How to Say ‘Please’ in Japanese
お願い
o negai
[oh neh-guy]
🇯🇵 In Japan: Dropping the します from お願いします makes it a casual request. A senior staff member would use this with you, but you should keep the full お願いします when asking them.
Phrase Breakdown
お
o
[oh]
honorific prefix used in polite expressions
The polite prefix お makes the following word sound more courteous.
お願いできますか。
Could you please do that?
願い
negai
[neh-guy]
request; favor
願い refers to a wish or request, and in お願い it forms a polite request expression.
お願いがあります。
I have a request.
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