Drinking out
Collocations, Stage 3chunk 5 of 23Food & drink
A night out drinking: the invitation, asking about smoking, and whether you can hold your drink.
- nomi ni ikugo out for drinks
- tabako o suusmoke (a cigarette)
- osake ga yowaican't hold one's drink
- osake ga tsuyoican hold one's drink
Mix-ups nomi ni iku is the drinking version of gohan ni iku, and nomi means alcohol without saying osake. osake ga tsuyoi and osake ga yowai describe the drinker, while kono osake tsuyoi means the drink is strong. Tobacco takes suu, not nomu.
nomi ni iku
polite nomi ni ikimasugo out for drinks
飲みに行く のみにいく 飲みに行きます
verbiku 行くgo; with a verb stem or activity noun + ni, go (out) to do it (tabe ni iku, kaimono ni iku)
The standard invitation and plan for a night out: kondo nomi ni ikou (let's go for a drink sometime), kyou nomi ni ikanai? Bare nomi already means alcohol. Naming the drink is fine too (osake nomi ni iku, koohii nomi ni iku), and a café break is ocha shi ni iku. Casual speech sometimes drops ni (nomi iku).
kondo, issho ni nomi ni ikou yo.
Let's go for a drink together sometime.
今度、一緒に飲みに行こうよ。
kondo, issho ni nomi ni ikimashou.
Let's go for a drink together sometime.
今度、一緒に飲みに行きましょう。
A drinking party with colleagues or a club is a nomikai, and moving on to a second place afterwards is the nijikai (second round).
Same verb: kaimono (shopping), asobi (hanging out), gohan (a meal), tsuri (fishing)Learn alongside: gohan o taberu, gohan o tsukuru, gohan ga dekiru, gohan ga sameru, gohan ni ikuMain list: nomu (Stage 2), iku (Stage 1), -ni iku / -ni kuru (Stage 4), kondo (Stage 3), issho ni (Stage 3), -ou / -you (Stage 4), -nai? (Stage 4)
tabako o suu
polite tabako o suimasusmoke (a cigarette)
タバコを吸う タバコをすう タバコを吸います
verbsuu 吸うbreathe in, suck in (air, smoke)typical 46% of tabako
trap Dictionaries give kitsuen suru for 'smoke', but that is the word on signs and forms (kitsuenjo, kin'en); in speech you inhale the tobacco: tabako (o) suu. kemuri names only the smoke itself.
Used to ask about smoking and to say whether you smoke: tabako suu? (do you smoke?), sutte mo ii? (mind if I smoke?). Casual speech drops o.
tabako sutte mo ii?
Mind if I smoke?
タバコ吸ってもいい？
tabako o sutte mo ii desu ka?
Do you mind if I smoke?
タバコを吸ってもいいですか？
Restaurants ask kitsuen seki ka kin'en seki (smoking or non-smoking seat?); kin'en on a sign means no smoking. tabako o nomu is dated (older speakers); don't use it.
Same verb: iki (breath), kuuki (air)Learn alongside: tabako o yameru (Stage 4)Main list: nomu (Stage 2)
osake ga yowai
polite osake ga yowai desucan't hold one's drink
お酒が弱い おさけがよわい お酒が弱いです
adjectiveyowai 弱いweak, having little strength or tolerance
trap English has no set phrase here, so learners fall back on amari nomenai (fine, but blunt). Japanese says the drinker is weak: osake ga yowai (or osake ni yowai). Careful: kono osake tsuyoi is about the drink (high proof), not the drinker.
Said about yourself to turn down drinks gently (osake yowai n desu) or about someone who gets drunk fast. Casual speech drops ga.
osake yowai kara, ippai dake ni shitoku.
I'm a lightweight, so I'll just have one.
お酒弱いから、一杯だけにしとく。
osake yowai n de, ippai dake ni shitokimasu.
I'm not much of a drinker, so I'll just have the one.
お酒弱いんで、一杯だけにしときます。
osake ni yowai is equally fine; osake ga tsuyoi is the opposite. With conditions only ni works: samusa ni yowai (can't take the cold), atsusa ni yowai (can't take the heat), norimono ni yowai (get travel-sick); samusa ga yowai would mean the cold is mild.
Same adjective: asa (mornings: asa ga yowai, not a morning person), i (stomach: i ga yowai, a delicate stomach), karada (health: karada ga yowai, sickly)Learn alongside: osake ga tsuyoi, atsusa ni yowai (Stage 4)Main list: nomu (Stage 2), nigate (Stage 2)
osake ga tsuyoi
polite osake ga tsuyoi desucan hold one's drink
お酒が強い おさけがつよい お酒が強いです
adjectivetsuyoi 強いstrong; with something you take or face, able to handle it
Said about people at drinking parties, often as surprised praise: osake tsuyoi ne! (you can really drink!), or as a question, osake tsuyoi n desu ka? Casual speech drops ga, and osake ni tsuyoi is equally common.
osake tsuyoi ne. zenzen kao ni denai.
You can really drink. It doesn't even show on your face.
お酒強いね。全然顔に出ない。
osake ga tsuyoi desu ne. zenzen kao ni demasen ne.
You can really drink. It doesn't show on your face at all.
お酒が強いですね。全然顔に出ませんね。
osake ga yowai is the opposite. With the drink as the subject, kono osake tsuyoi means the drink is high-proof. Someone who never seems to get drunk is jokingly called a zaru (a sieve).
Same adjective: kikai (machines: kikai ni tsuyoi, good with tech), samusa (the cold: samusa ni tsuyoi), puresshaa (pressure: puresshaa ni tsuyoi)Learn alongside: osake ga yowai, atsusa ni yowai (Stage 4)Main list: nomu (Stage 2), zenzen (Stage 4)