Learn how to attend a Japanese company drinking party (nomikai)
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Intro |
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| Risa: You've been invited to a drinking party at your office. What should you know before you go? こんにちは。りさです. Risa here. Drinking parties are a big part of Japanese company culture. In this lesson, you'll learn what to do. Mark has been invited to a company drinking party after work. Let's watch! |
| Dialogues |
| Yoshi: マークの歓迎会を始めます。皆さん、ビールありますか。 |
| Mark: どうぞ。 |
| Man: あ、どうも。 |
| Yoshi: 乾杯! |
| Mark and others: 乾杯! |
| Risa: Now with English translation. |
| Yoshi: Let's get started the welcoming party for Mark. Everyone, do you have beer? |
| Mark: Here you go. |
| Man: Oh, thank you. |
| Yoshi: Cheers! |
| Mark and others: Cheers! |
| Vocab |
| Risa: Here are the key words and phrases you need. |
| Mark: 始める |
| Risa: 始める |
| Alisha: to start, to begin |
| Risa: 始める, 始める, 始める |
| Mark: 皆さん |
| Risa: 皆さん |
| Alisha: everyone |
| Risa: 皆さん, 皆さん, 皆さん |
| Mark: ビール |
| Risa: ビール |
| Alisha: beer |
| Risa: ビール, ビール, ビール |
| Mark: ある |
| Risa: ある |
| Alisha: to be |
| Risa: ある, ある, ある |
| Mark: 乾杯 |
| Risa: 乾杯 |
| Alisha: Cheers! |
| Risa: 乾杯, 乾杯, 乾杯 |
| Mark: 歓迎会 |
| Risa: 歓迎会 |
| Alisha: welcome party |
| Risa: 歓迎会, 歓迎会, 歓迎会 |
| Mark: どうも |
| Risa: どうも |
| Alisha: Thanks, hi |
| Risa: どうも, どうも, どうも |
| Key Phrases |
| Risa: Here are the key phrases from the scene. |
| Alisha: In the scene, what did Mark say to offer a beer to his co-worker? |
| Mark: どうぞ。 |
| Risa: どうぞ。どうぞ。どうぞ。 |
| Alisha: This phrase literally means "please." It's used any time you are letting someone go ahead of you to mean "after you," or to offer something to someone like in this scene, where it means "here you are." |
| Alisha: Mark was offering beer to his co-worker, so he said |
| Risa: どうぞ。 |
| Alisha: In response, the co-worker held his glass up so Mark could pour beer into it. |
| Alisha: Now you try! Say Mark's line. |
| Yoshi: 皆さん、ビールありますか。 |
| Mark: どうぞ。 |
| Alisha: What did Mark's co-worker say to accept Mark's offer? |
| Co-worker: どうも |
| Risa: どうも。どうも。どうも。 |
| Alisha: In this context, it's used as a casual way to say "Thanks." It can also mean “hi," “hey,” or “Sorry” depending on the context. |
| Alisha: If you just say… |
| Risa: どうも |
| Alisha: …to mean "thanks," that would sound less polite than |
| Risa: ありがとう |
| Alisha: since it’s the short version of |
| Risa: どうもありがとう。 |
| Risa: People sometimes use |
| Alisha: どうも |
| Alisha: rather than |
| Risa: ありがとう |
| Alisha: when they consider |
| Risa: ありがとう |
| Alisha: a little bit too formal for a situation. |
| Alisha: Now you try! Say the co-worker's line. |
| Mark: どうぞ。 |
| Man: あ、どうも。 |
| Alisha: How did Yoshi make a toast? |
| Ben: 乾杯 |
| Risa: 乾杯。乾杯。乾杯。 |
| Alisha: This phrase means "cheers!" It's also a noun to mean “a toast." |
| Alisha: When you say it to means "cheers!" people often extend the word like this- |
| Risa: かんぱーい！ |
| Alisha: Now you try! Say Yoshi's line to make a toast. |
| Yoshi: 乾杯！ |
Lesson focus |
| Risa: Now, the lesson focus. Here's how to act at a company drinking party. |
| Alisha: A Japanese company usually organizes many parties for co-workers to go out and celebrate special events, including a “Year End” party… |
| Risa: 忘年会 |
| Alisha: "New Year’s parties" |
| Risa: 新年会 |
| Alisha: "welcome parties" |
| Risa: 歓迎会 |
| Alisha: and "farewell parties.” |
| Risa: 送別会。 |
| Alisha: Other than these official parties, workers often get together and go out to drink after work. These are called… |
| Risa: 飲み会 |
| Alisha: "drinking parties.” |
| Alisha: Japanese parties usually start with… |
| Risa: 乾杯。 |
| Alisha: You are not supposed to start drinking or eating before this toast. |
| Alisha: Sometimes, before the toast, an executive or director in the company may give a speech. The speech may last a long time, but everyone waits until the toast to start drinking. |
| Alisha: After the toast, you may drink, eat, and talk. In the middle of the party, there might be more toasts. Do you know how to toast those senior to you? |
| Alisha: Showing respect to your seniors is an important virtue in Japan, so, when toasting with seniors, bow and clink your glass at a slightly lower angle than theirs. |
| Alisha: What should you do when you’ve finished your first glass of beer? |
| Alisha: You are not supposed to pour beer for yourself. In Japan, pouring one's own drink is called... |
| Risa: 手酌 |
| Alisha:...and this practice is considered bad manners. Pouring drinks for others at the table is the common and respectful practice. |
| Alisha: When you spot an empty glass, try to refill it. Your co-worker will do the same for you. |
| Alisha: As mentioned, the company drinking parties... |
| Risa: 飲み会 |
| Alisha: …usually start with |
| Risa: 乾杯。 |
| Alisha: There is also a closing moment, which is called, |
| Risa: 締め。 |
| Alisha: At the closing moment there may be a closing speech and a special ritual called |
| Risa: 手締め。 |
| Alisha: This is how to do.. |
| Risa: 一本締め |
| Alisha: which is the most popular style. |
| Alisha: The party organizer calls out… |
| Risa: お手を拝借 |
| Alisha: This literally means “Let me borrow your hands!” It’s the signal to raise your hands and get ready. Then everyone says loudly… |
| Risa: よぉ〜 |
| Alisha: …and claps their hands like this. |
| Alisha: So, you clap your hands ten times in total. Then, when the organizer says, |
| Risa: ありがとうございました |
| Alisha: everyone starts applauding and the party is finished. |
| Alisha: There are two more closing styles as well. Sometimes you’ll see... |
| Risa: 三本締め |
| Alisha: and |
| Risa: 一丁締め... |
| Alisha: or |
| Risa: 関東一本締め |
| Alisha: For |
| Risa: 三本締め, |
| Alisha: you repeat the |
| Risa: 一本締め |
| Alisha: three times. So you need to clap your hands thirty times in total. |
| Alisha: On the other hand, |
| Risa: 一丁締め |
| Alisha: …or… |
| Risa: 関東一本締め |
| Alisha: is a simplified version. So, when the organizer calls out, |
| Risa: お手を拝借 |
| Alisha: everyone says |
| Risa: よぉ〜 |
| Alisha: and claps only once. |
| Alisha: This style is commonly used in Tokyo and its neighboring prefectures. |
| Practice |
| Risa: Now it's time to practice your new ability. |
| Alisha: You're attending a company party for the first time in Tokyo. Ready? Here we go. |
| Alisha: The party is about to start, and you see that the person next to you doesn't have any beer. What should you say as you offer some to him? |
| Risa: どうぞ。 |
| Alisha: Everyone has beer now, and they're raising their glasses. What phrase should you all yell at the same time? |
| Risa: 乾杯！ |
| Alisha: Great job! |
| Risa: どうぞ。 |
| Risa: 乾杯！ |
Outro |
| Risa: よくできました！ Now, watch the scene one more time. After that, you're ready to participate in this important part of company culture. じゃまたね！ |
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