How to Order Coffee in Japanese

Key Takeaway:

You can confidently order your favorite coffee in Japanese by using just five essential phrases, understanding size and customization suffixes, and applying simple pronunciation tips to sound natural.

There are no fewer than three ways to order a cup of coffee in the United States: I’ll have a tall, non-fat latte, please”. In Japan, there are at least five different ways to order coffee. And that’s not even counting the variations in regional dialects!

So how can you order what you want without sounding like an idiot? The secret is knowing which words for “coffee” are used where and when.

History of Coffee in Japan

Coffee has been around Japan for a long time. The culture of coffee drinking is deeply rooted in Japanese society. The first coffee shop called the Kahiichakan was opened in 1888.

After World War II, many people had more disposable income to spend on luxuries such as coffee. When Japan’s economy was on the rise, the popularity of coffee in Japan took off. Today, more than 120 million cups of coffee are consumed daily—more than 6 billion per year!

Ordering Coffee in Japan

There are many standard options for ordering in Japanese. Several terms are used when asking for coffee. Regardless of where you’re ordering from. But sometimes, you can only find some coffee jargon in certain places.

Here are some Japanese words and phrases that you can use when ordering coffee:

• コーヒー (ko-hi-ro) – Coffee (standard term)

• アイスコーヒー (aisu ko-hi-ro) – Iced coffee (standard term)

• ティーバイティー(tī bai tī)- Tea bag/tea bag sized cup o紅茶ダブルティー(kō cha daburu ti’e) – Double tea bag sized cup

• ホットコーヒー (hotto ko-hi-ro) – Hot coffee (standard term)

• マキシマムサイズ (makishimamu saizu) – Maximum size

• ミディアムサイズ (midiamum saizu) – Medium size

• スモールサイズ (sumōru saizu) – Small size

• カフェオレ(kafe o re) – Café au lait エ

Also, you may encounter some other phrases used in specific contexts. The first is コーヒーショップ (ko-hi-ro shop), which refers to a coffee shop. Another useful phrase is ホットドリンク (hotto dorinku). It translates as “hot drink” and can refer to many different types of drinks.

Example Dialogue:

“すみません、ホットコーヒーを一つお願いします。”
(Sumimasen, hotto kōhī o hitotsu onegaishimasu.)
“Excuse me, one hot coffee, please.”

Using a Verb

If you want to choose from a variety of drinks, you can use the verb たべる (taberu). It means “to eat” or “to drink.” For example, ホットドリンクをたべますか (hotto dorinku o tabemasu ka) is a polite way to say, “Do you have hot drinks?” You may also encounter the phrase コーヒーのおか

Ogoro

Ogoro translates as “coffee’s tea” and refers to the hot water you get for free. It’s the perfect thing for people who aren’t very thirsty. Another useful phrase is ホットドリンク (hotto dorinku). It translates as “hot drink” and can refer to many different types of drinks. If you want something with sugar but don’t have any sugar cubes on hand, use the verb たべる (

Understanding “Regular” Coffee Terms

Another thing to know is that the size of a drink has a different name in Japanese than in English. The word for “small” is koohiikappu (koh-hee-kahpoo). And the word for “large” is toppu takappu (tohp-poo takahpoo). If you don’t see these words on the menu, ask your server or barista if they have sizes other than small or large.

If you’re ordering an iced coffee, there are more terms you should be aware of:

• kokusai (kohk-suhy)- It means “international.”

• Bori tenkiyasuto (boh-ree tenkyahsohto) – this means “freeze-dried coffee powder.”

In Japan, regular coffee is prepared with a drip method. The hot water is poured over coffee grounds in a filter to brew it in a drip method. Different terms are used depending on how you want your drink. If you want an iced coffee, you can say “Aisukōhī.”

Brewed Coffee in Japan

There are many ways to express how you want your coffee made or brewed in Japan. You can use standard Japanese. You can also use or adopt some special parlance. Read on, and learn more Japanese words and phrases that will help you how certain types of coffees are made.

The very first thing to know is that there are two main ways to say “coffee” in Japanese: 珈琲 (kōhī) and コーヒー (kōhī). You can also add a suffix to the word for “coffee” based on how you’d like it served up. These suffixes include -湯 (yu), which means hot water; and お湯 (oyu), which means hot water with milk. -紅茶 (kō cha), which means black tea; or even -冷凍飲料 (refreshing drink[s]). You may also see some cafés offering other kinds of drinks such as アイスコーヒー (iced coffee) or アイスティー(iced tea).

If you’re unsure how to order a coffee in Japanese, here are some key points:

• First, if you want your coffee with milk or cream, use the suffix -まい (mai), which means “with milk.”

• If you’d like it without any milk or cream, use the suffix -なし (nashi), which means “without.”

• You can also order a coffee with sugar using the suffix -砂糖 (sato), which means “with sugar.”

• If you’d like it without any sugar, use the suffix -なし (nashi), which means “without.”

• If you want a coffee with milk, cream, or sugar, but not all three at once, then use the suffixes -まい (mai) and -なし (nashi).

Coffee Shot – koohiikappu (koh-hee-kahpoo)

Ordering a cup of coffee could be as simple as “koohiikappu,” usually a single espresso shot. If you want to go a little extra, order one with cream, say “koohiihinkappu” (koh-hee-ehn-kahpoo). Sometimes you can get it with milk, too, which would make it koohiirakku (koh-hee-rahkuu).

There’s also another way to order your coffee like this: hot or cold. You might ask for ichigekappu (eech-eegahpoo) if you want it hot. Or say nattokappu (nahtawgahpoo) if cold. This is also when someone might ask what type of milk you want in your coffee. An option will also pop up on your screen saying things like “black,” “white,” or even “milk.”

Double Shot – toppu takappu (tohp-poo takahpoo)

When ordering coffee in Japanese, there are three main options:

• A single shot of espresso.

• A double shot of espresso.

• An Americano (espresso with hot water added).

If you’re feeling a little extra, say toppu takappu (tohp-poo takahpoo) for a double shot of espresso.

Espresso

The word for espresso is “esupresso,” and the Japanese word for hot water is oyu. So when combined, these two words mean “hot espresso.” You might consider ordering an Americano (amerikano) if you prefer hot coffee.

Additional Tips

When you’re ready to order coffee in Japanese, there are a few things to keep in mind:

• First, it’s important not to get hung up on the details. It’s okay if you’re not 100% sure what each word means. You should be fine if your pronunciation is good enough for others to understand.

• Also, don’t worry too much about making mistakes! The more you speak Japanese, the faster your skill level will improve!
• Practice frequently: The best way to learn is by ordering in person.
• Be polite: A simple “すみません” (sumimasen) at the start goes a long way.

Conclusion

As you can see, ordering coffee in Japanese is not that difficult. You can use the same basic format for ordering almost anything at a restaurant or store, whether it’s tea, beer, or even sushi! It’s a pretty simple process, and you will be able to order it.

The best way to learn any language is by practicing it as often as possible! So go out there and practice ordering coffee in Japanese with your friends today! 🗾