🍹💰❓

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

一杯ごちそうしてもいいですか？

itsu pai go chisou shi te mo ii desu ka

[ichi pie goh chee-SOH shee te mo ee-ee dess kah]

💬 Usage Tip: 一杯 is said (ippai), with a small held beat before the "p." It counts glasses, and it can also mean "a drink" casually.

Phrase Breakdown

一杯

itsu pai

one drink / one glass

一杯 (ippai) means one cup or glass. Pause briefly on the double 'p'.

Example

コーヒーを一杯ください。

One cup of coffee, please.

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.

ごちそうしても

go chisou shi te mo

if I treat (you)

ごちそうする (gochisou suru) means to treat someone. しても leads into asking permission.

Example

夕食をごちそうしてもいいですか？

May I treat you to dinner?

Words in this phrase

ご

[goh]

honorific prefix

A polite prefix added to some nouns to make them more respectful or formal.

Example

ご相談の前にお名前をお願いします。

Before the consultation, may I have your name, please?

ちそう

chisou

[chee-SOH]

feast; treat

A meal or hospitality offered to someone; originally 'running around' to prepare food.

Example

ちそうをいただきました。

I was treated to a feast.

し

shi

[shee]

し is the stem of する, meaning to do.

Example

予約しします。

I do the reservation.

て

[te]

te-form ending

Connects actions in sequence, like 'and' or 'then'.

Example

ドアが開いて、入ります。

The door opens, and then I go in.

も

[mo]

also; even

Part of でも, adding the nuance of something like or maybe.

Example

コーヒーでも飲みましょう。

Let's have coffee or something.

いいですか？

ii desu ka

is it okay?

This is a polite request for permission. Let your intonation rise on か.

Example

写真を撮ってもいいですか？

May I take a photo?

Words in this phrase

いい

[ee-ee]

good; okay

Shows that something is acceptable or permitted.

Example

ここに書いてもいいです。

It is okay to write here.

です

desu

[dess]

is; polite copula

A polite sentence ending used in formal conversation.

Example

少し伺いたいです。

I would like to ask a little.

か

[kah]

question marker

Placed at the end of a sentence to make it a question.

Example

A席はありますか。

Are there A seats available?

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