Let's dive deeper into how to use the Japanese word たべもの (tabemono), which means "food." It's a fundamental word, and understanding its usage will open up many everyday conversation possibilities.
§ Basic Sentence Structure with たべもの
たべもの is a noun. This means it can function as the subject or object of a sentence. When you want to say "This is food," you'd use the particle は (wa) to mark it as the topic, and です (desu) to conclude the sentence politely.
これはたべものです。
- Translation Hint
- This is food.
Similarly, if you want to ask "Is this food?", you just add the question particle か (ka) at the end.
これはたべものですか。
- Translation Hint
- Is this food?
§ Expressing Preferences with たべもの
When you want to say you like or dislike food, you'll use the particle が (ga) to mark たべもの as the object of your liking or disliking, followed by adjectives like すき (suki - like) or きらい (kirai - dislike).
たべものがすきです。
- Translation Hint
- I like food. (Literally: Food is liked.)
たべものがきらいです。
- Translation Hint
- I dislike food. (Literally: Food is disliked.)
§ Talking About Having Food
When you want to talk about having or eating food, you'll typically use the verb たべます (tabemasu - to eat). In this case, たべもの acts as the direct object, marked by the particle を (o).
たべものをたべます。
- Translation Hint
- I eat food.
You can also specify what kind of food you're eating by placing other nouns before たべもの. For example, if you want to say "Japanese food," you'd combine 日本 (Nihon - Japan) with の (no - possessive particle) and たべもの.
- 日本 (Nihon - Japan)
- の (no - particle indicating possession or modification)
- たべもの (tabemono - food)
にほんのたべものをたべます。
- Translation Hint
- I eat Japanese food.
§ Asking About Food
You can also use たべもの when asking questions about food. For example, to ask "What kind of food?" you'd use どんな (donna - what kind of) before たべもの.
どんなたべものがすきですか。
- Translation Hint
- What kind of food do you like?
Practice these simple sentence structures, and you'll be able to talk about food in Japanese in no time. Keep an eye out for how different particles change the meaning and role of たべもの in a sentence.
§ たべもの: Definition and Usage
The word たべもの (tabemono) is a fundamental noun in Japanese. It means 'food'. You will encounter this word constantly in daily life, so it's important to understand how it's used.
- Japanese Word
- たべもの (tabemono)
- CEFR Level
- A1
- Definition
- Food
§ How たべもの is used in daily conversations
You'll hear たべもの everywhere, from talking about what's for dinner to discussing groceries. It's a general term for anything edible.
これはおいしいたべものです。
This is delicious food.
たべものをかいに行きましょう。
Let's go buy food.
§ たべもの at work
Even in a work setting, you might hear たべもの when discussing lunch breaks, company events, or even food-related business. While more formal terms might be used in official documents, in casual office talk, たべもの is common.
- Discussing lunch: 「おひるのたべものはどうしますか？」 (Ohiru no tabemono wa dou shimasu ka?) - What about lunch? (Literally: What will we do about the noon food?)
- Company events: 「パーティーのたべものをじゅんびしましょう。」 (Paatī no tabemono o junbi shimashou.) - Let's prepare the food for the party.
- Food safety discussions (less common but possible): 「このたべものはあんぜんですか？」 (Kono tabemono wa anzen desu ka?) - Is this food safe?
§ たべもの at school
At school, students and teachers will use たべもの frequently. This could be about school lunches, snacks, or even in lessons related to health and nutrition.
- Lunchtime: 「きょうのきゅうしょくのたべものはなに？」 (Kyou no kyuushoku no tabemono wa nani?) - What's the school lunch today?
- Bringing snacks: 「がっこうにたべものをもってきていいですか？」 (Gakkou ni tabemono o motte kite ii desu ka?) - Can I bring food to school?
- Health class: 「からだによいたべものをたべましょう。」 (Karada ni yoi tabemono o tabemashou.) - Let's eat food that's good for our bodies.
たくさんのたべものがありますね。
There is a lot of food, isn't there?
§ たべもの in the news
News reports, especially those related to daily life, economy, or health, will often use たべもの. This could be about food prices, food safety, new food products, or even disaster relief efforts.
- Food prices: 「さいきん、たべもののねだんがあがっています。」 (Saikin, tabemono no nedan ga agatte imasu.) - Recently, food prices have gone up.
- Food safety: 「このたべものにたいするあたらしいきせい。」 (Kono tabemono ni taisuru atarashii kisei.) - New regulations regarding this food.
- Food shortages: 「ちいきによってはたべものがたりません。」 (Chiiki ni yotte wa tabemono ga tarimasen.) - In some regions, there isn't enough food.
Wusstest du?
Many Japanese nouns are formed by combining a verb stem with 物 (mono) to indicate something related to that verb, like 飲み物 (nomimono, 'drink', from 飲む (nomu, 'to drink') + 物 (mono)).
Beispiele nach Niveau
私は日本のたべものが大好きです。
I love Japanese food.
好き (suki) is an adjective, so it uses 'が' (ga) to mark the object of liking.
このレストランのたべものはとても美味しいです。
The food at this restaurant is very delicious.
美味しい (oishii) is an い-adjective.
健康のために、バランスの取れたたべものを食べるようにしています。
For my health, I try to eat balanced food.
〜ようにしています (yō ni shite imasu) means 'I try to ~'.
旅行中は、その土地ならではのたべものを試すのが楽しいです。
When traveling, it's fun to try the local food unique to that place.
〜ならでは (naradeha) means 'unique to ~' or 'characteristic of ~'.
彼はたべものの好みがとてもうるさいです。
He is very picky about food.
好みがうるさい (konomi ga urusai) is a common expression meaning 'to be picky about tastes'.
子どもたちは、おやつに甘いたべものが好きです。
Children like sweet foods for snacks.
おやつ (oyatsu) means 'snack'.
このたべものはアレルギーを引き起こす可能性があります。
This food might cause allergies.
〜可能性があります (kanōsei ga arimasu) means 'there is a possibility of ~'.
災害時には、保存できるたべものを備蓄しておくことが重要です。
In times of disaster, it's important to stock up on food that can be preserved.
備蓄 (bichiku) means 'stockpile' or 'reserve'.
これは私が今までで一番美味しいと感銘を受けた食べ物です。
This is the most delicious food I have ever been impressed by.
A complex sentence using relative clauses and the particle 「と」 to express impression.
その食べ物は、単なる栄養摂取の手段ではなく、文化そのものを体現していました。
That food embodied not just a means of nutrition, but culture itself.
Uses 「〜ではなく〜」 (not A but B) and 「〜そのもの」 (X itself).
食料品店で売られている食べ物は、しばしばその地域の歴史や風土を反映しています。
Food sold at grocery stores often reflects the history and climate of that region.
Uses the passive voice 「売られている」 and the structure 「〜を反映しています」 (reflects X).
世界の食料問題は、単に生産量の問題ではなく、分配の不均衡に根差しています。
The world's food problem is not just a problem of production volume, but is rooted in distribution imbalance.
Uses 「〜に根差しています」 (is rooted in X) and 「〜ではなく」 (not A but B).
その伝統的な食べ物は、世代を超えて受け継がれてきた知恵の結晶です。
That traditional food is the crystallization of wisdom passed down through generations.
Uses 「〜を超えて」 (exceeding/beyond X) and 「〜の結晶」 (crystallization of X).
現代社会において、手軽に手に入る加工食品は、食生活を大きく変えました。
In modern society, readily available processed food has greatly changed dietary habits.
Uses 「手軽に手に入る」 (readily available) and 「〜を大きく変えました」 (greatly changed X).
彼らは、食べ物の美味しさを追求するだけでなく、その背景にある物語も大切にしています。
They not only pursue the deliciousness of food, but also value the stories behind it.
Uses 「〜だけでなく〜も」 (not only A but also B) and 「〜を大切にする」 (to value X).
食べ物は、人と人をつなぐコミュニケーションのツールとしても機能します。
Food also functions as a tool for communication that connects people.
Uses 「〜としても機能する」 (functions as X as well) and a relative clause to describe the tool.
Wortherkunft
From the verb 食べる (taberu, 'to eat') + 物 (mono, 'thing').
Ursprüngliche Bedeutung: Things to eat
JaponicKultureller Kontext
Japanese food culture is deeply intertwined with seasonality and presentation. The concept of 'umami' (a savory taste) is fundamental to Japanese cuisine, and meals often emphasize fresh, local ingredients. Eating together is a significant social activity.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenThe word for 'food' in Japanese is たべもの (tabemono).
Yes, たべもの (tabemono) is a general term and can be used to refer to any type of food, from a simple snack to a full meal.
Absolutely, たべもの (tabemono) is a very common and essential word to know in Japanese. You'll hear it and use it often.
While both relate to food, たべもの (tabemono) is a more general term for 'food' as something you eat. しょくひん (shokuhin) often refers to 'food products' or 'groceries'—items you might buy at a store. Think of たべもの as 'food' and しょくひん as 'foodstuffs'.
While it's often written in Hiragana as たべもの, the Kanji for たべもの is 食べ物. The first character, 食 (tabe), means 'eat', and 物 (mono) means 'thing'.
Typically, たべもの (tabemono) is used for human food. For animal food, you would usually say えさ (esa), which means 'feed' or 'bait'.
Yes, a common phrase is たべものがすきです (tabemono ga suki desu), which means 'I like food'. Another is おいしいたべもの (oishii tabemono), meaning 'delicious food'.
たべもの (tabemono) is a neutral word and can be used in most situations, both casual and polite. It doesn't have any inherent strong politeness level on its own.
It's pronounced tah-beh-moh-noh. The stress is relatively even across the syllables, but pay attention to the short vowel sounds.
While たべもの (tabemono) is already quite concise, in very casual situations, especially with close friends, you might hear people simply say たべ (tabe) as a shortened form, but this is less common and should be used with caution.
Teste dich selbst 42 Fragen
これは何の___ですか。 (Kore wa nan no ___ desu ka?) What kind of ___ is this?
The question asks 'What kind of... is this?', and the options provide different categories. 'たべもの' (food) fits the context of 'what kind of' best, leading to 'What kind of food is this?'
私は日本の___が好きです。 (Watashi wa Nihon no ___ ga suki desu.) I like Japanese ___.
The sentence expresses a preference for something Japanese. 'たべもの' (food) is a common thing to like from a country, making 'I like Japanese food' a natural fit.
あなたはどんな___をよく食べますか。(Anata wa donna ___ o yoku tabemasu ka?) What kind of ___ do you often eat?
The verb '食べます' (tabemasu - to eat) directly relates to 'たべもの' (food). The question is asking about what kind of food someone often eats.
これはおいしい___ですね。 (Kore wa oishii ___ desu ne.) This is delicious ___ isn't it?
'おいしい' (oishii - delicious) is an adjective typically used to describe 'たべもの' (food). The sentence is complimenting the taste of something.
夕食に___を作ります。 (Yuushoku ni ___ o tsukurimasu.) I will make ___ for dinner.
When making something for '夕食' (yuushoku - dinner), it's most logical to be making 'たべもの' (food).
たくさんの___があります。(Takusan no ___ ga arimasu.) There is a lot of ___.
While other options could grammatically fit, 'たくさんのたべもの' (a lot of food) is a common and natural phrase in this context, implying an abundance of food.
Write 'food' in Hiragana.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
たべもの
You want to say 'I eat food.' How would you write 'food' in this sentence using Hiragana?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
わたしは たべもの を たべます。
Write the Hiragana for 'food is delicious'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
たべもの は おいしい です。
What is being referred to as 'food'?
Read this passage:
これは たべもの です。
What is being referred to as 'food'?
これは (kore wa) means 'this is'.
これは (kore wa) means 'this is'.
What does this sentence mean?
Read this passage:
たべもの が あります。
What does this sentence mean?
あります (arimasu) means 'there is' (for inanimate objects).
あります (arimasu) means 'there is' (for inanimate objects).
What kind of food is it?
Read this passage:
おいしい たべもの。
What kind of food is it?
おいしい (oishii) means 'delicious'.
おいしい (oishii) means 'delicious'.
レストランで、おいしい___を食べました。
The sentence is about eating something delicious at a restaurant. 'たべもの' (food) fits the context perfectly.
きらいな___は、ぜんぜん食べたくないです。
The sentence indicates not wanting to eat something disliked. 'たべもの' (food) is the appropriate word here.
このスーパーには、たくさんの___があります。
A supermarket usually has a lot of 'たべもの' (food).
にほんの___は、とてもおいしいです。
Japanese 'たべもの' (food) is often praised for being delicious.
あさごはんの___を準備します。
You prepare 'たべもの' (food) for breakfast.
健康のために、いつもいい___を選びます。
To stay healthy, one chooses good 'たべもの' (food).
Is this food?
I like food.
That food is delicious.
Read this aloud:
たべものはどこですか。
Focus: たべもの (tabemono) - Pay attention to the 'mo' sound.
Du hast gesagt:
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Read this aloud:
このたべものはあたたかいです。
Focus: あたたかい (atatakai) - Focus on the 'ta' and 'ka' sounds.
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
どんなたべものが食べたいですか。
Focus: どんな (donna) - Emphasize the 'don' sound.
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence means 'I like food.' The typical Japanese sentence structure is Subject-Object-Verb. '私は' (watashi wa) is 'I', '食べ物が' (tabemono ga) is 'food' (with the object particle 'が'), and '好きです' (suki desu) is 'like'.
This sentence means 'This food is delicious.' 'この' (kono) means 'this', '食べ物は' (tabemono wa) is 'food' (with the topic particle 'は'), and '美味しいです' (oishii desu) means 'is delicious'.
This sentence means 'What kind of food do you want to eat?' 'どんな' (donna) means 'what kind of', '食べ物が' (tabemono ga) is 'food' (with the object particle 'が'), and '食べたいですか' (tabetai desu ka) is 'do you want to eat?'.
What kind of food was eaten yesterday?
What is always fresh at this restaurant?
What kind of food should you eat for your health?
Read this aloud:
日本のたべもので一番好きなものは何ですか？
Focus: たべもの (tabemono)
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
最近、何か新しいたべものを試しましたか？
Focus: 新しい (atarashii), 試しました (tameshimashita)
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
私は辛いものより甘いたべものが好きです。
Focus: 辛い (karai), 甘い (amai)
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
What is the best experience during international travel according to the speaker?
What kind of food does this restaurant offer, and how popular is it?
What is essential to stock up on in case of a disaster?
Read this aloud:
日本のたべものは、見た目も美しく、味も繊細で、世界中で愛されています。
Focus: たべもの
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
アレルギーがあるため、たべものを注文する際は成分をよく確認します。
Focus: たべもの
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
将来、自分だけのカフェを開いて、手作りのたべものを提供したいと思っています。
Focus: たべもの
Du hast gesagt:
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/ 42 correct
Perfect score!
Beispiel
これは日本の食べ物です。
Verwandte Inhalte
Dieses Wort in anderen Sprachen
Mehr food Wörter
少々
B1A little; a few.
〜ほど
B1About; approximately; degree.
~ほど
B1About, approximately; to the extent of ~.
豊富な
B1Abundant, rich in.
ふんだんに
B1Lavishly; abundantly; generously (e.g., using ingredients).
足す
B1To add (e.g., to a sum, to ingredients).
添加物
B1Additive.
〜てから
B1After doing ~.
~てから
B1After doing (an action).
熟成させる
B1To age; to mature (food).
