EP 11: Inviting Someone to Do something in Japanese

How to Make plans with someone in Japanese

Have you ever thought of inviting someone to do something? Today I would like to go over some scenarios of making plans in Japanese.

Find out His/her Availability

First you need to know if the person is available before you ask him/her out.

Just a general tip: It’s always good to be specific when you ask someone out. Don’t be vague if you want the person to answer you seriously.

明日は暇ですか？/ Ashita wa Hima desu ka?

Are you free tomorrow? / Do you have any free time tomorrow?

Ashita (あした）= tomorrow

Hima　（暇） = Free time

今晩の予定はありますか？ / Konban no yotei wa arimasu ka?

Do you have any plans tonight?

Konban (こんばん）= tonight

Yotei　（予定い） = Plan / Schedule

Arimasu = to have

You can also be more specific and ask what his/her plans are. In this case you can expect a more specific response and based on his/her response you can decide if the person is free or not.

今日の予定はなんですか？ / Kyō no yotei wa nandesu ka?

What’s your plan for today?

Another word with similar meaning is “Keikaku” (計画). It also means “Plan”. So you can use it in place of yotei if you would like.

今日の計画はなんですか / Kyō no keikaku wa nandesu ka

What are your plans for today?

Making an Offer / Suggestion / Inviting Someone

Now that you know he/she is available, we can make an offer or suggest something. Of course the person may still turn you down, but at least they can’t use ‘not having time’ as an excuse with you - lol.

一緒に食べましょう / Issho ni Tabemasho

Let’s Eat Together

夕食を取ろう / Yūshoku o torou

Let's have dinner

夕食に招待したい / Yūshoku ni shōtai shitai

I would like to invite you for dinner

Shotai (招待) - Invite

今夜はお寿司を食べよう / Let’s have sushi tonight

Kon'ya wa o sushi o tabeyou

私と一緒にランチをしませんか？ / Watashi toisshoni ranchi o shimasen ka?

Would you like to have lunch with me? 

と一緒に / To issho ni = Along with / Together with

一緒に夕食を食べたいです /. Issho ni yūshoku o tabetaidesu

I would love to have dinner with you

コーヒーを飲みに会いたいですか / Kōhī o nomini aitaidesu ka

Would you like to meet for coffee.

あいたい / Aitai = want to meet

一緒に食べにいきますか / Issho ni tabe ni ikimasu ka

Would you like to go and eat together？ / Would you like to eat with me?

Nomi ni ikimasu ka? / 飲みにいきますか

Would you like to go for a drink with me?

Koen ni ikimasen ka? / 公園に行きませんか？

Would you like to go to the park?

Koen ni Ikou!　/ こえんにいこう！

Lets go to the park

Casual Suggestion

If you want to be casual you can simply use the phrase …でもどう (demo dō) to mean “How about doing …” as a way to ask someone out. Just say the activity you’d like to do at the beginning of this phrase. For example:

食事でもどう？ shokuji demo dō? – How about getting some food?
夕食でもどう？ yuushoku demo dō? – How about getting dinner?
映画でもどう？ eiga demo dō? – How about watching a movie?
買い物でもどう？ kaimono demo dō? – How about some shopping?

Hope this helps! See you later :)