table or booth

[jp_fr_linguaphile]

Good day.

I have lived in Japan and managed to make myself understood most of the time in Japanese. However, I did run into trouble sometimes. Here is one of them. In the US, when we enter a restaurant we are often asked for our seating preference, a table or a booth. I don't ever remember being asked that in Japan, but there was a time when I wanted to sit at a booth and I said, "ブースの方に座りたいのですが" I think it might have sounded like "ブスの方に座りたいのですが” which may explain the funny look I got from the staff. How would one properly say, "I want to sit at a booth"?

毎度ありがとうございます。

 

[cheshire]

I'm sorry I'm not good enough with English. Do you mean "a cubicle" by "a booth"? Or "a room separated entirely by walls"?

If a booth means a cubicle, it does mean the same in Japan as in the US. However, we tend to associate the word with that of 展覧会場 such as 幕張メッセ. Or we imagine it with booths for AV (Audio Visual). Technically it's a booth wherever it's partitioned by partial walls, but most of us are not familiar with that usage.

You could say 「仕切り(partition)のある席に座りたいのですが」.

If you mean the latter, you could say 「個室に座りたいのですが」「個室で食事をしたいのですが」

 

[jp_fr_linguaphile]

Thanks, Cheshire, for your very informative assistance.
勉強になりました。

In this case, booth is a set consisting of one table and a couch-like seat on either side of the table. The seats are built into the floor. The booth is always up against the wall. 「席が床に固定してある壁際のテーブル」 が適切な説明かな？

 

[cheshire]

In the US, when we enter a restaurant we are often asked for our seating preference, a table or a booth.

booth is a set consisting of one table and a couch-like seat on either side of the table. The seats are built into the floor. The booth is always up against the wall. 「席が床に固定してある壁際のテーブル」 が適切な説明かな？

There must be more convenient phrases with fewer words than your translation, but I have no idea what to say, because I don't how what a booth in a restaurant is different from other seats. Are other seats not built like a booth seat?

 

[Flaminius]

「席が床に固定してある壁際のテーブル」 が適切な説明かな？

Do you happen to mean counters? Then, it is the same in Japanese;
カウンター
kauntā.

 

[jp_fr_linguaphile]

Do you happen to mean counters? Then, it is the same in Japanese;
カウンター
kauntā.

That's an example of another seating arrangement. I see why you would come to that conclusion. However, in the case of a booth, the table is only big enough to accommodate a party of four. Do you have a Denny's where you are? The tables beside the wall should be booths.

 

[Flaminius]

You mean something like this?
http://www.welcomehome.org/3dg/NewSite/Screenshot-36.jpg

ボックス席!
bokkusu seki

 

[jp_fr_linguaphile]

You mean something like this?
http://www.welcomehome.org/3dg/NewSite/Screenshot-36.jpg

ボックス席!
bokkusu seki

By Golly, I believe you got it.

Thanks!!

Now back to my original question. Sometimes I want to sit in a booth and sometimes I like sitting at a table. Normally, I prefer tables, though. How would I specify my seating preference to a hostess in a Japanese restaurant in Japan?

 

[cheshire]

I think you'll find it difficult specifying your seating preference and make it understood in Japanese. First, I'm not happy with the categorization in America. Doesn't a booth also have a table? How would you call the table in a booth other than table? That I think is the source of confusion.

If you prefer "tables", the best way would be to say "futsu no seki (普通の席)."

 

[jp_fr_linguaphile]

The table at a booth is called a table, but in that combination, it is called a booth. Reasons for asking for a booth are 1 more people can sit at one than at a table 2 a couple might prefer to sit where there are less people (more intimate) 3 it is more comfortable than a hard chair If you said in Japan, ボックス席がいいです, would it be understood?

 

[cheshire]

I think it's understood, but I need other's input.