Meaning
To consume fish.
Cultural Background
Fish is often served whole (with head and tail) in traditional meals to symbolize completion and good luck. The fish market culture is central to Tokyo, where the freshness of the fish eaten is a point of local pride. Historically, 'Shojin Ryori' (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine) avoided fish, but modern Japanese culture has integrated fish into almost every other meal type. Japanese people often cite 'eating fish' as the reason for their long life expectancy and low rates of heart disease.
Drop the 'o' in casual talk
When talking to friends, you can just say 'Sakana taberu?' to sound more natural.
Say 'Itadakimasu'
Always say 'Itadakimasu' before you eat fish to show respect for the life taken.
Meaning
To consume fish.
Drop the 'o' in casual talk
When talking to friends, you can just say 'Sakana taberu?' to sound more natural.
Say 'Itadakimasu'
Always say 'Itadakimasu' before you eat fish to show respect for the life taken.
Watch the bones
Japanese fish is often served with bones. Be careful when eating!
Test Yourself
Fill in the missing particle.
{魚|さかな} ___ {食|た}べます。
The particle 'を' is used to mark the direct object of the verb.
Which sentence means 'I want to eat fish'?
Select the correct desire form.
The '-tai' ending expresses the speaker's desire.
Complete the dialogue.
A: {何|なに}を{食|た}べますか？ B: {今日|きょう}は ___ 。
Since the question asks what you will 'eat' (tabemasu), the answer should also use 'tabemasu'.
Match the phrase to the situation: 'You are at a sushi restaurant and want to order.'
Which phrase fits best?
Expressing desire is the most natural way to start an order or express a preference.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercises{魚|さかな} ___ {食|た}べます。
The particle 'を' is used to mark the direct object of the verb.
Select the correct desire form.
The '-tai' ending expresses the speaker's desire.
A: {何|なに}を{食|た}べますか？ B: {今日|きょう}は ___ 。
Since the question asks what you will 'eat' (tabemasu), the answer should also use 'tabemasu'.
Which phrase fits best?
Expressing desire is the most natural way to start an order or express a preference.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, 'sakana' refers to fish as a category, whether raw, cooked, or still in the ocean (though 'uo' exists for the latter).
Yes, '{寿司|すし}を{食|た}べる' is perfectly correct.
'Sakana' specifically means fish. 'Kaisen' or 'Seafood' includes shellfish, shrimp, etc.
You can say '{魚|さかな}を{食|た}べるのは{好|す}きではありません' or more simply '{魚|さかな}は{苦手|にがて}です'.
It marks the direct object. The fish is the thing receiving the action of eating.
It is very informal and masculine. Avoid it in polite or professional settings.
Many do, especially for breakfast or lunch, though meat consumption has increased in recent decades.
The polite version is 'tabemasu'.
Yes, '{猫|ねこ}が{魚|さかな}を{食|た}べる' (The cat eats fish) is correct.
It means 'grilled fish,' a very common way to '{魚|さかな}を{食|た}べる'.
Related Phrases
{肉|にく}を{食|た}べる
contrastTo eat meat
{刺身|さしみ}を{食|た}べる
specialized formTo eat sashimi
{魚料理|さかなりょうり}
similarFish dish
{海鮮|かいせん}を{楽|たの}しむ
builds onTo enjoy seafood
