How to Say ‘Thank you for the meal (after meals)’ in Japanese
ごちそうさまでした
go chisou sama deshi ta
[go chee-SOH sah-mah DEH-shee tah]
🇯🇵 In Japan: Said after finishing a meal to your host, or to the staff as you leave a restaurant. Saying it on your way out of small eateries is warmly received.
Phrase Breakdown
ご
go
[go]
honorific prefix
A prefix added to words to show respect.
ご出発はいつですか？
When is your departure?
ちそう
chisou
[chee-SOH]
feast; treat
A meal or hospitality offered to someone; originally 'running around' to prepare food.
ちそうをいただきました。
I was treated to a feast.
さま
sama
[sah-mah]
honorific suffix; polite people marker
A respectful ending attached to people-related words, as in 皆さま, meaning 'everyone' politely.
皆さまでどうぞ。
Please, all of you.
でし
deshi
[DEH-shee]
was (polite copula stem)
Stem of the polite copula です in its past form, combined with た to make でした.
昨日は雨でした。
It was rainy yesterday.
た
ta
[tah]
past tense ending
This ending completes the polite past tense form.
空席がございまし た。
There were vacant seats.
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