Use of お in the beginning of these question phrases


Studying Japanese in a book, I saw this dialogue:

[code]

    A:  お名前は？
    B:  ペドロです
    A:  お国は？
    B:  スペインです
    
[/code]

From what I know, the `お` works as an honorific of respect, then, it is used
only in formal phrases. But these phrases do not seem to be formal.

What is the function of `お`? Is `お名前は？` equivalent to `名前は？` ?




> Use o お in begin of these questions phrases
>

>> A: お名前は？  
>  B: ペドロです  
>  A: お国は？  
>  B: スペインです
>
> From what I know, the お work as a honorific of respect, then, it is used
> only in formal phrase. But, this phrases do not seem to be formal.

These お are meant to be put on the nouns, 名前 and 国, and is nothing to do
whether it's interrogative.

This kind of お (and ご basically for _kango_ , or sometimes it's to do with
customary, likely for the easiness of pronunciation) is for the purpose of
politeness. They makes the _standard language to talk to people_ , equivalent
to です・ます style. They are called 丁寧語{ていねいご}.

> 敬語の一。話し手が聞き手に対し敬意を表して、丁寧にいう言い方。  
>
> （[ていねいご【丁寧語】](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/150311/meaning/m1u/%E4%B8%81%E5%AF%A7%E8%AA%9E/)|
> デジタル大辞泉）

We also put お to nouns even when there's no need for paying any respect, and
these cases are called 美化語{びかご}. All these, now-a-days, are after all about
how you want to present yourself; you can create good impression of yourself
if you choose to use these words.




I don't know the specific context from the book but when meeting somebody for
the first time, one typically would use formal language.

