Japanese for English speakers Cafe · Lesson 0

Initiate a conversation at the cafe

Step into a Japanese café — hear いらっしゃいませ (welcome), be asked 何名様ですか (how many of you?), and learn to count people: 一人 (hitori), 二人 (futari), 三人 (sannin).

Conversation

  1. Kyle Kyle

    いらっしゃいませ～

    Irasshaimase

    Welcome

    Tip: <Irasshaimase> = Store staff and waiters say this to greet customers

  2. Kyle Kyle

    何名様ですか？

    Nan mē sama desu ka?

    How many of you?

    Tip: <Mē> = Formal counter for people <Sama> = Formal suffix to say "Mr/Mrs". More formal than <san>

  3. Bob Bob

    二人です

    Futari desu

    Two of us

    Tip: <Futari> = Informal way to say "two people" <Hitori> = One person <Sannin> = Three people When talking about yourself, you don't use <mē>, the formal counter for people

  4. Kyle Kyle

    どうぞ、こちらへ

    Dōzo, kochira e

    This way, please

    Tip: <Kochira> = This way (formal)

Common questions

Quick answers about this lesson's grammar and vocabulary.

What does いらっしゃいませ mean?

A welcoming phrase called out by shop and restaurant staff to customers entering. There's no direct English equivalent — closest to 'welcome' or 'come in'.

How do you count people in Japanese?

一人 (hitori, 1), 二人 (futari, 2), 三人 (sannin, 3), 四人 (yonin, 4), 五人 (gonin, 5). The first two are irregular.

What is the formal counter 〜名様?

〜名様 (meisama) is the very formal counter for people, used by staff addressing customers. You wouldn't use it for yourself.

What does こちらへ mean?

'This way, please' — a polite phrase used by hosts and waiters to lead guests to a table.

Test yourself

Pick the English translation for each line from this lesson. Wrong answers are pulled from other Japanese lessons.

4 quick questions on what you just heard.

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