Dictionary / Japanese / Thank you for the food
How to Say "Thank you for the food" in Japanese
いただきます
itadakimasu
Literally: I humbly receive
いただき
receive (humble form of the verb いただく)
ます
(polite ending)
Polite or casual
いただきます is a set phrase in the polite ます form, and it fits every situation: at home with family, with friends, at work and in a restaurant. Families and friends use the same phrase. You say it just before you start eating or drinking, often with your hands together. When you finish, say ごちそうさまでした (gochisōsama deshita). With family and friends, the shorter ごちそうさま (gochisōsama) is common. If someone treats you to a meal, saying ごちそうさまでした to them afterwards also thanks them for cooking or for paying. When you eat alone, people often say it quietly or just in their head.
Correct
いただきます
What people say wrong
食べましょう
Let's eat. A suggestion to start, not the phrase before your first bite.
The mistake to avoid. いただきます is often translated as "let's eat", so learners use it to get everyone else started. It is not an invitation. Each person says it for themselves, just before they begin. To tell others to start, say 食べましょう (tabemashō), let's eat, or offer food with どうぞ (dōzo), please go ahead. いただきます also belongs before the meal only. After eating, say ごちそうさまでした (gochisōsama deshita). The verb いただく is the humble way to say "to receive", which is why the phrase is often explained as "I humbly receive".
In context
それでは、いただきます。
Sore dewa, itadakimasu.
Well then, thank you for the food.
わあ、おいしそう。いただきます。
Wā, oishisō. Itadakimasu.
Oh, that looks delicious. Thank you for the food.
ごちそうさまでした。とてもおいしかったです。
Gochisōsama deshita. Totemo oishikatta desu.
Thank you for the meal. It was very good. (after eating)