How to Say ‘Could you do that for me?’ in Japanese
お願いできますか
o negai deki masu ka
[oh neh-guy deki mahss kah]
💬 Usage Tip: お願いします "please" becomes お願いできますか, literally "can I request?". It turns a plain request into a softer question. Put any noun in front: これ、お願いできますか "Could you do this for me?"
Phrase Breakdown
お
o
[oh]
honorific prefix
Makes 荷物 more polite in customer service language.
おを付けると丁寧です。
Adding お makes it polite.
願い
negai
[neh-guy]
request; favor
願い refers to a wish or request, and in お願い it forms a polite request expression.
お願いがあります。
I have a request.
でき
deki
[deki]
can do; be able to
Potential form element showing ability or possibility, from できる.
今後も相談でき たらうれしいです。
I would be happy if we could consult in the future too.
ます
masu
[mahss]
polite verb ending
A polite ending often used in Japanese verbs, such as します and あります.
ますを使うと丁寧です。
Using ます makes it polite.
か
ka
[kah]
question particle
か is placed at the end of a sentence to mark it as a question in polite Japanese.
先生ですか。
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