Lesson 11: 失礼ですが、お名前はなんとお読みするんですか (Shitsurei Desu ga, Onamae wa Nanto Oyomi-suru n Desu ka)

Asking How to Pronounce Names

English Title: Asking how to read someone’s name politely

🎧 Audio:
Listen to this lesson

Role-play Setup

You work at a company and are meeting with clients for the first time. Your supervisor is introducing you to two clients from another company. One client has a name written in kanji that can be read multiple ways. You need to politely ask how to pronounce their name correctly to avoid future misunderstandings.

Full Script & Explanation

Scene 1: Welcoming the Guests

Supervisor:
お待たせしました。
Omatase shimashita.
Sorry to keep you waiting.

Grammar Note: 「お待たせしました」is a phrase that you use when you have kept someone waiting. To be more polite, use 「お待たせいたしました」. This phrase shows respect to the listener.

Supervisor:
わざわざお越しいただいて、すみません。
Wazawaza okoshi-itadaite, sumimasen.
Thank you for coming today.

Grammar Note: This phrase shows the speaker’s gratitude to the listener for coming to their location. 「わざわざ」means「忙しいのに時間をかけて」(making time even though one is busy). 「お越しいただいて」and「来ていただいて」are both acceptable to use here, as both are polite phrases.

Client 1:
本日はお忙しいところお時間をいただき、ありがとうございます。
Honjitsu wa oisogashii tokoro ojikan o itadaki, arigatoo gozaimasu.
Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today.

Grammar Note: This phrase is being used by a person of lower status to a person of higher status. It’s being used to express the speaker’s gratefulness to the two listeners for meeting with him.

Scene 2: Making Introductions

Supervisor:
あ、早速ですが、ご紹介しますね。
A, sassoku desu ga, goshookai-shimasu ne.
Now, if you’ll allow me to make an introduction.

Grammar Note: 「あ、」is an expression used to show that one has remembered something.「早速ですが、」is a phrase that indicates it’s time to move into the main topic.「ご紹介しますね」uses ご＋ます形 to make the verb more polite. 「ね」is used to show familiarity.

Supervisor:
どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。
Doozo yoroshiku onegai-itashimasu.
Hello, it’s nice to meet you.

Student (Whang):
ファン・ソンミョンと申します。
Fan Sonmyon to mooshimasu.
My name is Whang Sunmyung.

Grammar Note: 「（名前）と申します」is a 謙譲語(humble form) of 「～です」. When meeting someone for the first time, use 「～と申します」to introduce yourself politely.

Student:
どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。
Doozo yoroshiku onegai-itashimasu.
It’s nice to meet you.

Cultural Note: When meeting someone for the first time and exchanging business cards, use 「どうぞよろしくお願いいたします」instead of「はじめまして」. Don’t forget to make eye contact and bow to be polite.

Scene 3: Asking About Name Pronunciation

Student:
失礼ですが、お名前はなんとお読みするんでしょうか。
Shitsurei desu ga, onamae wa nanto oyomi-suru n deshoo ka.
I’m so sorry, but how is your name pronounced?

Grammar Note: When asking how to pronounce someone’s name, 「失礼ですが」(I’m so sorry, but…) comes first, as it may be perceived as rude otherwise. Add an お in front of「お名前」to be respectful when asking the name of a superior.

「なんとお読みするんでしょうか。」has the same meaning as「なんと読みますか」, but 「でしょうか」makes the question more polite.

「お読みするんでしょうか」and「お読みするのでしょうか」are both acceptable. The version with「の」is slightly more polite, but「ん」is also often used.

🔑 KEY PHRASE

失礼ですが、お名前はなんとお読みするんですか。
Shitsurei desu ga, onamae wa nanto oyomi-suru n desu ka.
I’m so sorry, but how is your name pronounced?

Explanation:
Japanese names can be very difficult to read, as the same kanji can have multiple pronunciations. It’s better to ask politely how to read someone’s name than to mispronounce it or avoid using their name entirely.

「失礼ですが」is essential at the beginning to show that you understand this question might seem rude, but you need to ask for clarity.

「お名前」uses the polite prefix「お」to show respect for the other person’s name.

Conclusion

Client 2 (Teshigawara):
勅使河原 和美と申します。
Teshigawara Kazumi to mooshimasu.
My name is Kazumi Teshigawara.

Student:
勅使河原 和美 様ですね。
Teshigawara Kazumi-sama desu ne.
Kazumi Teshigawara.

Grammar Note: When confirming someone’s name, use「～様ですね」rather than「さん」. Adding 「ね」on the end shows that you are confirming what you just heard. The subject,「あなたは」(you) is unnecessary in this case.

Student:
よろしくお願いいたします。
Yoroshiku onegai-itashimasu.
It’s nice to meet you.

Supervisor:
どうぞおかけください。
Doozo okake kudasai.
Please take a seat.

Grammar Note: 「おかけください」is a more polite way of saying「座ってください」.「どうぞお座りください」has the same meaning. For a superior talking to a subordinate, use「（どうぞ）座ってください」.

Vocabulary

失礼 (しつれい) - shitsurei - rude, excuse me

「失礼」is a word often used in the business world. 「失礼」means “rude” by definition, but can be used in a variety of different situations to mean different things. In the business scene, 失礼 may be used to make a light and casual apology. For example, apologizing for not knowing how to read someone’s name isn’t terribly rude, but it may still be perceived negatively.

Usage examples:

Cultural Note: 「さようなら」is not used at the workplace.「お先に失礼いたします」is used when you leave before others who are still working.

早速 (さっそく) - sassoku - promptly, right away

「早速」is used when an action is being undertaken promptly. The meaning is the same as 「すぐ」, but 早速 has a more formal and proper nuance. When shifting a topic of conversation, 早速 is often used. In business situations, 早速 should be used rather than すぐ.

Usage examples:

Cultural Notes

Business Card Exchange Etiquette

When meeting someone for the first time in a business setting in Japan, exchanging business cards (名刺 - meishi) is a crucial ritual. The proper way to exchange business cards is:

  1. Hold your card with both hands, with the text facing the recipient
  2. Present it while saying your name and 「どうぞよろしくお願いいたします」
  3. Receive their card with both hands
  4. Read the card carefully before putting it away
  5. If sitting down for a meeting, place the cards on the table in front of you

Never write on someone’s business card in front of them, and treat the card with respect as it represents the person.

Name Reading Challenges

Japanese names are notoriously difficult to read because:

It’s always better to ask politely how to read someone’s name than to guess incorrectly. Mispronouncing someone’s name repeatedly can be seen as disrespectful.

Grammar Points

1. ～と申します (to mooshimasu) - Humble self-introduction

This is the humble form of「～です」used when introducing yourself in formal situations.

Formation: [Name] + と申します

Examples:

2. お + verb stem + する/になる - Honorific expressions

Adding「お」before the verb stem creates honorific expressions.

For others’ actions (respect):

For your own actions (humble):

3. ～でしょうか - Polite question form

Adding「でしょうか」makes questions more polite and softer than using「ですか」.

Examples:

Tips from this Dialogue

  1. Always use 失礼ですが before asking potentially sensitive questions - This shows awareness that your question might be seen as rude, but you need clarification.

  2. Confirm information by repeating it back - After learning the correct pronunciation, repeat the name back to confirm you understood correctly.

  3. Use appropriate honorifics with names - Use 様 (sama) for clients and people of higher status, especially when confirming their names.

  4. Start meetings with proper greetings - Thank people for their time and for coming, especially if they’ve traveled to meet you.

Keigo (Polite Language)

Humble Forms (謙譲語 - kenjōgo)

Respectful Forms (尊敬語 - sonkeigo)

Polite Forms (丁寧語 - teineigo)

Kanji

読 (read)

Readings:

Compounds:

Practice:

Source: NHK WORLD-JAPAN “Easy Japanese for Work” Lesson 11
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/easyjapaneseforwork/skit11.html