How To Say ‘Please’ in Japanese To Make a Well mannered Request

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Even in Japanese, the magic phrase remains to be “please.” Particularly when talking with strangers or somebody you don’t know effectively, attaching “please” in Japanese to your request is likely one of the primary guidelines of fine etiquette. Thankfully, you’ll solely want two Japanese phrases for the overwhelming majority of conditions—kudasai and onegai shimasu!

The way to say ‘please’ in Japanese

The 2 commonest methods to say “please” in Japanese are kudasai (ください) and onegai shimasu (お願いします), they usually’re extremely versatile. In case they don’t fairly swimsuit what you want, you will have a couple of further choices, too.

Kudasai (Please)

The phrase kudasai comes from the honorific verb kudasaru (くださる), which is itself a extra well mannered model of the usual verb kureru (くれる). Each verbs actually imply “to offer” when the particular person receiving is the speaker. In different phrases, if you use kudasai to say “please,” you’re actually asking somebody to offer you one thing in a well mannered approach.

To ask somebody to do one thing, it’s so simple as conjugating the verb you need them to do (like “write,” “converse,” or “stand”) into te-form and including kudasai.

• Matte kudasai.（待ってください。）= Please wait.
• Yasunde kudasai.（休んでください。）= Please relaxation.
• Tabete kudasai.（食べてください。）= Please eat.

You too can use kudasai to make a request for an merchandise (or a number of gadgets, which supplies you apply with Japanese counters). If that merchandise is a noun, you’ll normally put the Japanese particle o (を) in between the noun and kudasai, nevertheless it isn’t strictly needed.

Onegai shimasu (Please)

You’ll have heard onegai shimasu within the context of yoroshiku onegai shimasu (one in every of some ways to say “thanks” in Japanese). Onegai shimasu is a conjugation (utilizing honorific speech, keigo) of the verb negau (願う), which suggests “to request” or “to need.”

In contrast to kudasai, onegai shimasu is a full sentence all by itself, and you should utilize it by itself to imply a extra well mannered “please.” You may even shorten it to onegai for a extra informal plea. 

Nevertheless, you too can mix it with nouns (as you probably did with kudasai) to make well mannered requests. Usually, you’ll use onegai shimasu as a substitute in the event you’re requesting one thing that you just couldn’t get or do your self. For instance, this may turn out to be useful if you’re at a restaurant and wish to say “test, please!” in Japanese.

Tanomu (I’m begging you)

Once you actually, really need somebody that can assist you out and do you a favor, tanomu (頼む) can be utilized to say “I’m begging you.” That is very true in a lighthearted approach (like begging your buddy to offer you a chunk of their dessert).

• Kite kureru? Tanomu!（来てくれる？頼む！）= Gained’t you come? I’m begging you!

Dōka (I urge of you)

Dōka (どうか) is a bit stiff and formal on this context, nevertheless it’s much like getting in your knees and pleading “I urge of you.”

• Dōka, oyurushi kudasai.（どうか、お許しください。）= I urge of you, please forgive me.

The way to write ‘please’ in Japanese

The 2 commonest methods to say “please” in Japanese—kudasai and onegai shimasu—can each be written with a mixture of hiragana and kanji or simply with hiragana. That is true whether or not you’re writing by hand or typing in Japanese.

• kudasai: ください or 下さい
• onegai shimasu: おねがいします or お願いします

For kudasai, you’ll virtually all the time write it utilizing hiragana solely (the previous instance). Including the kanji elevates the nuance to be barely extra formal. For onegai shimasu, you’ll virtually all the time use each hiragana and kanji (the latter instance), because the expression itself is inherently extra well mannered. Even so, as you be taught Japanese, you’re certain to see each!