Restaurant reservations (Advanced): Setting preferences for seating, such as indoor, outdoor, or specific views.

💬 Japanese often combines a loanword directly with 席 to mean that kind of seating: テラス席, カウンター席, 禁煙席. Once you know 席, lots of restaurant words become easy to guess.

💬 空いて (aite) comes from 空く "to be free, empty". The same verb works for seats, rooms, or your own schedule: 明日空いていますか "Are you free tomorrow?".

💬 Putting ご before a verb and adding できます is a humble way for staff to say "we can do this for you". You'll hear the same shape in ご案内できます "we can show you in".

💬 〜の場合は (no baai wa) means "in the case of ~" and attaches to a noun: 満席の場合は "if it's fully booked". The は is said (wa).

💬 店内 (tennai) literally means "inside the shop" and is the usual word for indoor seating; it pairs with テラス席 for outdoor options.

💬 その "that" sits directly before a noun and can't stand on its own. Swap the noun to reuse it: その席 "that seat", その日 "that day".

💬 窓際 (madogiwa) is 窓 "window" + 際 "edge"; the k-sound of 際 softens to (giwa) when joined. Same pattern with 壁際 (kabegiwa) "by the wall".

💬 Put a noun with は before it to ask if something's allowed: 予約は可能ですか "Can I reserve?".

💬 〜にしていただく means "to have you make it ~", so you're politely asking the staff to arrange it. 〜にしていただくことは可能ですか works for any request: 個室にしていただくことは可能ですか "Could we have a private room?"

🇯🇵 This is a very polite way to ask, suited to a phone call with a nicer restaurant. With a casual place, 窓際の席がいいです "A window seat would be nice" is plenty.

💬 念のため (nen no tame) usually comes at the start of a sentence: 念のため、電話番号を伺えますか "Just in case, may I have your number?".

💬 〜が見える means "~ can be seen", and it can sit right before a noun to describe it: 港が見える席 "a seat with a harbor view". Swap in 海 "sea" or 夜景 "night view".

💬 〜ておきます means doing something in advance so it's ready later. Here お取りします "I'll take it" becomes "I'll set it aside for you".

🇯🇵 This is a warm, natural way to thank someone who has accommodated you. It sounds less stiff than a plain "thank you" and shows you appreciate the effort.

💬 実は (jitsu wa) signals you're about to share something personal or unexpected. The は is said (wa).

💬 記念日 (kinenbi) is any commemorated day; 結婚記念日 (kekkon kinenbi) specifically means wedding anniversary.

💬 Ending with なので "so / because" and stopping there is a soft way to hint at a request without spelling it out.

🇯🇵 Mentioning an anniversary or birthday when booking is common in Japan, and many restaurants respond with a good table, a dessert plate with a message, or a small gift. It's a polite nudge rather than a demand.

💬 〜のいい describes something as having a good ~: 景色 (keshiki) "scenery" + のいい + 席. Also 眺めのいい部屋 "a room with a nice view".

💬 でいらっしゃる is a respectful version of です used about the other person. んですね adds a warm "oh, I see" tone.

💬 The お in front adds respect toward the other person's name, so you never use it for your own. When giving yours, just say the name followed by です.

💬 お電話番号 is the polite version of 電話番号 (denwa bangō), used when asking about someone else's number. Drop the お when you're talking about your own.

💬 伺う (ukagau) is a humble verb meaning "to ask" or "to visit". Staff use it about their own actions to show respect to you; 伺えますか means "May I ask?".

💬 と joins nouns like English "and": お名前 + と + お電話番号. It only links nouns, not whole sentences.

🇯🇵 In Japan people usually give their family name when booking, and 様 (sama) gets added on the restaurant's side. Never add さん or 様 to your own name.

💬 Phone numbers are read digit by digit, with の (no) at the hyphens: (zero kyū zero no ichi ni san yon no...). 0 is usually said (zero), and 4 and 7 as (yon) and (nana).

💬 承る (uketamawaru) is a humble verb meaning "to receive" or "to accept". You'll only hear it from staff.

💬 ました attaches to verb stems to make the polite past: 予約しました "I made a reservation", わかりました "understood".

🇯🇵 This is staff confirming your request is noted, so you don't need to repeat yourself. A simple よろしくお願いします "Thank you" is the natural reply.

💬 当日 (tōjitsu) means "the day itself", and お待ちしております is a humble "we'll be waiting".

🇯🇵 This is the standard closing line at the end of a reservation call. A natural reply is よろしくお願いします "Thank you" before hanging up.

💬 Literally it means "I'm being rude", as in excusing yourself for leaving. The same phrase is used when you enter or leave a room.

🇯🇵 This is the standard polite way to end a phone call in Japan, rather than さようなら. Wait for the other person to hang up first if you can.