How to Say ‘Please give me.’ in Japanese
をお願いします
o o negai shi masu
[oh oh neh-gahy shee mahs]
💬 Usage Tip: Put a food or drink before this pattern, like [お水をお願いします。] It is one of the safest ways to order politely.
🇯🇵 In Japan: This phrase is more polite and smoother than sounding too direct. Great for travelers at any kind of restaurant.
Phrase Breakdown
を
o
[oh]
object marker
A particle marking the item being requested or ordered.
ハンバーグをお願いしますのをは、注文する物を示します。
In “Hamburger steak, please,” o marks the thing being ordered.
お
o
[oh]
honorific/polite prefix
A polite prefix used in set expressions like requests.
をお願いしますのおは、やわらかい言い方です。
The o in “... please” makes the phrasing softer and more polite.
願い
negai
[neh-gahy]
request; favor
The core noun/verb stem related to asking for something politely.
注文では願いをこめて、をお願いしますと言います。
When ordering, you politely say “... please” with a sense of request.
し
shi
[shee]
do
Part of the verb します, used in many polite set phrases.
をお願いしますのしは、するの形です。
The shi in o onegaishimasu is the form of suru.
ます
masu
[mahs]
polite verb ending
A standard polite ending used in many Japanese sentences.
店でをお願いしますと言うと、ますで丁寧になります。
When you say “... please” at a restaurant, masu makes it polite.
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