方がた

suffix

honorific plural suffix; ladies and gentlemen

Honorific pluralizing suffix attached to nouns referring to people, such as 先生方 (teachers) or お客様方 (guests). Used in formal and respectful contexts.

• 先せん生せい方がた、本ほん日じつはお忙いそがしい中なかお集あつまりいただきありがとうございます。

  Teachers, thank you for gathering today despite your busy schedules.

• お客きゃく様さま方がたのご意い見けんをお聞きかせください。

  Please let us hear the opinions of our guests.

suffix

around; about (time)

Suffix attached to time expressions to indicate approximation, similar to 頃 (ころ). The reading かた is also used in this sense, but がた is more common in modern Japanese.

• 明日あしたの夕ゆう方がた、五ご時じ方がたにお伺うかがいします。

  I will visit around five o'clock tomorrow evening.

• 来らい月げつの初はじめ方がたにまたご連れん絡らくします。

  I will contact you again around the beginning of next month.