Restaurant reservations Part 4 (Advanced): Exploring options for private or semi-private dining for groups.

💬 それほど "to that extent" is always followed by a negative and softens it to "not all that". For example, それほど高くない means "not all that expensive".

🇯🇵 Mentioning 仕事の会食 when booking tells staff you want a calm table, ideally a private room. They may also suggest a set course so ordering doesn't interrupt the conversation.

💬 落ち着いた is the past form of 落ち着く "to settle down", placed directly in front of a noun to describe it. The past form here just means "calm", not "was calm".

🇯🇵 Staff use よろしければ to make a polite suggestion without pressure, such as an alternative date or room. You can use it yourself to soften any request.

💬 木曜 (mokuyō) is the casual short form of 木曜日 (mokuyōbi). Any day name works the same way, such as 金曜 (kin'yō) "Friday".

💬 でも after a noun means "even" or "also", signalling flexibility: "Thursday works too." You can swap in other options: 個室でも大丈夫です means "a private room is fine too."

💬 何か means "any" or "something" here, and the は is said (wa).

🇯🇵 Private rooms in Japan often come with conditions, like a minimum group size, a required course meal, or a room fee. Asking this up front is normal and expected.

🇯🇵 Restaurants often require booking a コース料理 to reserve a private room for a group. Many courses can add 飲み放題 "all-you-can-drink" as an option.

💬 Putting お in front of a verb stem and following it with する makes a humble "I do for you" form: お待ちします "I will wait", お持ちします "I'll carry it".

💬 Here 一人 is said (hitori), not (ichinin), and お〜様 wraps it politely. You'll also see お二人様 (o-futari-sama) "two people", which staff use when counting your party.

💬 から after a price or time means "from" or "starting at". 六千 is said (rokusen), and 円 is (en), not (yen).

🇯🇵 Japanese staff usually take the family name only, so giving your surname is enough. Spelling it out in katakana-friendly sounds helps them write it down.

💬 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".

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

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

🇯🇵 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.

💬 おります replaces います when you speak humbly about yourself or your side. Staff use it about themselves, as in お待ちしております.

🇯🇵 Restaurants almost always close a reservation call with this. It's your cue that everything is settled, and you can reply with よろしくお願いします "thank you, I'm counting on you".

💬 当日 (tōjitsu) means the specific day already being discussed. You'll often hear it as 当日キャンセル "same-day cancellation".

💬 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.