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How to Say ‘What can I do for you?’ in Japanese

どうされましたか。

dou sa re mashi ta ka

[doh sah reh mah-shee tah ka]

💬 Usage Tip: されました is a respectful version of しました "did," used about the other person's actions. A plain どうしましたか would sound less polite here.

Phrase Breakdown

どう

dou

[doh]

how

Question word used to ask how or in what way.

Example

どうしますか。

What will you do?

さ

[sah]

do (stem of suru)

Stem form of the verb suru 'to do', used before the honorific/passive ending reru.

Example

先生はもう帰宅されました。

The teacher has already gone home.

れ

[reh]

honorific verb marker

Here used as a respectful form showing honor to the person doing the action, not passive.

Example

社長が話されました。

The president spoke.

まし

mashi

[mah-shee]

polite past stem

Part of the polite past ending in a verb phrase.

Example

昨日は多くのことを学びました。

I learned many things yesterday.

た

[tah]

past tense ending

This ending completes the polite past tense form.

Example

空席がございました。

There were vacant seats.

か

[ka]

question particle

Indicates a question with previous verb.

Example

飲みませんか？

Won't you drink?

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