How to Say ‘Excuse me, two highballs, please.’ in Japanese
すみません、ハイボール二つお願いします。
sumi mase n hai booru futa tsu o negai shi masu
[soo-mee mah-seh n HAI boh-roo futa tsoo o neh-guy shee mahs]
💬 Usage Tip: To order, say the item, then the number, then お願いします, with no little linking words in between. 二つ (futatsu) is the general way to count objects, so you can swap freely: 生ビール一つお願いします (nama bīru hitotsu onegaishimasu) "one draft beer, please".
🇯🇵 In Japan: Calling out すみません to get staff over is completely normal in Japanese bars and izakaya, not rude. Highballs (whisky and soda) are a bar staple, so ordering a second one for the person you're chatting with is an easy, low-key opener.
Phrase Breakdown
すみません、
sumi mase n
excuse me
Used to call staff. Often pronounced 'sumimasen', with a soft 'su'.
すみません、お水ください。
Excuse me, water please.
Words in this phrase
すみ
sumi
[soo-mee]
excuse me
First part of すみません, used to get someone's attention politely.
すみません、それすてきですね。
Excuse me, that's lovely.
ませ
mase
[mah-seh]
polite negative (part of ません)
「ませ」 is part of 「ません」, the polite negative form.
はいていません。
I haven’t vomited.
ん
n
[n]
negative ending
The final sound completing the negative polite form.
一人は魚が食べられません。
One person cannot eat fish.
ハイボール二つ
hai booru futa tsu
two highballs
The item plus the counter. No particle is needed when ordering.
コーヒー二つ。
Two coffees.
Words in this phrase
ハイ
hai
[HAI]
high (part of highball)
Katakana for English 'high'; here the first half of the drink name 'highball', a whisky and soda.
ハイボールが好きです。
I like highballs.
ボール
booru
[boh-roo]
ball
The golf ball. This katakana word is used in sports and everyday Japanese.
ボールは右に曲がります。
The ball curves to the right.
二
futa
[futa]
two
The number two in the counter phrase 二つ.
ハンバーグ二つです。
It’s two hamburg steaks.
つ
tsu
[tsoo]
counter for things
A general counter for one item or thing.
これを二つください。
Two of these, please.
お願いします。
o negai shi masu
please
The polite way to finish an order: 'onegai shimasu'.
これ、お願いします。
This one, please.
Words in this phrase
お
o
[o]
polite prefix
Used before nouns to make them polite.
お茶をどうぞ。
Please have some tea.
願い
negai
[neh-guy]
request; favor
願い refers to a wish or request, and in お願い it forms a polite request expression.
お願いがあります。
I have a request.
し
shi
[shee]
do
し is the stem of する, meaning to do.
予約しします。
I do the reservation.
ます
masu
[mahs]
polite verb ending
A standard polite ending added to verbs, often used in customer service and formal speech.
予約を確認し ます。
I will confirm the reservation.
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