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For Life
2007.05.22(Review of 2003.07.22 edition)

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Today's LessonCATEGORY: 役に立つ表現CATEGORY: 混同しやすい言葉
WHO'S CALLING, PLEASE? vs. WHO IS THIS?
どちら様ですか? vs. 誰ですか?

Explanation

  • 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。

WHO'S CALLING, PLEASE? vs. WHO IS THIS?

examples

  1. (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.
  2. 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!
  3. (Mary answers the phone)
    MARY: Hello?
    CALLER: ...
    MARY: Hello?
    CALLER: ...
    MARY: Who is this?
    CALLER: ...
    (Mary hangs up)

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