<p>Some people (at least in Taiwan) also say (你)哪里找, which to me doesn't seem either super polite or super impolite...really just depends on tone of voice.</p>

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2013-01-11T17:00:10.077Z
2013-01-11T17:00:10.077Z
Dan
<p>Politer than <code>你是誰?</code> is <code>你是哪一位?</code>.</p>

<p>(Side note: I'd also like to point out that <code>這是誰?</code> is wrong, while <code>你是誰?</code> is acceptable. You got this right, but it's not obvious to a lot of learners.)</p>

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2013-01-10T02:59:13.660Z
I think I've heard "這是誰?" before, although it's pretty rude.
user3871
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2013-01-10T05:17:48.730Z
@Growler And in English, it's the opposite. "Who _are_ you?" is very in-your-face and rude, while "Who is this?" is pretty standard.
Stumpy Joe Pete
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2013-01-11T16:52:00.623Z
Yeah that's actually true, lol. Never thought about that.
user3871
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2013-08-21T16:07:09.370Z
I guess what @Growler heard is in fact `這誰啊`, yeah, quite blunt. In `你是哪一位`, the 一 is usually dropped, so `您哪位` or `您是哪位`.
George
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2013-01-10T00:51:07.117Z
2013-01-10T00:51:07.117Z
Stumpy Joe Pete
<p>There are several ways to say it:</p>

<p><em>Polite</em>: </p>

<p><strong>请问，你是哪位?</strong></p>

<p><strong>Qǐng wèn</strong> (May I ask), <strong>nǐ shì</strong> (you are) <strong>nǎ</strong> (which) <strong>wèi</strong> (identifier for people/position)</p>

<p>May I ask, who is this?</p>

<hr>

<p><strong>您好， 您找谁？</strong></p>

<p><strong>Nín hǎo</strong> (hello), <strong>nín</strong> (polite form of you) <strong>zhǎo</strong> (looking) <strong>sheí</strong> (who)?</p>

<p>Hello, whom are you looking for?</p>

<hr>

<p><strong>喂，请问您是谁？</strong></p>

<p><strong>Wei</strong> ("hi"- typical way people answer the phone), <strong>qǐng wèn nín shì sheí?</strong></p>

<p>Hi, who is this please (...<strong>,</strong> 请问 is "please". 请问 <strong>,</strong>... is "excuse me") ?</p>

<hr>

<p><em>Impolite</em>: </p>

<p><strong>喂？ 哪位？</strong>  </p>

<p><strong>Wèi nǎ wèi</strong>  </p>

<p>Hi, who is this...?  </p>

<hr>

<p><strong>找谁呀？</strong></p>

<p><strong>Zhǎo sheí ya</strong> ("ya" is a participle equivalent to 啊 "ah" expressing surprise or doubt)?</p>

<p>Who are you lookin' for?</p>

<p>These are the ones I typically hear... although there are more.</p>

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2013-01-10T02:26:01.870Z
The mixed use of 你 and 您 in the 2nd sentence seems weird. I would pick either and stick with it.
NS.X.
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2013-01-10T02:49:32.850Z
@NS.X. Good catch- oops. at B.D, lol that's not good :O
user3871
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2013-01-10T04:45:17.317Z
@Growler Word to word, `请问` is more closer to `May I ask ...`, and `对不起/不好意思` = `excuse me`. However, `请问您是谁` = `who is this please` is good translation.
John Siu
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2013-08-21T16:12:47.173Z
Another polite way: 敢問閣下尊姓大名 gan3 wen4 ge2 xia4 zun1 xing4 da4 ming2. 敢問 = 請問 ＋ humbler attitude. 閣下 = 您 + humbler attitude. 尊姓大名 = notable family name and great given name.
George
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2014-02-17T10:45:36.640Z
Shouldn't it be "请问, 您是哪位" in the first example?
user58955
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2014-02-17T10:46:21.957Z
@NS.X. I'd go with "您好, 请问找谁?" for the second example
user58955
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-22T16:05:21.693Z
@TGMCians I'm not sure I know what you mean.
user3871
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2014-06-22T16:13:30.817Z
@TGMCians I am taking a look now.
user3871
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-01-10T01:50:19.163Z
2013-11-14T22:45:30.207Z
2013-11-14T22:45:30.207Z
user3871
<p>A man I don't know calls me and starts talking to me in Chinese. All is fine, except I don't know who he is. I sense I'm not the person he's looking for. How do I ask who he is without being too blunt: "你是誰?" </p>

<politeness>
What is a polite way to ask "may I ask who is speaking?"
# What is a polite way to ask "may I ask who is speaking?"

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-01-10)

A man I don't know calls me and starts talking to me in Chinese. All is fine, except I don't know who he is. I sense I'm not the person he's looking for. How do I ask who he is without being too blunt: "你是誰?"

**Tags:** politeness


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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2013-01-10. Score: 14 | Accepted answer

There are several ways to say it:

*Polite*:

**请问，你是哪位?**

**Qǐng wèn** (May I ask), **nǐ shì** (you are) **nǎ** (which) **wèi** (identifier for people/position)

May I ask, who is this?

---

**您好， 您找谁？**

**Nín hǎo** (hello), **nín** (polite form of you) **zhǎo** (looking) **sheí** (who)?

Hello, whom are you looking for?

---

**喂，请问您是谁？**

**Wei** ("hi"- typical way people answer the phone), **qǐng wèn nín shì sheí?**

Hi, who is this please (...**,** 请问 is "please". 请问 **,**... is "excuse me") ?

---

*Impolite*:

**喂？ 哪位？**

**Wèi nǎ wèi**

Hi, who is this...?

---

**找谁呀？**

**Zhǎo sheí ya** ("ya" is a participle equivalent to 啊 "ah" expressing surprise or doubt)?

Who are you lookin' for?

These are the ones I typically hear... although there are more.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: The mixed use of 你 and 您 in the 2nd sentence seems weird. I would pick either and stick with it.  
> **username_3**: @NS.X. Good catch- oops. at B.D, lol that's not good :O  
> **username_6**: @Growler Word to word, `请问` is more closer to `May I ask ...`, and `对不起/不好意思` = `excuse me`. However, `请问您是谁` = `who is this please` is good translation.  
> **username_4**: Another polite way: 敢問閣下尊姓大名 gan3 wen4 ge2 xia4 zun1 xing4 da4 ming2. 敢問 = 請問 ＋ humbler attitude. 閣下 = 您 + humbler attitude. 尊姓大名 = notable family name and great given name.  
> **username_7**: Shouldn't it be "请问, 您是哪位" in the first example?  
> **username_7**: @NS.X. I'd go with "您好, 请问找谁?" for the second example  
> **username_3**: @TGMCians I'm not sure I know what you mean.  
> **username_3**: @TGMCians I am taking a look now.  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2013-01-11. Score: 1

Some people (at least in Taiwan) also say (你)哪里找, which to me doesn't seem either super polite or super impolite...really just depends on tone of voice.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2013-01-10. Score: 0

Politer than `你是誰?` is `你是哪一位?`.

(Side note: I'd also like to point out that `這是誰?` is wrong, while `你是誰?` is acceptable. You got this right, but it's not obvious to a lot of learners.)

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: I think I've heard "這是誰?" before, although it's pretty rude.  
> **username_2**: @Growler And in English, it's the opposite. "Who _are_ you?" is very in-your-face and rude, while "Who is this?" is pretty standard.  
> **username_3**: Yeah that's actually true, lol. Never thought about that.  
> **username_4**: I guess what @Growler heard is in fact `這誰啊`, yeah, quite blunt. In `你是哪一位`, the 一 is usually dropped, so `您哪位` or `您是哪位`.  

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