How to Say ‘Request; favor’ in Japanese
お願い
o negai
[oh neh-guy]
💬 Usage Tip: お願い literally means a request or favor, but in set phrases like お願いします it works more like "please" or "I'm asking for your help." You'll also hear it after a noun to mean "that one, please," like コーヒーお願いします.
Phrase Breakdown
お
o
[oh]
honorific prefix used in polite expressions
The polite prefix お makes the following word sound more courteous.
お願いできますか。
Could you please do that?
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.
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