Lesson 13 — 別々にお願いします (Dining Out & Paying Separately at Restaurants)
Introduction In Minna no Nihongo Lesson 13 Conversation, we visit a bustling Japanese family restaurant. You will learn how to express personal desires using 〜がほしいです (I want [Noun]) and 〜たいです…
Introduction
In Minna no Nihongo Lesson 13 Conversation, we visit a bustling Japanese family restaurant. You will learn how to express personal desires using 〜がほしいです (I want [Noun]) and 〜たいです (I want to do [Verb]), order meal sets from waiters, ask for the bill with お勘定をお願いします (Check please), and split the bill individually using the quintessential phrase 別々にお願いします (Betsubetsu ni onegaishimasu – Separately, please).
Learning Objectives
- Order meals and lunch sets (定食 – Teishoku) at Japanese restaurants.
- Express desires: 〜がほしい and Verb-stem + たい.
- Request the bill politely with お勘定（お会計）をお願いします.
- Ask the cashier to split the bill individually with 別々にお願いします.
- Complete 20 JLPT-format MCQs on dining, desires, and payment customs.
Lesson Contents
Concept / Meaning
Situational Concept: When eating out with colleagues or friends in Japan (割り勘 – Warikan culture), customers often pay separately at the register. Handing your meal slips to the cashier, you say: 「別々にお願いします」 (Please bill us separately).
नेपाली व्याख्या:
जापानको रेस्टुरेन्टमा साथीहरूसँग खाना खाँदा आफ्नो-आफ्नो बिल आफैं तिर्ने (割り勘 – वारिकान) चलन हुन्छ। काउन्टरमा पैसा तिर्दा ‘別々にお願いします’ (बेग्लाबेग्लै हिसाब गरिदिनुहोस् / अलग-अलग बनाइदिनुहोस्) भनिन्छ। खाना अर्डर गर्दा ‘〜をください’ र बिल माग्दा ‘お勘定をお願いします’ भनिन्छ।
Japanese Form
客: すみません。Aランチを 2つと 牛丼を 1つ ください。
店員: かしこまりました。少々 お待ちください。
(食後)
客: すみません。お勘定を お願いします。
店員: はい。全部で 2,300円で ございます。
客: 別々に お願いできますか。
店員: はい。Aランチは 800円、牛丼は 700円で ございます。
English Meaning
Customer: Excuse me. Please give us two ‘Lunch A’ sets and one beef bowl.
Waiter: Certainly. Please wait a moment.
(After the meal)
Customer: Excuse me. Check, please.
Cashier: Yes. It is 2,300 yen in total.
Customer: Could you bill us separately?
Cashier: Yes. Lunch A is 800 yen, and the beef bowl is 700 yen.
Nepali Meaning
ग्राहक: माफ गर्नुहोस्, मलाई २ वटा ‘ए लञ्च’ र एउटा ‘ग्युदोन’ दिनुहोस्।
वेटर: हवस् हजुर। कृपया एकैछिन पर्खनुहोला।
(खाएपछि)
ग्राहक: माफ गर्नुहोस्, बिल मिलाइदिनुहोस् न।
क्यासियर: हजुर। जम्मा २,३०० येन भयो।
ग्राहक: अलग-अलग तिर्न मिल्छ होला?
क्यासियर: हजुर, मिल्छ। ए लञ्चको ८०० येन र ग्युदोनको ७०० येन भयो।
Detailed Explanation
Basic Rule
- Order food: [Item] を [Quantity] ください.
- Ask for bill: お勘定（お会計）を お願いします.
- Request separate payment: 別々に お願いします / 別々で.
- Pay cash/card at register and say: ごちそうさまでした.
Formation
| Dining Phrase | Romaji | Meaning (Nepali) |
|---|---|---|
| ご注文は？ | Gochuumon wa? | हजुरको अर्डर के होला? |
| 少々お待ちください | Shou-shou omachi kudasai | कृपया एकैछिन कुर्नुहोस् |
| お勘定をお願いします | Okanjou o onegaishimasu | बिल दिनुहोस् न |
| 別々にお願いします | Betsubetsu ni onegaishimasu | अलग-अलग हिसाब गरिदिनुहोस् |
| ごちそうさまでした | Gochisousama deshita | मिठो खानाको लागि धन्यवाद |
Usage
Indispensable when eating lunch with classmates, going out for ramen, dining at izakayas, and managing shared expenses.
Important Notes
- Tipping (チップ) does NOT exist in Japan! Leaving money on the table will result in staff chasing after you to return your ‘forgotten’ cash.
- In most Japanese restaurants, you pay at the register (レジ) near the entrance, not at the dining table.
- Water (お冷 – Ohiya) and hot green tea (あがり) are served free of charge at Japanese restaurants.
Exceptions
Some small noodle shops (Ramen, Soba) use ticket vending machines (券売機 – Kenbaiki) at the entrance where you buy meal tickets with cash before sitting.
Common Mistakes
Leaving a tip on the table. Never leave a tip in Japan!
Examples
Example 1
- Japanese: 何が食べたいですか。天ぷらが食べたいです。
- Reading: Nani ga tabetai desu ka. Tenpura ga tabetai desu.
- English: What do you want to eat? I want to eat tempura.
- Nepali: के खान मन छ? मलाई तेम्पुरा खान मन छ।
Example 2
- Japanese: お勘定をお願いします。はい、3,000円です。
- Reading: Okanjou o onegaishimasu. Hai, sanzen-en desu.
- English: Check please. Yes, it is 3,000 yen.
- Nepali: बिल दिनुहोस् न। हजुर, ३,००० येन भयो।
Example 3
- Japanese: 別々にお願いします。はい、お一人800円です。
- Reading: Betsubetsu ni onegaishimasu. Hai, ohitori happyaku-en desu.
- English: Separately, please. Yes, 800 yen per person.
- Nepali: अलग-अलग हिसाब गरिदिनुहोस्। हजुर, प्रति व्यक्ति ८०० येन भयो।
Vocabulary
| Japanese | Hiragana | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 別々に | べつべつに | Separately (अलग-अलग / बेग्लाबेग्लै) | 別々に払います。 |
| お勘定 | おかんじょう | Bill / Check (बिल / हिसाब) | お勘定をお願いします。 |
| 少々 | しょうしょう | A little / A moment (एकैछिन / थोरै) | 少々お待ちください。 |
| 食べたい | たべたい | Want to eat (खान चाहन्छु / खान मन छ) | 寿司が食べたいです。 |
| 牛丼 | ぎゅうどん | Beef bowl (ग्युदोन (जापानी बिफ राइस)) | 牛丼を食べます。 |
Conversation Practice
Situation
Mr. Miller and his colleague Mr. Yamada go to a family restaurant for lunch during their work break.
Dialogue
店員 (Waitress): いらっしゃいませ。何名様ですか。 (Irasshaimase. Nan-mei-sama desu ka.)
山田 (Yamada): 2人です。 (Futari desu.)
店員 (Waitress): こちらの 席へ どうぞ。ご注文は お決まりですか。 (Kochira no seki e douzo. Gochuumon wa okimari desu ka.)
山田 (Yamada): はい。わたしは Aランチ、ミラーさんは？ (Hai. Watashi wa Ei-ranchi, Miraa-san wa?)
ミラー (Miller): わたしは 牛丼を ください。それから アイスコーヒーを 2つ。 (Watashi wa gyuudon o kudasai. Sorekara aisu koohii o futatsu.)
店員 (Waitress): かしこまりました。少々 お待ちください。 (Kashikomarimashita. Shou-shou omachi kudasai.)
山田 (Yamada): （食後レジで）すみません、お勘定。別々に お願いします。 ((Shokugo reji de) Sumimasen, okanjou. Betsubetsu ni onegaishimasu.)
店員 (Cashier): はい。Aランチの お客様は 850円、牛丼の お客様は 750円です。 (Hai. Ei-ranchi no okyakusama wa happyaku gojuu-en, gyuudon no okyakusama wa nanahyaku gojuu-en desu.)
Translation
- English:
Waitress: Welcome! How many people in your party?
Yamada: Two people.
Waitress: Please take this table. Are you ready to order?
Yamada: Yes. I’ll have Lunch A; what about you, Miller?
Miller: I will have the beef bowl. And two iced coffees, please.
Waitress: Certainly. Please wait a moment.
Yamada: (At cashier after meal) Excuse me, check please. Separately, please.
Cashier: Yes. Lunch A is 850 yen, and the beef bowl is 750 yen.
- Nepali:
वेटर: स्वागत छ! कति जना हुनुहुन्छ होला?
यामादा: २ जना हौं।
वेटर: कृपया यो टेबलमा बस्नुहोस्। अर्डर तयार छ त?
यामादा: हजुर। म ‘ए लञ्च’ खान्छु, मिलरजी हजुर के लिनुहुन्छ?
मिलर: मलाई ‘ग्युदोन’ दिनुहोस्। अनि २ कप कोल्ड कफी पनि।
वेटर: हवस् हजुर। कृपया एकैछिन कुर्नुहोला।
यामादा: (खाएपछि क्यासियरमा) माफ गर्नुहोस्, बिल मिलाइदिनुहोस्। अलग-अलग हिसाब गरिदिनुहोस् है।
क्यासियर: हजुर। ए लञ्च लिनुहुनेको ८५० येन र ग्युदोन लिनुहुनेको ७५० येन भयो।
Speaking Practice
Practice saying: ‘Okanjou o onegaishimasu. Betsubetsu ni onegaishimasu.’
Reading Practice
Short Reading
山田さんと ミラーさんは レストランへ 昼ごはんを 食べに 行きました。山田さんは Aランチ、ミラーさんは 牛丼を 食べました。食後、レジで 「別々に お願いします」と 言って、自分の 分を 自分で 払いました。
Vocabulary Help
食後 (しょくご – After meal), 自分の分 (じぶんのぶん – One’s own share), 払いました (はらいました – Paid)
Reading Questions
- 2人は どこへ 何を しに 行きましたか。
- ミラーさんは 何を 食べましたか。
- お金を どうやって 払いましたか。
Practice
Fill in the Blank
- お勘定 [ _____ ] お願いします。(を / に)
- [ _____ ] に お願いします。(別々 / 色々)
- のどが 渇きましたから、水が [ _____ ] です。(飲みたい / 食べたい)
Choose the Correct Answer
- Q: 会計を 別々に 払いたい 時の 表現は？
A: (a) 別々にお願いします (b) ごちそうさまでした (c) いらっしゃいませ
- Q: 日本の レストランで チップは 必要ですか。
A: (a) 必要ない（渡さない） (b) 10%必ず渡す (c) 20%渡す
Sentence Formation
- (Aランチ / 1つ / ください)
- (お勘定 / お願いします)
Word Arrangement
- [ お願いします / 別々に / すみません ]
- [ 食べたいです / ラーメンが ]
Translation Practice
- Could you split the bill separately, please? (कृपया बिल अलग-अलग बनाइदिनुहुन्छ?)
- Thank you for the wonderful meal! (मिठो भोजनको लागि धन्यवाद!)
Speaking Practice
Order food at a restaurant: ‘Sumimasen, kore to kore o kudasai.’
Writing Practice
Write down a list of 5 foods you want to eat in Japan using 〜が食べたいです.
Questions
Basic Questions
What does ‘Betsubetsu ni onegaishimasu’ mean?
Understanding Questions
Why is tipping inappropriate in Japanese restaurants?
Application Questions
How do you ask the waiter for a glass of water in Japanese?
JLPT-style Questions
Cashier announces: ‘O-futari de 1,600-en desu’. How much does each pay if split evenly?
Meaning
Japanese Meaning
飲食店で注文を行い、食後に個別会計（別々会計・割り勘）を依頼してスムーズに支払う実用的な外食会話。
English Meaning
Practical dining conversation for ordering food, requesting separate billing at the register, and expressing satisfaction after meals.
Nepali Meaning
रेस्टुरेन्टमा खाना अर्डर गर्ने, खाएपछि बिल माग्ने र साथीहरूसँग खाँदा आ-आफ्नो हिसाब छुट्टाछुट्टै तिर्ने जापानी संस्कृतिको व्यावहारिक संवाद हो।
Important Vocabulary
別々に, お勘定, お会計, ご注文, 少々お待ちください, 食べたい
How to Learn
Step 1: Understand
Learn desire expressions: [Noun] が ほしい and Verb-stem + たい.
Step 2: Memorize
Learn ordering phrasing: [Item] を [Count] ください.
Step 3: Practice
Memorize the cashier phrase: ‘Betsubetsu ni onegaishimasu’.
Step 4: Speak
Learn to ask for water: ‘Ohiya o kudasai’.
Step 5: Read
Remember the post-meal gratitude: ‘Gochisousama deshita’.
Step 6: Review
Notice ticket vending machines in Tokyo fast-food shops.
Memory Tips
Betsu = Separate / Different. Betsubetsu = Each separately.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1
- Incorrect: Leaving cash on the dining table as a tip.
- Correct Form: Always take your bill clip to the cashier register near the exit and pay exact change.
- Why: Tipping is seen as offensive or an accidental oversight in Japan (जापानमा टिप दिने चलन हुँदैन).
Mistake 2
- Incorrect: Using ‘〜たいです’ to offer food to a superior (e.g. 食べたいですか).
- Correct Form: Use ‘いかがですか’ (Ikaga desu ka) when offering food to others.
- Why: ‘〜たいですか’ can sound overly intrusive when inquiring about others’ desires.
Lesson Exam
Test your knowledge before moving on. You can retry as many times as you like.
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