How to Say ‘Please’ in Japanese
をお願いします。
o o negai shi masu
[oh oh neh-guy shee mahss]
Phrase Breakdown
を
o
[oh]
object marker
A particle marking the thing you want or the object of the action. In speech, it is pronounced 'o'.
チェックインをお願いしますと言います。
I say, 'Check-in, please.'
お
o
[oh]
honorific prefix
A polite prefix added to some words to make them sound more respectful, such as in お願い.
おを付けると丁寧になります。
Adding お makes it more polite.
願い
negai
[neh-guy]
request
Comes from 願う, 'to wish' or 'to request.' In お願いします, it helps form a polite request.
願いを丁寧に伝えます。
I express my request politely.
し
shi
[shee]
do
Part of the verb します, the polite form of する, meaning 'to do.'
確認しながらしを学びます。
I learn 'shi' while checking.
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.
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