Making plans, inviting friends, and politely declining are everyday conversation skills. This guide covers the natural phrases Japanese speakers use to invite, accept, and decline — with the cultural context to use them right.
| Purpose | Expression | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Invite someone | 〜に行かない？/ 〜しませんか | Casual / Polite |
| Accept an invitation | ぜひ！/ いいですね！ | Casual / Polite |
| Decline politely | ちょっと… / その日は都合が悪くて | Indirect |
| Suggest a time | 〜はどうですか？ | Neutral |
| Confirm plans | 〜で合ってる？/ 〜でよろしいですか | Casual / Polite |
| Cancel plans | 急用ができてしまって… | Apologetic |
Making an Invitation
Yuka「今度一緒にご飯食べない？」— 友達への自然な誘い方！
(「今度一緒にご飯食べない？」— a natural way to invite a friend to eat!)
Rei「食べませんか？」も丁寧でいい！
(「食べませんか？」is politely worded too!)
| Level | Expression | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | 〜しない？/ 〜行かない？ | Negative question = invitation in Japanese |
| Neutral | 〜はどう？ | How about…? |
| Polite | 〜しませんか | Wouldn’t you like to…? |
| Formal | 〜いかがでしょうか | How would … be? (very polite) |
Accepting an Invitation
| Expression | Nuance |
|---|---|
| ぜひ！ | Absolutely! (enthusiastic) |
| いいですね！ | That sounds great! |
| 楽しそう！ | That sounds fun! |
| 喜んで。 | With pleasure. (formal/literary) |
| 行く行く！ | I’m totally coming! (very casual) |
Declining Politely
Yuka断るときは「ちょっと…」で十分伝わることも多い。
(When declining, just saying 「ちょっと…」often conveys the message.)
Rei理由を添えると丁寧さが増すね。
(Adding a reason makes it more polite.)
| Expression | Meaning | Directness |
|---|---|---|
| ちょっと… | That’s a bit… (soft decline) | Indirect |
| その日は予定があって… | I have plans that day… | Polite excuse |
| 都合が悪くて… | I have a prior engagement… | Formal excuse |
| また今度お願いします。 | Please ask me again sometime. | Polite close |
| 残念ですが… | Unfortunately… | Formal opener for decline |
Suggesting and Confirming Plans
Yuka「土曜日の3時はどう？」— 時間を提案するシンプルな言い方。
(「土曜日の3時はどう？」— simple way to suggest a time.)
| Situation | Expression |
|---|---|
| Suggesting time | 〜時はどうですか？ |
| Confirming time | 何時にしますか？/ 何時にしよっか？ |
| Meeting place | どこで会う？/ 〜で待ち合わせしましょう |
| Running late | 少し遅れます。すみません。 |
| Cancelling | 急な用事ができてしまいまして… |
Quick Quiz
1. Invite a friend to see a movie (casual): _____
→ 映画行かない？
2. Accept enthusiastically: _____
→ ぜひ！/ 行く行く！
3. Decline politely: _____
→ ちょっと… / その日は都合が悪くて…
Have you used these phrases? Share your experience in the comments! 💬
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