How to Say ‘What would you like to drink?’ in Japanese
お飲み物は何になさいますか。
o nomimono wa nan ni nasai masu ka
[oh noh-mee-moh-noh wah nah-nee nee nah-sigh mahss kah]
💬 Usage Tip: This is a standard waiter phrase. Memorize it as one useful chunk you will hear often at the start of ordering.
🇯🇵 In Japan: In Japan, drink orders are often taken soon after seating, sometimes before food. So this phrase may come quickly after you sit down.
Phrase Breakdown
お飲み物は
o nomimono wa
As for your drink / beverage
Polite way to say “drink” with the honorific お, and は marks it as the topic.
お飲み物はコーヒーでよろしいですか。
As for your drink, would coffee be okay?
Words in this phrase
お
o
[oh]
honorific prefix
Adds politeness to the noun in a restaurant question.
お飲み物のおは接客でよく使います。
The o in onomimono is often used in customer service.
飲み物
nomimono
[noh-mee-moh-noh]
drink / beverage
Refers to the customer's drink choice.
飲み物を伺うときに使う言葉です。
This is a word used when asking about drinks.
は
wa
[wah]
topic marker
Introduces drinks as the topic being asked about.
お飲み物はのはは話題を示します。
The wa in onomimono wa marks the topic.
何になさいますか
nan ni nasai masu ka
What would you like? / What will you have?
Very polite expression used by staff to ask for a choice; なさいます is the respectful form of する.
ご注文は何になさいますか。
What would you like to order?
Words in this phrase
何
nan
[nah-nee]
what
Asks which drink the customer wants.
何にするか迷うお客様もいます。
Some customers hesitate about what to choose.
に
ni
[nee]
to / into
Links the question word to the selected result or choice.
何になりますかのには選ぶ先を示す感じがあります。
The ni in nani ni narimasu ka suggests what it will be chosen as.
なさい
nasai
[nah-sigh]
choose / decide (honorific stem)
An honorific verb stem used politely for the customer's decision.
なさいますかはお客様の選択を丁寧に聞く言い方です。
Nasaimasu ka is a polite way to ask for the customer's choice.
ます
masu
[mahss]
polite verb ending
Makes the question respectful and appropriate for service.
なさいますのますは丁寧さを出します。
The masu in nasaimasu adds politeness.
か
ka
[kah]
question marker
Shows the sentence is a question to the customer.
なさいますかのかで質問になります。
The ka in nasaimasu ka turns it into a question.
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