How to Say ‘Do you have a seating preference?’ in Japanese
お席のご希望はありますか。
o seki no go kibou wa ari masu ka
[oh seh-kee noh kee-BOH wah ah-ree mahs kah]
💬 Usage Tip: The お in お席 and the ご in ご希望 "preference" are polite add-ons that show respect to you, the customer. Don't put them on your own things when you answer: just say 席 "seat".
Phrase Breakdown
お席のご希望は
o seki no go kibou wa
As for a seating preference
お席 (oseki) is the polite word for seat, and ご希望 (gokibou) means preference. Both use honorific prefixes: o-se-ki no go-ki-bou wa.
お席のご希望は窓側ですか。
Is your seating preference by the window?
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
go
希望
kibou
[kee-BOH]
preference; wish
A noun for what someone hopes for or prefers; often used politely with ご.
ご希望の時間を教えてください。
Please tell me your preferred time.
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?
ありますか。
ari masu ka
do you have one?
あります means 'there is' or 'to have'. か turns it into a question: a-ri-mas ka.
質問はありますか。
Do you have any questions?
Words in this phrase
あり
ari
[ah-ree]
there is; have
Stem of ある, used for existence of things or to ask if something is available.
パンフレットがあり ます。
There are pamphlets.
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
[kah]
question marker
Placed at the end of a sentence to make it a question.
A席はありますか。
Are there A seats available?
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