How to Say ‘Do you have any seating preference?’ in Japanese
お席のご希望はございますか。
o seki no go kibou wa gozai masu ka
[oh seh-kee noh goh kibou wah goh-zah-ee mahs ka]
🇯🇵 In Japan: Staff will often ask this unprompted. A simple answer like 窓際でお願いします "By the window, please" is perfectly natural, and so is 特にないです "Nothing in particular".
Phrase Breakdown
お席の
o seki no
of the seat
お席 (o-seki) is the polite word for 'seat'. の (no) connects it to the next noun.
お席の準備ができました。
Your seat is ready.
Words in this phrase
お
o
[oh]
honorific/polite prefix
A polite prefix that makes a word sound more refined or respectful.
おすすめのおは、ことばを丁寧にします。
The o in osusume makes the word more polite.
席
seki
[seh-kee]
seat
A seat or seating section at a venue.
前の方の席はありますか。
Are there seats toward the front?
の
no
[noh]
of
A linking particle connecting nouns, like 'of' or showing description.
前の方が見やすいです。
The front area is easier to see from.
ご希望は
go kibou wa
preference (topic)
ご希望 (go-kibou) means 'preference'. は (wa) marks it as the topic. Say 'go-ki-bou-wa'.
ご希望は何ですか。
What is your preference?
Words in this phrase
ご
go
[goh]
polite prefix (adds respect)
Honorific prefix used to make a noun more polite. Common in neighbor-related phrases to sound considerate.
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.”
希望
kibou
[kibou]
preference
A wish or desire for a certain condition.
希望は窓側の席です。
My preference is a window seat.
は
wa
[wah]
topic marker
は marks the topic of the sentence.
空席はありますか。
Are there any seats available?
ございますか。
gozai masu ka
do you have?
This is the very polite form of あります (arimasu) as a question. Raise your tone slightly at か (ka).
お時間ございますか。
Do you have time?
Words in this phrase
ござい
gozai
[goh-zah-ee]
to exist; polite support word
Part of the polite phrase for thanking someone formally.
本日はお時間をいただき、ありがとうございます。
Thank you for giving me your time today.
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.
か
ka
[ka]
question particle
Used to create a yes/no question in informal speech.
行くか？
Shall we go?
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