今日は日替わり定食です。魚と野菜です。
Today it is the daily set meal. It is fish and vegetables.そうですか。それは何が入っていますか。
I see. What is in it?焼き魚とご飯と味噌汁です。八百円です。
Grilled fish, rice, and miso soup. It is 800 yen.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided customer and staff exchange
You are a customer at a small restaurant. Your partner plays the staff. Read the lines aloud in the order given.
Your task: Customer: say «すみません、今日のおすすめは何ですか。». Staff: reply with «今日は日替わり定食です。魚と野菜です。». Customer: say «そうですか。それは何が入っていますか。». Staff: answer with «焼き魚とご飯と味噌汁です。八百円です。». Then swap roles and repeat the same order.
Choose the right reply
You hear a customer ask about the daily set meal. Choose the staff reply that matches the question and the taught lines.
Your task: Customer asks «日替わり定食はありますか。». Which staff reply fits? Option A: «今日は日替わり定食です。魚と野菜です。». Option B: «おすすめをお願いします。». Say the correct line aloud, then explain in English what it means.
Recall the exchange with roles swapped
Work with a partner. One person is the customer and one is the staff. Cover the lines and recall them from memory.
Your task: Customer: ask «今日のおすすめは何ですか。». Staff: answer with «今日は日替わり定食です。魚と野菜です。». Customer: ask «それは何が入っていますか。». Staff: answer with «焼き魚とご飯と味噌汁です。八百円です。». Then swap roles and repeat the same order from memory.
Common questions
Can I practice these lines alone without a partner?
Yes. You can play the customer lines and then the staff lines yourself, using the recordings as a model. Read «すみません、今日のおすすめは何ですか。» as the customer, then «今日は日替わり定食です。魚と野菜です。» as the staff, and continue through «そうですか。それは何が入っていますか。» and «焼き魚とご飯と味噌汁です。八百円です。». This lets you hear both sides and practice the rhythm, even though there is no automatic assessment.
What should I listen for in the staff reply?
Listen for the name of the set and the main items. In «今日は日替わり定食です。魚と野菜です。», the staff says the daily set meal is the special and that it includes fish and vegetables. In «焼き魚とご飯と味噌汁です。八百円です。», the staff lists grilled fish, rice, and miso soup, and gives the price. These details help you decide whether to order or ask more.
Sources and further reading
- japanese: ask about daily specialChecked September 2026
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