would you prefer this or that?

[Laughing Larry]

Hi,

how can I say in japanese: "would you prefer this or that?" ? Notice, I'm still on the /server/ side!

Also, I'd love to know how I could say: "I'd reccomend...that!"

thanks

 

[Elizabeth]

Hi,
how can I say in japanese: "would you prefer this or that?" ? Notice, I'm still on the /server/ side!
Also, I'd love to know how I could say: "I'd reccomend...that!"
thanks

Kore to sore, dochira ga yoroshii deshouka?

And exactly how formal is this restaurant, btw ?

 

[Laughing Larry]

Very much formal restaurant in a 5 stars hotel! Yet, nobody know how to deal with japaneses nor get a rush from them! I'd like to have small conversation with them and especially to serve them the good way. That's not my only goal though, I really want to study japanase!

 

[Toritoribe]

AとB、どちらになさいますか？
A to B, dochira ni nasaimasu ka?

～がお勧めでございます。
~ga osusume de gozaimasu.
or
こちらがお勧めでございます。
Kochira ga osusume de gozaimasu.(with pointing at the name of cuisine on the menu)

a very polite way of saying

 

[Laughing Larry]

thank you so much

 

[Elizabeth]

Probably the others as well should be updated to "naraimasuka" in a bulk change for humbleness.

I get 「ご注文」＝丁寧語 と 「（いかが）なさいますか」＝謙譲語 mixed together, though. So these examples may cause ears to grind in a painful rush.


御注文（は如何）なさいますか？」(=Gochuumon （wa ikaga） nasai masu ka?) "May I take your order?"
"How about your order?" (Not that I've ever heard it, but You could also use this same pattern for water?" (Omizu wa ikaga nasaimasuka??")


御注文は何になさいますか？ (Gochuumon wa nani nasai masu ka?) "What would you like to order?"

 

[Laughing Larry]

Ok. How could I say: "which one do you prefer?"

thanks

 

[Laughing Larry]

for exempla a client says:

"Dezaato wo kudasay"

Could I reply something like:

"(dezaato wa) nani nasai masu ka?"

thanks

 

[Toritoribe]

Ok. How could I say: "which one do you prefer?"
thanks

You can use どちらになさいますか？[dochira ni nasaimasu ka?] for the case, too.

for exempla a client says:
"Dezaato wo kudasay"
Could I reply something like:
"(dezaato wa) nani nasai masu ka?"
thanks

Yes.
デザートは何になさいますか？
Dezaato wa nani ni nasaimasu ka?

 

[Elizabeth]

Ok. How could I say: "which one do you prefer?"
thanks

And "dore ni nasaimasuka?" if you're talking about more than two choices.


ビール、ワイン、あるいはウイスキー、どれになさいますか？ たとえば。。。

 

[Laughing Larry]

so, how could I say: "would you prefer still or sparkling water?"

thanks

 

[Elizabeth]

so, how could I say: "would you prefer still or sparkling water?"
thanks

A. Carbonated/sparkling - 炭酸水（たんさんすい）/ガス入り （がすはいりすい Italians don't say "water with gas" ?? ）

B. Noncarbonated (Flat, still, mineral water, hold the gas, water on tap ??? ) - 炭酸なし

A と B どちらになさいますか？

 

[Laughing Larry]

Italians don't say "water with gas" ?? ﾂ）

ahahaha...yeah It's true

 

[Laughing Larry]

so can I say:

"tansannashi mizu to tansansui mizu dochira ni nasai masu ka?"

thanks

 

[undrentide]

Sparkling water is not so common yet in Japan, so I would say

"futsuuno mizu to tansan iri no mizu to dochirani nasaimasu ka?"

futsuuno mizu : ordinary water
tansan iri no mizu: sparkling water ("gasu iru no mizu" is also fine)

"sui" of "tansansui" means "mizu", so you do not need "mizu" after "tansansui".

 

[Laughing Larry]

Sparkling water is not so common yet in Japan, so I would say

"futsuuno mizu to tansan iri no mizu to dochirani nasaimasu ka?"

futsuuno mizu : ordinary water
tansan iri no mizu: sparkling water ("gasu iru no mizu" is also fine)

"sui" of "tansansui" means "mizu", so you do not need "mizu" after "tansansui".

Could you please tell me what /iri/ means in "tansan iri no mizu"??

May I just use: "futsuu no TO tansansui dochira ni..."

thanks

 

[Elizabeth]

Could you please tell me what /iri/ means in "tansan iri no mizu"??
May I just use: "futsuu no TO tansansui dochira ni..."
thanks

Iri 入り means "put into" or containing. And, yes, the order is fine if they're clear that "futstuu" refers to water.

入り(P); 入(io) 【いり】 (n,n-suf) (1) entering; (2) setting (of the sun); (3) (See サイン入り) containing; content; audience; (4) income; (5) beginning; (P) [Ex][G][GI][A] [G][GI][A]

 

[Laughing Larry]

Iri 入り means "put into" or containing. And, yes, the order is fine if they're clear that "futstuu" refers to water.

yeah, I mean:

ふつうのみずとたんさんすいどちらになさいますか

thanks

 

[Laughing Larry]

although I may as well say: "tansansui wa nasai masu ka?" !! they can either accept or reject and ask for ordinary water...

 

[Elizabeth]

although I may as well say: "tansansui wa nasai masu ka?" !! they can either accept or reject and ask for ordinary water...

たんさんすいになさいますか

 

[Laughing Larry]

I have noticed this sentence:

禁煙きつえんどちらにしますか?
Kin'en kitsuen dochira ni shimasu ka?

there is no /TO/ between the 2 choises and it uses the verb /shimasu/...so my question is: is there any difference between /dochira ni nasai masu ka/ and /dochira ni shimasu ka/ ??

Could I say (when offering a wine):

"guraso botoru dochira ni shimasu ka?" instead of: "guraso to botoru dochira ni nasai masu ka?

thanks

 

[undrentide]

I have noticed this sentence:

禁煙きつえんどちらにしますか?
Kin'en kitsuen dochira ni shimasu ka?

there is no /TO/ between the 2 choises and it uses the verb /shimasu/...so my question is: is there any difference between /dochira ni nasai masu ka/ and /dochira ni shimasu ka/ ??

Could I say (when offering a wine):

"guraso botoru dochira ni shimasu ka?" instead of: "guraso to botoru dochira ni nasai masu ka?

thanks

どちらになさいますか (dochira ni nasai masuka) is politer than どちらにしますか.
To speak to customers at a restaurant, どちらになさいますか is appropriate.

To ask a customer whether he'd like to have wine in glass or take a whole bottle,
"gurasu to botoru, dochira ni nasaimasu ka?"

 

[Laughing Larry]

perfect answer, thanks!

 

[Elizabeth]

I have noticed this sentence:
禁煙きつえんどちらにしますか?
Kin'en kitsuen dochira ni shimasu ka?

喫煙と禁煙のどちらになさいますか I think is OK, too. They'll probably be answering while you're still on the verb anyway.

にします is the politeness level used by customers in their answer/ request.

 

[Laughing Larry]

A friend told me: akai to shiro, dochira ga iidesu ka? is a big no no in japanese while the following is by far more correct:

akai to shiroi dewa, dochira ga suki desu ka

is that true?

thanks