When you enter a restaurant (let’s say, Denny’s or GASUTO),
you might be asked by a waiter, like ” いらっしゃいませ。何名様ですか。”
いらっしゃいませ。
I ra-sshai-mase.
何名様ですか。
Nan-mei-sama-desu-ka?
In English, いらっしゃいませ means “Welcome! ” and “何名様ですか” means “How many (members are there in your group)?”
*nanmeisama:
nan= how many
mei= a formal way to count the number of people
sama = a polite way to address people
In Japanese, there are various ways of counting depending on objects. When we count the number of people, we use “-nin”. But, make sure there is an exception. When we count 1 person and 2 persons, we say “Hitori” and “Futari” respectively.
Then, you can respond;
From 1 person to 10
1. 一人です。= Hitori-desu
2. 二人です。=Futari-desu
3. 三人です。=San-nin-desu
4. 四人です。=Yo-nin-desu
5. 五人です。=Go-nin-desu
6. 六人です。=Roku-nin-desu
7. 七人です。=Nana-nin-desu
8. 八人です。=Hachi-nin-desu
9. 九人です。=Kyu-nin-desu
10. 十人です。=Jyu-nin-desu
It is clearer if you use your fingers to show the number.
Then, you may be asked “O-tobacco Suwaremasuka?”, which means smoking? or non-smoking.
(English is much easier and more simple, haha)
If you catch the word “tobacco”, it means the waiter asks if you smoke or not.
So just say in English, “smoking please” or “non-smoking please”
