How to Say ‘How many people?’ in Japanese
何名様でご利用ですか。
nan mei sama de go riyou desu ka
[nan may sah-mah deh goh ree-yoh dess kah]
Phrase Breakdown
何名様
nan mei sama
how many people (honorific)
Polite way to ask the number of guests/customers.
何名様ですか。
How many people are you?
Words in this phrase
何
nan
[nan]
how many
Used in questions asking quantity or number.
何名様でご利用ですか。
How many people will be dining?
名
mei
[may]
counter for people
A counter used for counting people in formal situations.
何名様でご利用ですか。
How many people will be dining?
様
sama
[sah-mah]
honorific title
A respectful suffix used for customers or guests.
何名様でご利用ですか。
How many people will be dining?
でご利用ですか
de go riyou desu ka
will be using; for use (polite question)
Polite expression asking how many people will use the service.
こちらの席でご利用ですか。
Will you be using this seat?
Words in this phrase
で
de
[deh]
with / by
Here it marks the number of people in the group, like 'with' that number.
何名様でご利用ですか。
How many people will be dining?
ご
go
[goh]
honorific prefix
A polite prefix attached to 利用 to make the expression more respectful.
何名様でご利用ですか。
How many people will be dining?
利用
riyou
[ree-yoh]
use
To use or make use of a service; in restaurants, it politely means to dine or visit.
何名様でご利用ですか。
How many people will be dining?
です
desu
[dess]
is / am / are
A polite copula used to end statements politely.
何名様でご利用ですか。
How many people will be dining?
か
ka
[kah]
question marker
A particle placed at the end to make the sentence a question.
何名様でご利用ですか。
How many people will be dining?
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