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.
夕食は何時に食べますか。
What time do you eat dinner?
夕食の準備を手伝います。
I'll help prepare dinner.
Casual, everyday word for dinner. Very common in conversation.
晩ご飯はカレーにしよう。
Let's have curry for dinner.
Less common variant of 晩ご飯, used in some regions or by younger speakers.
夜ご飯はまだ？
Is dinner ready yet?
A formal evening meal, often with guests or at a restaurant.
A dinner party or formal dinner gathering.
今夜は会社の夕食会があります。
There's a company dinner party tonight.
Loanword from English, often used for Western-style formal dinners or restaurant meals.
ディナーの予約をしました。
I made a dinner reservation.
Referring to the act of going out for dinner or having a special dinner.
To go out for dinner.
今夜は夕食に出かけませんか。
Shall we go out for dinner tonight?
To eat out (not necessarily dinner, but often used for evening meals).
たまには外食しよう。
Let's eat out for a change.
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.