Translation guide
Describes coffee, tea, or other products from which caffeine has been removed. In Japanese, the most common way to express this is with the katakana loanword カフェインレス, but other expressions exist depending on context.
decaffeinated coffee
The speaker wants to say that a drink or food item has had its caffeine removed, or to request such a product.
The most common and natural way to say 'decaffeinated' in Japanese. Used for coffee, tea, and other products. Often seen on menus and packaging.
Decaffeinated coffee, please.
Is this tea decaffeinated?
Short for 'decaf', commonly used in casual settings, especially in cafes. More common for coffee than tea.
A decaf latte, please.
Literally 'caffeine removed'. Used in everyday speech, but slightly less common than カフェインレス. Can be used for various products.
Do you have decaffeinated coffee?
Means 'caffeine-free'. Sometimes used interchangeably with カフェインレス, but can imply naturally caffeine-free rather than decaffeinated. Seen on some products.
I'm looking for caffeine-free tea.
カフェインレス is the standard term and works in most situations. デカフェ is a casual abbreviation, common in coffee shops. カフェイン抜き is a more literal Japanese phrase, also widely understood. All three are acceptable, but カフェインレス is the safest choice.