Looking up...
ごちそうさまでした!
Thank you for the meal!
A polite phrase used to express gratitude after a meal, literally meaning 'it was a feast'.
ごちそうさまでした!また来ますね。
Thank you for the meal! I'll come again.
友達の家でごちそうさまでした。
I had a meal at a friend's house and thanked them.
This phrase is commonly used in Japan to show appreciation for a meal, whether at a restaurant or someone's home. It is more formal than 'ありがとう' (thank you) and is specific to mealtime.
In Japan, expressing gratitude before and after meals is important. 'いただきます' is said before eating, and 'ごちそうさまでした' is said after.
Use 'ごちそうさまでした' only after finishing a meal, not during or before.
Derived from 'ごちそう' (feast) + 'さまでした' (it was), forming a polite expression of gratitude for a meal.
This phrase is used after finishing a meal, not before. It is a formal way to thank the host or chef. In casual settings, 'ごちそうさまでした' is still appropriate, but 'いただきます' is used before eating.