What does it mean word for word?
The phrase いただけますか is the potential form of the humble verb いただく, which literally means 'can I receive?'
Which one should you use?
While お水をいただけますか is a very polite way to ask, you can also use お水をください (water, please) for a standard polite request that is slightly less formal. In very casual settings, 水をもらえる？ is used and among friends or family, the very casual 水、ちょうだい can be used.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The degree of politeness varies depending on the verb and tone. お水をいただけますか is a polite request. For extremely high-end service environments, you can use the even more indirect and polite お水をいただけますでしょうか (could I possibly receive some water?). For standard politeness, use お水をください, while 水をもらえる？ and 水、ちょうだい are informal and casual respectively.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make a request even more indirect and extremely polite, you can change いただけますか to いただけますでしょうか.
How do you pronounce it?
o mizu o itadakemasu ka
Did you know?
- The humble verb いただく used in いただけますか originally meant 'to lift' or 'to raise', reflecting the gesture of lifting a gift toward one's head in gratitude.
- In most Japanese restaurants, you do not need to ask for water because it is provided for free and automatically refilled by staff.
- If you are at a traditional Japanese establishment, asking for お水 (water) might result in being served 'lukewarm' water or even 'room temperature' water, as iced water is not always the default-expected standard.
Examples in context
- すみません、水をいただけますか？Sumimasen, mizu o itadakemasu ka?
- ちょっと、水をもらえる？Chotto, mizu o moraeru?
- お水をいただけますか？omizu o itadakemasu ka?Can I have some water?
- 冷たいお水をいただけますか？tsumetai omizu o itadakemasu ka?Can I have some cold water?
Example conversation
Misaki is at a restaurant and asks Hiroto, the waiter, for water.
- 美咲 Misakiすみません、お水をいただけますか？sumimasen, omizu o itadakemasu ka?Excuse me, can I have some water?
- 大翔 Hirotoはい、かしこまりました。hai, kashikomarimashita.Yes, certainly.
- 美咲 Misakiありがとうございます。arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you very much.
- 大翔 Hiroto少々お待ちください。shoushou omachi kudasai.Please wait a moment.
