# Would you like a cup of tea?



## holynightfever

Hi

How would I ask someone if they would like a cup of tea in Japanese?

I guess it probably involves the -たい form, but I am not really familiar with it yet and I don't know which verb to use anyway.

Actually I was taught that 「いいですか」　can be used in this type of situation. Perhaps 「お茶が　いいですか」?

(I used  the dictionary for 'tea' there - not really sure which word would describe regular English tea!)

Thanks

Neil


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## 2PieRad

I think in this case, it would be better to use the general term for _would you like/how about..._ instead. 

...どうですか？
お茶はどうですか？How about some tea? Would you like some tea?

If you wanted to use the たい form, I think you'd need a verb other than _like_ in there. Furthermore, I've always translated this form as "I want to" and not "I would like to." _I want to drink some tea. _お茶を飲みたい（んですが） ocha o nomitai (n desu ga). _Do you want to drink some tea? _お茶を飲みたいですか？Alternatively, 欲しい hoshii can also be used to express wants and desires. _I would like some tea._ お茶が欲しい（んですが）. _Would you like some tea? _お茶が欲しいですか？However, both these terms were made with textbook rules, so they may sound very unidiomatic and awkward to the native ear.

To me, いいですか always seemed to be the form used to ask for permission. (May I/Can I...) And I'm also not sure if it can stand alone like that. If you said お茶を飲んでもいいですか？ you'd be asking _May I drink tea? _I'm not sure if you can direct this at someone else and ask if they can drink tea. Nevertheless, this form seems to be a matter of permission and capability of doing something, not want or desire. What do you think?

I still think どうですか is the best way to go.


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## Morrow

holynightfever said:


> I guess it probably involves the -たい form,



Good point.

Since "like" here means "to want to have," it is just logical to think "Would you like a cup of tea?" will mean "紅茶(を)飲みたい(ですか)?"

The English sentence usually translates to "紅茶*は*いかが(ですか)?"   But "~はいかがですか?" in this situation will make you expect that the speaker (who is, more often than not, female) is offering a customer or visitor something to drink or eat.

So the question to ask is: What are you likely to use when you're talking with someone close (like your friend or family member)?

I think there is no matching expression this time.   "紅茶(を)飲みたい?" might work for some people.  However, what is more probable will be "紅茶を飲む?" or "紅茶(を)入れようか/入れましょうか?" (which literally means "Do you intend to drink tea?" and "Would you like me to make some tea?" respectively).

Morrow


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## holynightfever

Thanks Erebos, Morrow.

'Dou desu ka'  and 'o nomu' both sound nice and easy to me 

I think that in English at least, 'would you like to _drink_ some tea?' sounds very unnnatural, kind of an odd thing to say. Which is why I wasn't sure which verb should be used. The fully expanded question is more like 'would you _like to have_ a cup of tea'.



Morrow said:


> "紅茶(を)入れようか/入れましょうか?" (which literally means "Do you intend to drink tea?" and "Would you like me to make some tea?" respectively).


 
I haven't seen this type of construction before... the verb is different from hairu, right?

(Japanese characters will probably not display properly)


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## Flaminius

Hello *holynightfever*,

The dictionary form of the verb in 入れましょうか (Shall I brew?) is 入れる (_ireru_), a transitive verb.  The kanji notation may confuse you but there is no relation with 入る (_hairu_, an intransitive verb).


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## holynightfever

Thanks Flaminius. I will learn it, and watch my typing.


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## mannenhitsu

Most natural way to say, when willing to offer tea to someone:
Ocha wa ikaga desuka?
お茶はいかがですか


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## mannenhitsu

Flaminius said:


> Hello *holynightfever*,
> 
> The dictionary form of the verb in 入れましょうか (Shall I brew?) is 入れる (_ireru_), a transitive verb. The kanji notation may confuse you but there is no relation with 入る (_hairu_, an intransitive verb).


 
This one is used by the OL (Office Ladies),
close friends will say just _Ocha nomu_?


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## holynightfever

So we have:

'Ocha nomu?' or 'ocha wo nomu?'
'Ocha wa dou desu ka'
'Ocha wo iremashou ka' or 'ocha wo ireyou ka' (more polite?)
And 'ocha wa ikaga desuka'.

Lots of options! Thanks for the help everyone.


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## mannenhitsu

はいそうです。
Important thing is to identify people's relation and the situation they are in.
大事な事は話しかける相手との関係、それと状況です。


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## Flaminius

holynightfever said:


> 'Ocha wo iremashou ka' or 'ocha wo ireyou ka' (more polite?)


"Ocha wo iremashou ka" is more polite with an inflected form of _-masu_.  A quick note just in case.


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