お願い

onegai
noun, verb★Beginner
◆ What It Really Means
A polite way to ask for a favor or assistance, often used to soften a request.
Literal Meaning
Honorific request
Literal Breakdown
おhonorific prefix+願いrequest or wish
◇ Mental Image
A humble and polite gesture, often accompanied by a slight bow or gesture of respect.
◈ When to Use
A student politely asking a teacher for help with a difficult assignment.
◉ Cultural Note
In Japanese culture, politeness and respect are highly valued, and お願い is a common way to express a request in a respectful manner.
formalinformal

A request or plea; asking someone to do something

お願い、この仕事を手伝ってくれませんか？

Please, could you help me with this work?

お願いだから、静かにしてください。

I beg you, please be quiet.

💡

Can be used in both formal and informal contexts, depending on the situation and the relationship between the speaker and the listener.

Collocations

お願いするto requestお願いだI beg you

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

お願いしますphrase
Please (formal request)
お願いしますよphrase
I'm counting on you (informal)

💡Pro Tip

Politeness in requests

In Japanese, お願い is often used to soften a request, making it sound more polite and less demanding.

⚡Gold Rule

Context matters

The tone of お願い can vary from casual to very formal, depending on the situation and the relationship between the speaker and the listener.

📖Word Origin

Combination of お願い (request) and the verb する (to do), forming a common phrase used to make requests.

📝Usage Notes

Often used with the verb する (to do) to form the phrase お願いする (to request). Can also be used alone as a noun meaning 'request' or 'plea'.

Word Breakdown

お
honorific prefix
prefix
+
願い
request, wish
root
和英辞典