3名様
sanmeisama
In Japanese, "table for 3" is expressed as 3名様 (sanmeisama).
This phrase is used to state the number of people in your party at a restaurant. When a host confirms your party size, they may say 3名様です (sanmeisama desu) to mean "It is a party of three".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form 3名様 is the standard polite way to state a number of people when being served by staff or making a reservation.
How do you pronounce it?
sanmeisama
Did you know?
- When making a reservation, you might hear staff use the word 様 (sama) for you, but you should never use it for yourself or your companions. It is a respectful honorific strictly reserved for the customer.
- While 3名様 is the polite form, Japanese has an entirely different system of counting for people that changes the pronunciation of the numbers. For example, 'one person' is 一人 (hitori) and 'two people' is 二人 (futari), which do not follow the standard number patterns.
- When stating the number of people, Japanese speakers often hold up their fingers to visualize the number for the staff. However, they count starting from the index finger, whereas some Westerners start with the thumb.
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui arrive at a restaurant with a friend.
- 健太 Kentaこんばんは。3名様です。Konbanwa. San-mei-sama desu.Good evening. A table for 3, please.
- 結衣 Yuiいらっしゃいませ。少々お待ちください。Irasshaimase. Shōshō omachi kudasai.Welcome. Please wait a moment.
- 結衣 Yuiお待たせしました。3名様はこちらへどうぞ。Omatase shimashita. San-mei-sama wa kochira e dōzo.Thank you for waiting. The table for 3 is this way.
- 健太 Kentaありがとうございます。Arigatō gozaimasu.Thank you very much.
