招待する

§ What does 招待する mean?

The Japanese verb 招待する (しょうたいする, shoutai suru) means 'to invite'. It's a common and straightforward verb that you'll use frequently when talking about social events, gatherings, or even formal invitations. It’s a versatile word that covers inviting someone to a party, a dinner, a wedding, or even just to your house for a casual visit.

Japanese Word

招待する (しょうたいする)

Pronunciation

shoutai suru

Meaning

To invite

CEFR Level

A2

§ When do people use 招待する?

You use 招待する when you are the one doing the inviting. It’s about extending an invitation to someone. Think of it as the action of sending out an invite or asking someone to come.

Here are some common situations where you'd use 招待する:

• Inviting friends to a party.
• Inviting family to dinner.
• Inviting someone to a wedding or other formal event.
• Inviting someone to your home.
• Inviting a speaker to an event.

Hint

I invite my friends to a party.

Hint

He invited me to dinner.

When you use 招待する, the person being invited is often marked with the particle を (o) if they are the direct object of the invitation. However, you can also use に (ni) to indicate the person to whom the invitation is extended, especially when focusing on the destination or the recipient. For example, you could say 友達をパーティーに招待する (tomodachi o paatii ni shoutai suru - I invite my friends to a party) or 友達にパーティーへの招待状を送る (tomodachi ni paatii e no shoutaijou o okuru - I send an invitation to my friends for a party), though the latter focuses on sending the invitation rather than the act of inviting itself. For the verb 招待する, を is more common for the person invited, while に would be used for the place or event.

Hint

She invited him to her house.

It's important to differentiate 招待する from other verbs that might seem similar but have different nuances. For instance, 誘う (さそう, sasou) also means 'to invite' or 'to ask out,' but it often implies a more casual invitation or an encouragement to join. 招待する, on the other hand, usually refers to a more formal or deliberate act of inviting, often for an event or to a specific location. While you might 誘う a friend to grab coffee, you would 招待する them to your wedding.

Understanding the particle usage is key here. The direct object of your invitation (the person) is usually marked with を. The place or event you are inviting them to is often marked with に. For example, 友達を誕生日パーティーに招待する (tomodachi o tanjoubi paatii ni shoutai suru - I invite my friends to a birthday party).

In more formal contexts, such as business or official invitations, 招待する is always the word to use. You'll see it in invitations for conferences, ceremonies, and other organized events.

• 会議に専門家を招待する。 (Kaigi ni senmonka o shoutai suru. - We invite experts to the conference.)
• 式典に多くの来賓を招待しました。 (Shikiten ni ooku no raihin o shoutai shimashita. - We invited many guests to the ceremony.)

§ Basic Meaning of 招待する

Japanese Word

招待する (しょたいする・shoutai suru)

Definition

To invite

CEFR Level

A2

You've probably heard this word before if you've studied Japanese for a bit. 招待する (shoutai suru) means 'to invite.' It's a fundamental verb that you'll use often, especially when talking about social events or gatherings. Think of it as a direct equivalent to 'invite' in English.

§ How to use 招待する in sentences

Using 招待する is pretty straightforward. You usually use the particle を (o) to mark the person or people you are inviting, and then the place or event with the particle に (ni). Let's look at some examples.

I will invite my friends to my birthday party.

I want to invite her to dinner.

§ Where you actually hear this word — work, school, news

You'll encounter 招待する in many real-world situations. It's not just for casual invitations; it's used in more formal contexts too.

• At Work: When you're inviting colleagues to a meeting, a company event, or a business dinner.
• At School: Inviting friends to a study group, a school festival, or a club event.
• In News/Official Announcements: You might hear it when discussing invitations to official ceremonies, public events, or international conferences.

Let's dive into some specific scenarios:

§ Business and Formal Settings

In a business environment, 招待する is essential. For example, if your company is holding an event, you would use this verb. Here's how it might come up:

We invited the clients to the exhibition.

I plan to invite the president to next week's meeting.

§ Social Gatherings and Events

This is where you'll use 招待する most frequently in your daily life. Any time you invite someone to a party, dinner, or just to your house, this is the word.

I will invite my friends to my house on the weekend.

I invited many people to the party.

§ News and Public Announcements

You'll also see 招待する in news reports or official statements, particularly when leaders or important figures are invited to events.

The Prime Minister was invited to the international conference.

He was invited as a special guest to the awards ceremony.

By now, you should have a solid understanding of 招待する. It's a versatile word that's used across many different situations, from casual invitations to formal events. Keep practicing with it, and you'll be using it naturally in no time.

§ Don't confuse it with inviting *to do something*

Many English speakers learn "invite" early on and often try to use 招待する for every situation where they'd use "invite" in English. However, 招待する specifically means to invite someone to a place or an event. It implies a sense of hospitality. If you're inviting someone to *do* an activity with you, like go for a walk or grab coffee, you'll usually use different verbs or phrases.

Hint

Would you like to go see a movie?

Here, you're inviting them to *do* an activity (watch a movie), not inviting them to a specific event or place that you're hosting. Using 映画に招待しませんか would sound very unnatural, almost like you're hosting a movie screening at your home or a special event at a cinema.

Hint

Shall we eat together?

Again, this is an invitation to *do* something (eat a meal together), not an invitation to a meal you are hosting at your house, for example. If you were hosting a dinner party, then 招待する would be appropriate.

§ Using it for non-physical invitations

You wouldn't use 招待する for abstract invitations, like inviting questions or inviting criticism. This is a common pitfall for English speakers. In Japanese, you'd use completely different phrasing.

Hint

Are there any questions?

This is the natural way to invite questions. You wouldn't say 質問を招待します (shitsumon o shoutai shimasu) as it would sound like you're inviting actual questions to attend a party!

§ Overusing the particle に (ni) with 招待する

While に is a common particle for destination, with 招待する, the place or event being invited to is usually marked with the particle へ (e) or with no particle at all, especially in more casual speech. Using に can sometimes sound a bit stiff or formal, or even slightly off depending on the nuance.

Hint

I was invited to the party.

Hint

I was invited to their house.

In the second example, no particle is used for 家 (uchi, house), which is very common in casual speech.

§ Forgetting the honorifics

When you're being invited or inviting someone, especially in a formal context or to someone of higher status, you need to be mindful of honorific language (keigo). While 招待する itself is a neutral verb, how you use it in a sentence will reflect politeness.

• If someone invites you:

  部長に食事にお招きいただきました。

  Hint

  The department manager invited me to dinner. (Using the honorific verb 招く (maneku) and the humble auxiliary verb いただく (itadaku))

• If you invite someone of higher status:

  先生をお招きしたいのですが。

  Hint

  I'd like to invite the teacher. (Using the honorific form お招きする (o-maneki suru))

Always consider the social context when using 招待する and adjust your politeness level accordingly. Ignoring honorifics can lead to awkward or even offensive interactions in Japanese.