How to Say ‘Can you come? (polite)’ in Japanese
来られますか？
ko rare masu ka
[koh (as in kuru) rah-reh mah-s kah]
💬 Usage Tip: [来られますか？] is polite and also functions as a potential form (“are you able to come?”). Even more polite: [来ていただけますか？].
🇯🇵 In Japan: Rather than sounding demanding, Japanese often asks about “possibility/ability,” especially when requesting a visit for repairs.
Phrase Breakdown
来
ko
[koh (as in kuru)]
come (honorific/polite potential form of 来る)
来 in this pattern is from 来る (to come). With られます it becomes a polite form that can mean “can you come?” and also sounds respectful—good for a landlord or plumber.
修理に 来 られますか？
Can you come to repair it?
られ
rare
[rah-reh]
(part of) polite form indicating “can/able to” and/or honorific tone
られ (as in 来られます) adds a respectful/polite nuance and often functions like “can (come)” in this context. Common when asking service people about availability.
きょうの午後に 来 られ ますか？
Can you come this afternoon?
ます
masu
[mah-s]
(polite verb ending) “can/do/will”
Makes the question polite. Very useful when talking to your landlord/management company.
あしたの午前に来られ ます か？
Can you come tomorrow morning?
か
ka
[kah]
question particle “?”
か turns the sentence into a question in polite speech.
いつ来られます か？
When can you come?
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