Practise a short reservation call with a fictional restaurant. Give the number of people and repeat the time before ending the conversation.
State the purpose early
予約をしたいんですが introduces the reason for your call. The expression leaves room for the staff member to respond and ask for the details. You can then give a date, time, and party size in short pieces rather than rushing them into one sentence.
二人 is read ふたり. For three people, use 三人, さんにん. A time such as 六時 takes に when marking the reservation time: 六時に. A staff member may repeat the details with ですね, giving you a chance to correct a misunderstanding.
Close the loop
In this sample, the requested time is unavailable and the staff suggests a later time. Read that change carefully. Practising a successful response to a changed plan is more useful than assuming every request receives はい. Actual availability and booking conditions must come from the restaurant.
Examples to read before you practise
Japanese | Reading / English |
|---|---|
客：明日の予約をしたいんですが。 | Guest: I would like to make a reservation for tomorrow. |
店：何名様ですか。 | Restaurant: For how many people? |
客：二人です。六時は空いていますか。 | Guest: Two. Is six available? |
店：六時半なら空いています。 | Restaurant: Six thirty is available. |
客：では、六時半にお願いします。 | Guest: Then six thirty, please. |
店：二名様、六時半ですね。 | Restaurant: Two people at six thirty, correct? |
Try six questions
Try these self-check questions from memory, then compare your answers with the explanations. For automatic checking and saved progress, open the related practice after this article.
How many people will come? Copy the ordinary counter expression used by the guest.
What time is finally agreed? Copy the time.
What day is the booking for? Copy the relative day.
Six o’clock: read 六時 in kana.
Three people: read 三人 in kana.
At six thirty: 六時半（ ）お願いします。
Answer key and explanations
二人 / ふたり — The guest says 二人.
六時半 / ろくじはん — The guest accepts six thirty.
明日 / あした / あす — 明日の予約 means tomorrow’s reservation.
ろくじ — 六時 is ろくじ.
さんにん — Use the にん counter after 三.
に — に marks the selected time.
Keep learning
Related lessons
Try what you have just read
Recognise the pattern, write an answer from memory, then use it in a short reading. Your existing progress carries over.
Open the three-step lessonSources
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