Japanese thrives on context.<\/p>\n
Although it has a reputation for being unusual in that regard, in fact context is important in nearly all languages.<\/p>\n
In addition to the linguistic context of a specific sentence, many languages also have special rules for specific social or cultural contexts.<\/p>\n
In English, for example, the way you speak to a co-worker your age will be different than the way you speak to your direct supervisor, and both will probably be different than how you speak when you’re at home talking to your children.<\/p>\n
Japanese<\/a> has a fairly complicated system of language called keigo (敬語) used to show respect when speaking in more formal situations.<\/p>\n Although it’s typically referred to as a system of “honorifics,” keigo also involves respectful and humble forms of verbs, as well as what linguists call “nominalization” or turning verbs<\/a><\/strong> into nouns.<\/p>\n In Japanese, that typically means adding する or one of its respectful or humble equivalents to the end.<\/p>\n All of these come into play with today’s topic, the Japanese equivalent of the word “please.” The basic way to say “please” when making a request is 「お願いします。」 (onegai shimasu). Interestingly, this version of the word actually is an example of keigo, as it uses humble speech. You can turn this into casual speech by just saying 「お願い。」 or more formal by swapping out しますfor いたします, a more humble form of the verb する. <\/strong><\/p>\n If you need to really amp up the formality<\/a><\/strong>, you can say 「お願い申し上げます。」 (onegai moushiagemasu).<\/p>\n Another formal word for “please” in Japanese is 「どうか」 (douka), which carries connotations of sincere begging.<\/p>\n In a restaurant or similar setting when you’re a customer asking for something, you should use the respectful word「下さい」 (kudasai) instead in most cases.<\/p>\n If, on the other hand, you’re inviting someone to take something offered or otherwise make themselves at home, you can use the word「どうぞ」(douzo).<\/p>\n In more casual contexts you might hear「頼む」(tanomu), a word that means “beg” but has come to be used as “please” in colloquial speech and「頂戴」(choudai), which is technically humble language but is now used typically by women to say “please” in an endearing way. A lot more can be said about keigo (敬語), the system of polite and formal language in Japanese, than can be fit into a single article.<\/p>\n Indeed, even<\/a><\/strong> in Japan keigo is an esoteric topic for many younger people or those who don’t need to use it on a regular basis.<\/p>\n For now, suffice it to say that the main elements of formal language in Japanese are humble and polite versions of standard verbs<\/a><\/strong>, replacing verbs with a noun equivalent followed by the verb する (suru) or いたします (itashimasu), special set phrases and polite prefixes or suffixes such as 御 (o) and 様 (sama).<\/p>\n What’s more, you can fine-tune the level of formality by combining these elements, so that もらいます (moraimasu “to receive”) can become 頂きます (itadakimasu) if you want to show sincere thanks or くださる (kudasaru) if you need to express respect<\/a><\/strong> or esteem for the person giving you something.<\/p>\n If you want to oversimplify just to wrap your head around the concept, you can assume that the longer a sentence is the more formal its tone.<\/p>\n That isn’t always<\/em> true, but it’s a good enough guidepost for our purposes here.<\/p>\n An example which really shows that principle is “sorry<\/a>,<\/strong>” which can be said with increasing formality as ごめん (gomen), ごめんなさい (gomen nasai) and 申し訳ございません (moushiwake gozaimasen).<\/p>\n With this 10,000 mile view of keigo out of the way, let’s move on to our main topic: the word “please.” The standard, reasonably polite way of saying “please” in Japanese is the phrase 「お願いします」 (onegai shimasu).<\/p>\n The core part of this phrase, 願い, translates literally as “a wish” or “a request.”<\/p>\n In front of it we have<\/a><\/strong> the polite prefix, お (sometimes written in kanji<\/a><\/strong> as 御), and at the end is します, the polite version of the verb する, meaning “to do.”<\/p>\n So taken literally, this phrase is “Do the request.”<\/p>\n Literal translations often being worthless, it’s best to interpret this as “please” or perhaps “please do.”<\/p>\n Part of why お願い is so useful is that you can customize it to the level of formality that meets your needs.<\/p>\n If you’re in a very casual setting, you can drop the します, leaving you with a simple「お願い。」<\/p>\n Contrarily, if you need to make things more formal you can use humble speech and say「お願いいたします。」(onegai itashimasu).<\/p>\n For those rare occasions where いたします is not enough, you can even break out 「お願い申し上げます。」(onegai moushiagemasu).<\/p>\n Here, お願い is used without a verb. While that may technically be ungrammatical, it is a standard feature of colloquial Japanese, as is the general lack of particles elsehwere in this example.<\/p>\n 「ぜひご検討をお願い申し上げます。」<\/p>\n “Please give it your utmost consideration.”<\/p>\n Here, お願い takes on one of its most formal patterns. The tone of this would put it at home in a very heirarchical corporate setting. Unlike お願い, the word どうか (douka) has a pretty specific connotation.<\/p>\n
\n <\/p>\nHow do you say “please” in Japanese?<\/h2>\n
\n <\/p>\nKeigo: it’s not just for business Japanese<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n <\/p>\nお願いします and its cousins<\/h2>\n
Examples<\/h3>\n
\n <\/p>\nどうか: a pleading word for “please”<\/h2>\n