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I saw somewhere today that [電話]{でんわ}[番号]{ばんごう}は何番ですか is used to ask for
someone's phone number. It seemed strange to me since I usually hear it as
[電話]{でんわ}[番号]{ばんごう}何ですか, and also because the literal translation "What are
the **number** s, in your phone **number**?" sounds like it has some
redundancy in it.

So my question is, which is more common?
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2016-01-31T05:31:42.840
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2016-02-01T04:56:28.720
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syntax set-phrases counters
Common ways of asking for someones phone number
I think both of your sentences are occasionally used but the most common way
of saying it is "電話番号を教えてください".
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2016-01-31T07:45:23.907
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2016-01-31T15:43:49.610
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あなたの電話番号は何番ですか? is a common way of asking someone’s telephone number. We don’t
have distinction of singular and plural form as you know. So its direct
translation would be “What (number) is your telephone number? We don’t think
it’s redundant.

I think 貴方の電話, 何番ですか？is passable. But “貴方の電話番号は何ですか？” sounds weird and odd to
me. You can also say “(あなたの)電話番号を教えて頂けますか？” in polite manner.
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The 番 in 番号 is a part of the noun. The 番 in [何番]{なん・ばん} is a counter suffix
([助数詞]{じょ・すう・し}). Although these two 番s are same in kanji and pronunciation,
their roles and nuances in a sentence are different.

It's common for native Japanese speakers to use counter suffixes, even if it
sounds repetitive in a sentence.

For example, when someone goes to a bank which has a ticket dispenser for
waiting line management, he may hear an announcement like this:

>
> 「お[待]{ま}たせいたしました。[受付]{うけ・つけ}番号[１５１]{ひゃく・ごじゅう・いち}[番]{ばん}の番号[札]{ふだ}をお[持]{も}ちのお[客様]{きゃく・さま}、[３]{さん}番[窓口]{まど・ぐち}までお[越]{こ}しください。」

This sentence contains four 番s, but it sounds natural and decent for most
native Japanese speakers. Using counter suffixes in this way is a custom in
Japanese language. A word with a counter suffix helps imagine the meaning very
well and prevents ambiguity.

Counter suffixes clarify the meaning of a sentence. If another counter suffix
is used, the meaning of a sentence changes totally. For example,

> 電話番号は何番ですか？ ＝ What is your phone number?
>
> 電話番号は[何件]{なん・けん}ですか？ ＝ How many phone numbers (are there)?
>
> 電話番号は[何個]{なん・こ}ですか？ ＝ How many phone numbers (are there)?
>
> 電話番号は[何桁]{なん・けた}ですか？ ＝ How many digits does the phone number have?

So, using a proper counter suffix is very important in Japanese language.

If you would google
[“電話番号は何”](https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=%22%E9%9B%BB%E8%A9%B1%E7%95%AA%E5%8F%B7%E3%81%AF%E4%BD%95%22&oq=%22%E9%9B%BB%E8%A9%B1%E7%95%AA%E5%8F%B7%E3%81%AF%E4%BD%95%22&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l2.4237j0j8&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=91&ie=UTF-8)
or
[“電話番号何”](https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=%22%E9%9B%BB%E8%A9%B1%E7%95%AA%E5%8F%B7%E4%BD%95%22&oq=%22%E9%9B%BB%E8%A9%B1%E7%95%AA%E5%8F%B7%E4%BD%95%22&aqs=chrome..69i57.360j0j9&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=91&ie=UTF-8),
you would see that many people usually add the counter suffix 番 to the
expression when they ask a phone number.

何 without 番 is usually used in a situation where someone asks the purpose or
the meaning of a phone number, or where someone asks multiple things in a
sentence.

Example 1:

> Person A「[０１２０]{ぜろ・いち・にー・ぜろ}で始まる電話番号は **何** ですか？」
>
> Person B「フリーダイヤルです。」

Example 2:

> Person A「[３桁]{さん・けた}電話番号で、[１７１]{いち・なな・いち}って **何** ですか？」
>
> Person B「[災害用伝言ダイヤル](https://www.ntt-east.co.jp/saigai/voice171/)です。」

Example 3:

> Person A「住所と電話番号は **何** ですか？」
>
> Person B「名簿で確認します。」

There are various expressions to ask a phone number in Japanese, actually. I
selected some common expressions (including those which other users suggest in
their answers and comments, in case you wonder) and placed them in politeness-
degree order: 〔１〕 is not polite (doesn't mean rude. It can be nice and
friendly if said nicely in an appropriate situation.), 〔９〕 is very polite or
well-professionally polite, and 〔２〕〜〔８〕 are inbetween.

> 〔１〕「電話番号[何]{なに}？」(very casual)
>
> 〔２〕「電話番号[何番]{なん・ばん}？」／「電話番号教えて。」(casual)
>
> 〔３〕「電話番号、[聞]{き}いてもいい？」(nicer casual)
>
> 〔４〕「電話番号は[何]{なん}ですか？」(translation-from-other-language or simple keigo)
>
> 〔５〕「電話番号を教えてください。」(guide-like or direction-like keigo)
>
> 〔６〕「電話番号は何番ですか？」(friendly keigo)
>
> 〔７〕「電話番号、聞いてもいいですか？」(friendly keigo)
>
> 〔８〕「電話番号を教えていただけますか？」(formal keigo)
>
> 〔９〕「お電話番号をお伺いできますでしょうか？」(very formal keigo)

So, which the most common expression is depends on what politeness-degree
someone is familiar with in one's daily life. Anyway, in many cases, using a
proper counter suffix is nicer and more decent than not-using it.
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2016-02-01T04:55:53.420
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2016-02-01T04:55:53.420
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
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answer