please in Japanese

If you want to know how to say please in Japanese, two useful expressions are お願いします (onegai shimasu) and ください (kudasai). Both appear in requests, but they follow different patterns. The best choice depends on whether you are asking for an item, requesting a service, or asking someone to do something.

How Do You Say Please in Japanese?

A useful expression for please in Japanese is お願いします (onegai shimasu). It politely communicates a request and can stand alone when the other person already knows what you are asking for.

Another important expression is ください (kudasai). Use it after an item you want or after the te-form of a verb. The item-request pattern is useful when shopping in Japanese. Japanese does not have one word that can simply replace English “please” anywhere in a sentence.

Different Ways to Say Please in Japanese

Learn these expressions together with their sentence patterns. This helps you make requests that are both clear and appropriate for the situation.

1. お願いします (Onegai shimasu) — Please

お願いします (onegai shimasu) is a polite request expression. It is useful for ordering, asking for a service, or accepting help that someone has offered.

For example, お会計をお願いします (okaikei o onegai shimasu) means “the bill, please.” If someone offers to help and the request is clear, you can simply reply お願いします.

2. ください (Kudasai) — Please Give Me

Use noun + を + ください to ask for an item. For example, 水をください (mizu o kudasai) means “water, please” or “please give me water.”

The particle を is pronounced “o.” This pattern is useful when buying something or requesting an item. It is polite, but it is also a direct request.

3. 〜てください (Te kudasai) — Please Do Something

To ask someone to perform an action, put the verb in its te-form and add ください (kudasai). For example, 待ってください (matte kudasai) means “please wait.”

The te-form depends on the verb: 書く (kaku), “to write,” becomes 書いて (kaite), while 読む (yomu), “to read,” becomes 読んで (yonde). You cannot just add “te” to every dictionary form.

This pattern is common in instructions and everyday requests. When asking for a substantial favor, a question form can sound less direct.

4. お願い (Onegai) — Please, Casually

お願い (onegai) is a shortened, informal request expression. It can mean “please” when speaking to a friend, family member, or partner.

Depending on your tone, it may sound friendly, insistent, or pleading. Use お願いします (onegai shimasu) when you want a polite everyday request.

5. 〜ていただけますか (Te itadakemasu ka) — Could You Please?

Use a verb’s te-form followed by いただけますか (itadakemasu ka) for a respectful request. For example, 教えていただけますか (oshiete itadakemasu ka) means “could you please tell me?” or “could you please teach me?”, depending on context.

This question form is useful when asking someone for assistance. A simpler polite alternative is 〜てもらえますか (te moraemasu ka), which also asks whether the person can do something for you.

Please in Japanese: Quick Comparison

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How to Pronounce Please in Japanese

お願いします (onegai shimasu) can be divided into o-ne-ga-i / shi-ma-su. As a rough English guide, say “oh-neh-gah-ee shee-mah-soo,” keeping the vowels short.

In natural speech, the final “u” in shimasu is often very faint. Avoid strongly stressing one syllable or stretching the “ee” sound in shi.

ください (kudasai) can be divided into ku-da-sa-i. The last two vowels flow together, roughly like “sigh.” Listen and repeat the complete expression.

Onegai Shimasu vs. Kudasai: What Is the Difference?

Both expressions can be translated as “please,” but their grammar and uses differ. For an item, both 水をください (mizu o kudasai) and 水をお願いします (mizu o onegai shimasu) can work.

For a service or task, お願いします is useful with a noun, as in 予約をお願いします (yoyaku o onegai shimasu), “I would like to make a reservation.” When the request is understood, お願いします can also stand alone.

For an action expressed with a verb, use a suitable verb pattern, such as 待ってください (matte kudasai). Do not replace ください with お願いします directly after 待って as though they were interchangeable endings.

Neither expression guarantees that every request will sound gentle. Your tone, the size of the favor, and your relationship with the listener also matter.

How to Say Yes, Please in Japanese

はい、お願いします (hai, onegai shimasu) is a useful way to say “yes, please” when accepting an offer. For example, use it if someone offers to call a taxi or provide a bag.

どうぞ (dōzo) is sometimes translated as “please,” too, but it serves a different purpose. It usually invites the other person to proceed or accept something, as in “please, go ahead” or “here you are.”

Example Sentences Using Please in Japanese

These expressions are useful when ordering, asking someone to repeat themselves, or requesting help.

Use this while pointing to an item in a shop or on a menu.

This is helpful when you did not hear or understand what someone said.

You can begin with すみません (sumimasen), meaning “excuse me,” to get someone’s attention before making the request.

Summary: How to Say Please in Japanese

For please in Japanese, learn both お願いします (onegai shimasu) and ください (kudasai). Use them in complete patterns, such as 水をください, “water, please,” and お会計をお願いします, “the bill, please.”

To ask for an action, use the verb’s te-form plus ください, or a respectful question with いただけますか. When accepting an offer, はい、お願いします (hai, onegai shimasu) means “yes, please.”