How to Say ‘Take it after meals.’ in Japanese
しょくごにのみます。
sho kugo ni nomi masu
[show koo-goh nee noh-mee mahss]
💬 Usage Tip: A full instruction sentence: [食後に] (when) + [飲みます] (do). You can swap the time: [寝る前に飲みます] (“Take it before bed”).
🇯🇵 In Japan: If your stomach hurts, pharmacists may also ask [空腹でも大丈夫ですか？] (“Is it okay on an empty stomach?”) because timing can matter for stomach medicine.
Phrase Breakdown
しょくご
sho kugo
after meals
A set time expression used in dosing directions: 食後 = after eating.
しょくごにふくようしてください。
Please take it after meals.
Words in this phrase
しょ
sho
[show]
sho (part of しょくごにのみます)
Kana chunk in the instruction phrase; forms 食後(しょくご).
この薬はしょくごにのみます。
You take this medicine after meals.
くご
kugo
[koo-goh]
kugo (part of しょくごにのみます)
Completes the timing word しょくご (食後).
しょくごにのみますと胃が守られます。
If you take it after meals, your stomach is protected.
に
ni
[nee]
at; after (time marker)
Marks the time “after meals” for the action “take (medicine).”
毎回、食後にのみます。
Each time, you take it after meals.
のみます。
nomi masu
(I) drink; (I) take (medicine) (polite)
飲む in polite form. With medicine, it means “to take” (swallow) medicine.
このくすりをのみます。
I take this medicine.
Words in this phrase
のみ
nomi
[noh-mee]
take (polite stem: nomi-)
Stem of 飲みます used in polite instruction sentences.
痛いときはこの薬をのみます。
When it hurts, you take this medicine.
ます
masu
[mahss]
polite verb ending
Makes the instruction polite: のみます = “take/drink.” Used by pharmacists giving directions.
しょくごにのみます。
Take it after meals.
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