How to Say ‘Please’ in Japanese
お願いします
o negai shi masu
[o neh-gai shee mahs]
💬 Usage Tip: [お願いします] is broader than just "please" — it's often used when requesting or confirming a service. In bookings and orders, attaching it to your choice sounds natural: [七時でお願いします] or [二名でお願いします].
Phrase Breakdown
お
o
[o]
honorific prefix
A polite prefix used in many respectful expressions.
予約をお願いします。
A reservation, please.
願い
negai
[neh-gai]
request; favor
The noun part of お願いします, used when politely asking for something.
予約をお願いします。
A reservation, please.
し
shi
[shee]
do
From する, used here in the polite request expression お願いします.
予約をお願いします。
A reservation, please.
ます
masu
[mahs]
polite verb ending
The polite ending that makes the request formal and courteous.
予約をお願いします。
A reservation, please.
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