Ordering Ramen

いらっしゃいませ [irasshaimase]
Welcome!

• This is an old-fashioned polite command that means "Come in!"

何名様ですか [nan mei sama desu ka]
How many are in your party?

• 何 [nan] means "how many"
• 名 [mei] is a measure word used to count people in just this situation
• 様 [sama] is a polite suffix that shows a lot of respect for the person or group you put it on

Counter word 名 [mei] is for honored guest. When referring yourself, don't use the honorific.

• 1人です [hitori desu] One person.
• 2人です [futari desu] Two people.
• 3人です [san nin desu] Three people.

少々お待ちください [shōshō omachi kudasai]
Please wait a moment.

• 少々 [shōshō] is a polite way of saying "a little" or "a bit"
• お待ち [omachi] is a polite way to talk about the action of waiting

待ってください [matte kudasai]
Please wait.

• 待って [matte] is the て [te] form for "wait"
• ください [kudasai] means "please"

• A: いらっしゃいませ [irasshaimase]
  Welcome!
• B: こんにちは
  Hello.
• A: 何名様ですか [nan mei sama desu ka]
  How many are in your party?
• B: 一人です
  One person.
• A: 少々お待ちください [shōshō omachi kudasai]
  Please wait a moment.
• B: はい
  Sure.