Difference between お座り お掛け　ください


I have seen

> お掛けください

for "please take a seat". But previously I have been using

> お座りください

to mean the same thing.

Are these the same or is there a difference?




There certainly is a difference.

To mean "Please take a seat.", the better speakers' phrase choice will
unquestionably be 「お掛{か}けください。」.

「お座{すわ}りください。」, depite its use of both 「お」 and 「ください」, does not even sound all
that polite, let alone sounding refined. **It still uses the plain and non-
polite verb 「座る」**. In case you did not know, we say 「お座り！」 to make dogs sit.
Angry moms also say it to make their small kids sit. That is why this phrase
would not sound very refined if said to human guests.

The honorific form of 「座る」 is 「掛ける」, which the phrase 「お掛けください」 correctly
uses. As you know, not every verb has an honorific form, but when one does, it
would always make you sound more polite and proper to use the honorific
version of the verb.

Adding the "external" politeness elements such as 「お」,「ください」, etc. would not
help much in sounding genuinely polite or respectful.

For instance, 「お食{た}べください」 will never sound politer or more respectful or more
refined than 「お召{め}し上{あ}がりください」. In fact, 「お食べください」 does not sound polite at
all; It just sounds "funny". It is like someone tried hard to use keigo and
failed a big time.




There certainly is a difference.

To mean "Please take a seat.", the better speakers' phrase choice will
unquestionably be 「お掛{か}けください。」.

「お座{すわ}りください。」, depite its use of both 「お」 and 「ください」, does not even sound all
that polite, let alone sounding refined. **It still uses the plain and non-
polite verb 「座る」**. In case you did not know, we say 「お座り！」 to make dogs sit.
Angry moms also say it to make their small kids sit. That is why this phrase
would not sound very refined if said to human guests.

The honorific form of 「座る」 is 「掛ける」, which the phrase 「お掛けください」 correctly
uses. As you know, not every verb has an honorific form, but when one does, it
would always make you sound more polite and proper to use the honorific
version of the verb.

Adding the "external" politeness elements such as 「お」,「ください」, etc. would not
help much in sounding genuinely polite or respectful.

For instance, 「お食{た}べください」 will never sound politer or more respectful or more
refined than 「お召{め}し上{あ}がりください」. In fact, 「お食べください」 does not sound polite at
all; It just sounds "funny". It is like someone tried hard to use keigo and
failed a big time.

