🍸❓

How to Say ‘Could I buy you a drink?’ in Japanese

一杯ご馳走させてもらえませんか？

itsu pai go chisou sa se te morae mase n ka

[ichi pie goh CHEE-soh sah seh teh moh-rah-eh mah-seh n ka]

💬 Usage Tip: させてもらえませんか literally means "won't you let me do it?", which makes buying the drink sound like a favor they're doing you. Also 手伝わせてもらえませんか "would you let me help?"

Phrase Breakdown

一杯ご馳走させて

itsu pai go chisou sa se te

let me treat you to a drink

一杯 (ippai) means 'one drink'. ご馳走する means 'to treat someone'. させて means 'let me'. Note the small pause in ippai.

Example

今日は私にご馳走させてください。

Please let me treat you today.

Words in this phrase

一

itsu

[ichi]

one

The number one. With counters, pronunciation may change depending on the counter.

Example

一杯お願いします。

One cup, please.

杯

pai

[pie]

cup; glass; counter for drinks

杯 counts cups or glasses of drinks. 一杯 means one cup/glass.

Example

ビールを一杯ください。

One beer, please.

ご

[goh]

polite prefix (adds respect)

Honorific prefix used to make a noun more polite. Common in neighbor-related phrases to sound considerate.

Example

ご近所の方には、いつでも言ってくださいと伝えました。

I told the neighbors, “Please tell me anytime.”

馳走

chisou

[CHEE-soh]

treat (in ご馳走)

With ご, ご馳走 means a treat or feast; ご馳走する is to treat someone.

Example

今日はご馳走します。

Today it's my treat.

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.

せ

[seh]

causative marker (part)

Part of the causative ending (〜せる) meaning “let/make (someone) do.”

Example

きょうは家で休ませます。

Today, I will let them rest at home.

て

[teh]

and; -te form

A linking form used to connect verbs to following grammar, such as progressive or polite forms.

Example

仕事を探している人と話しました。

I spoke with a person who is looking for work.

もらえませんか？

morae mase n ka

would you (allow me)?

もらえませんか is a polite request, literally 'could I not receive (this favor)?'. Let your voice rise at the end.

Example

ちょっと手伝ってもらえませんか？

Could you help me a little?

Words in this phrase

もらえ

morae

[moh-rah-eh]

can receive; can get

From もらう. Used to politely ask if you can receive something.

Example

スプーンをもらえますか。

Could I have a spoon?

ませ

mase

[mah-seh]

polite negative (part of ません)

「ませ」 is part of 「ません」, the polite negative form.

Example

はいていません。

I haven’t vomited.

ん

[n]

not

The final sound in the polite negative ending ません.

Example

できません。

I can't do it.

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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