46480
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?
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2017-04-11T12:48:31.047
46478
2017-04-12T07:36:12.517
2017-04-11T21:17:17.540
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question
word-choice
Difference between お座り お掛け　ください
**【Original】**

They are almost the same, but there is a little difference. When you want to
say "please take a seat" to a standing person, they are the same. But, when
you want to say "sit down, please", you can say 「お座りください」, but you can't say
「お掛けください」.

**【Edited】**

They are almost the same and effective phrases in your use situation, but
there is an important difference between them.  
The difference is not in courteousness or politeness, but an essential one
caused by the words 「座{すわ}り」 and 「掛{か}け」.

If you are interested in the courteousness or politeness of the two phrases,
refer to l'électeur's answer. **I would tell you only the essential difference
based on the two different words: 座{すわ}り and 掛{か}け.**

お座{すわ}りください＝お＋「座{すわ}り」＋ください  
お掛{か}けください＝お＋「掛{か}け」＋ください

「座{すわ}り」の原形{げんけい}→座{すわ}る The original form of 座{すわ}り is a verb 座{すわ}る.  
「掛{か}け」の原形{げんけい}→掛{か}ける The original form of 掛{か}け is a verb 掛{か}ける.

**A list of difference:**

1) 座{すわ}る is an intransitive verb （自動詞{じどうし}） while 掛{か}ける is a transitive
verb （他動詞{たどうし}）.  
From this difference, the word 掛{か}ける needs an object（目的語{もくてきご}） while 座{すわ}る
needs no object. In your context, 腰{こし}を掛{か}ける is the formal form and 腰{こし} is
omitted, and the omitted form is usually used. Very interestingly, the noun of
「腰{こし}を掛{か}ける」 is 「腰掛{こしかけ}」 which means a seat, a bench, a chair or a stool.  
Similar expressions using 掛{か}ける are: 帽子{ぼうし}を掛{か}ける, （ハンガーに）服{ふく}を掛{か}ける.

2) They are different in meaning.  
座{すわ}る is to lower the body by bending the knees.  
掛{か}ける is to hang/put something on something.  
From this difference, you can say both 「椅子{いす}に座{すわ}る」 and
「椅子{いす}に腰{こし}を掛{か}ける or 椅子{いす}に腰{こし}かける」. But, although you can say
「畳{たたみ}に座{すわ}る」 you can't say 「畳{たたみ}に腰{こし}を掛{か}ける」.

3) Antonyms（反対語{はんたいご}） are different.  
The antonym of 「座{すわ}る」 is 「立{た}つ」 while the antonym of 「掛{か}ける」 is 「外{はず}す」
not 「立{た}つ」.
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2017-04-11T13:04:37.883
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2017-04-12T07:36:12.517
2017-04-12T07:36:12.517
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answer
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.
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2017-04-11T13:18:51.540
46480
2017-04-11T13:18:51.540
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answer