Translation guide
In Japanese, the word for 'dinner' depends on the time of day, formality, and context. The most common and neutral term is 夕食 (ゆうしょく), but 晩ご飯 (ばんごはん) is very common in casual speech. There are also words for formal dining, eating out, and specific meal types.
The standard word for the evening meal, suitable for most situations.
Neutral and polite term for dinner. Used in both spoken and written Japanese.
What time do you eat dinner?
Casual, everyday word for dinner. Very common in conversation.
Less common variant of 晩ご飯, used in some regions or by younger speakers.
Is dinner ready yet?
A formal evening meal, often with guests or at a restaurant.
A dinner party or formal dinner gathering.
Referring to the act of going out for dinner or having a special dinner.
To go out for dinner.
Referring to the time when dinner is eaten.
夕食 (ゆうしょく) is more formal and often used in writing or polite speech. 晩ご飯 (ばんごはん) is casual and common in everyday conversation. Both refer to the evening meal.
ディナー implies a formal or restaurant meal. Using it for a casual home dinner sounds unnatural.
I'll help prepare dinner.
晩ご飯はカレーにしよう。
Let's have curry for dinner.
There's a company dinner party tonight.
Loanword from English, often used for Western-style formal dinners or restaurant meals.
I made a dinner reservation.
Shall we go out for dinner tonight?
To eat out (not necessarily dinner, but often used for evening meals).
Let's eat out for a change.
It's dinner time.