Restaurant reservations Part 3 (Advanced): Requesting accommodations for special occasions, such as birthdays or anniversaries.

💬 していただく means having someone do something for you as a favor. Adding ことってできますか turns it into "would it be possible to have you…?", a soft and reusable way to ask: 予約を変えていただくことってできますか "could you change my reservation?"

🇯🇵 A dessert plate with a message written in chocolate sauce is the standard birthday or anniversary service at Japanese restaurants. It's usually free if you ask when you book.

💬 に marks where something goes, so デザートプレートに means "onto the dessert plate". Swap in other places, as in ケーキに "on the cake".

💬 いかが is the polite version of どう "how". Staff use it when offering an alternative, and you can answer simply with それでお願いします "That, please".

💬 ぜひ (zehi) on its own is an enthusiastic "yes, please do". It works as a complete answer whenever someone offers you something.

🇯🇵 Starting a request with できれば makes it sound like a preference rather than a demand, for example できれば個室で "a private room if possible". This kind of softening is expected when you ask for something special.

💬 際 (giwa) means "edge" or "right beside". 窓際の席 (madogiwa no seki) is the phrase to ask for a window seat.

💬 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".

💬 The pattern 〜だと嬉しいんですが means "it would be nice if…" and makes a gentle request. You can swap in what you want: 個室だと嬉しいんですが "a private room would be nice".

🇯🇵 Phrasing a request as something that "would make me happy," rather than a demand, is the polite norm. Trailing off at the end leaves the staff room to say no gracefully.

🇯🇵 When staff open with this word on the phone, bad news is coming, usually that they're full. It's a polite, formal cushion that you'll hear far more often than you'll say it.

💬 おります is a humble version of います, used here to describe a state politely. The て form at the end, おりまして, softens the news by leaving the sentence open, as if adding "so…".

🇯🇵 Starting with あいにく "unfortunately" and trailing off without a direct "no" is how staff politely turn down a request. Usually they offer an alternative right after.

💬 落ち着いた (ochitsuita) describes something calm and relaxed, and it often hints at a good spot for a special evening. 奥 (oku) means the back or inner part of a space.

💬 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".

💬 でしたら means "if it's…" and points to the option that is available. これでしたら means "if it's this one".

💬 そちら (sochira) is a polite word for "that one" when you're talking about the option the other person just mentioned. 〜でお願いします is the reusable way to choose: これでお願いします "this one, please".

🇯🇵 Staff use this very polite "understood" with customers. As a customer, you'd just say わかりました or はい.

💬 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.

💬 頂戴 (chōdai) is a humble word for "receive". Staff use 頂戴できますか to ask for your details very politely.

🇯🇵 Phone reservations in Japan almost always end with a request for your name and number. Giving your family name first is normal and expected.

💬 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).

💬 It's a long one to say: (uketamawaru).

🇯🇵 When the booking is confirmed, you'll often hear 承りました, meaning "your reservation is accepted".

🇯🇵 This is a set closing phrase from staff. A simple よろしくお願いします or a thank-you is all you need to say back.

💬 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.