How to Say ‘Please’ in Japanese
お願いします
o negai shi masu
[o neh-guy shee mahss]
💬 Usage Tip: [お願いします] is a very flexible polite way to mean "please" in service situations. You can attach it to lots of choices: [ホットでお願いします], [少しだけお願いします], [オーツミルクでお願いします].
Phrase Breakdown
お
o
[o]
honorific prefix
A polite prefix often attached to words to make the expression more courteous.
お水をお願いします。
Water, please.
願い
negai
[neh-guy]
request / wish
This part comes from 願う, related to requesting or wishing for something.
願いがかなうといいですね。
I hope your wish comes true.
し
shi
[shee]
do
Part of the polite verb form します, from する, meaning to do.
確認しませんか。
Shall we confirm it?
ます
masu
[mahss]
polite verb ending
A polite ending used in Japanese verbs, as in します or お願いします.
少し待ちます。
I will wait a little.
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