HOME > WordMaster® > WHO'S CALLING, PLEASE? vs. WHO IS THIS? | どちら様ですか? vs. 誰ですか?
2007.05.22(Review of 2003.07.22 edition)
Hello! Thanks for ringing us back! We've been waiting by the phone all day for your call!
WHO'S CALLING, PLEASE? vs. WHO IS THIS?
どちら様ですか? vs. 誰ですか?
- When you answer the phone and want to politely ask the caller for his or her name, you can say Who's calling, please?
Who is this? is a more direct - and therefore less polite - way of asking for someone's name on the phone. It's often used when a call is not welcome; for example, when you receive a prank call (= いたずら電話). - 電話に出て、相手の名前を聞きたいとき、丁寧に尋ねる場合は Who's calling, please? (どちら様ですか?)と言います。
Who is this?(誰ですか?)も、電話をかけてきた相手の名前を尋ねる表現ですが、こちらは、より直接的、つまり、あまり丁寧ではない言い方です。この表現は、例えば、いたずら電話など、歓迎されない電話がかかってきたときに、よく使われます。
- (Pam's father answers the phone)
FATHER: Hello?
JOE: Hello. May I speak to Pam, please?
FATHER: Who's calling, please?
JOE: This is Joe Wilson. I'm in her class at school. - SALESMAN: Good evening, Mrs. Thompson. I hope I'm not calling at an inconvenient time, but I wanted to let you know that, for a limited time only, you can buy our premium vacuum cleaner at a very special price ...
MRS. THOMPSON: Who is this? We're in the middle of dinner right now!
Please don't call again. Goodbye! - (Mary answers the phone)
MARY: Hello?
CALLER: ...
MARY: Hello?
CALLER: ...
MARY: Who is this?
CALLER: ...
(Mary hangs up)
Call us again sometime!