How to Say ‘Can you make it ~?’ in Japanese
〜にできますか
ni deki masu ka
[nee deh-kee mah-soo kah]
💬 Usage Tip: [〜にできますか] is the go-to customization request: “Can you make it ~?” Insert your preference before [に].
🇯🇵 In Japan: This phrasing is polite and non-demanding—good for Japan where “asking softly” is appreciated.
Phrase Breakdown
〜に
ni
[nee]
to / as (choice)
Marks the option you choose: 'as ~' or 'to ~' (e.g., 'as coffee', 'to medium size').
アイスにします。
I’ll have it iced.
Words in this phrase
に
ni
[nee]
to / into
に marks the target state/change: “make it into ~ / set it to ~.”
塩少なめにできますか。
Can you make it less salty?
できます
deki masu
[deh-kee]
can do / is possible (polite)
Polite form meaning 'it can be done' or 'is possible.'
変更できます。
We can change it.
Words in this phrase
でき
deki
[deh-kee]
can do / be able to (stem)
でき is the stem of できる (“can do / can make it”). Used with ます for polite speech.
塩少なめにできませんか。
Could you make it with less salt?
ます
masu
[mah-soo]
polite ending (ます form)
ます makes the verb polite; common in customer-service and ordering.
塩少なめにできますか。
Can you do it with less salt?
か
ka
[kah]
question marker
か at the end turns the sentence into a polite question.
塩少なめにできますか。
Can you make it with less salt?
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