よろしくお願いします
yoroshiku onegaishimasu
The English phrase "best regards" can be translated into Japanese as よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegaishimasu).
よろしくお願いします is a versatile phrase used as a polite closing in emails or letters. Beyond its use as a closing remark, it is also a standard greeting used when meeting someone for the first time or when starting a new relationship.
Meaning: polite closing of a letter (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of yoroshiku (suitably/well) and onegaishimasu (please/I make a request), which literally means "please treat me favorably".
Which one should you use?
For higher levels of politeness, you can use よろしくお願いいたします instead of よろしくお願いします. Additionally, よろしくお願い申し上げます is a formal and respectful way to express best regards when meeting someone for the first time or as a closing remark in formal letters or emails. For the specific purpose of ending a formal business letter or email, you may also use 敬具 to mean "Respectfully" or "Best Regards".
How do you pronounce it?
yoroshiku onegaishimasu
Did you know?
- In extremely formal contexts, 申し上げます changes the verb from 'request' to 'humbly state', effectively lowering the speaker's social position to elevate the recipient.
- The word よろしく is derived from an adjective meaning 'good' or 'appropriate', shifting the meaning from a description of a state to a request for a relationship.
- The phrase can be used to ask someone for a favor without explicitly stating what the favor is, as the meaning is understood through the context of the situation.
Examples in context
- よろしくお願いします、シリヤ。Best regards, Silja.This example shows how to use よろしくお願いします as a closing with a name.Tatoeba #2662183 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #2662176 by tsp_2
- よろしくお願いします。My best regards.This example demonstrates the use of よろしくお願いします as a standalone closing.Tatoeba #806267 by pllim, translation #806268 by pllim
- 将来のご繁栄を心より祈念いたしております。よろしくお願い申し上げます。We sincerely pray for your future prosperity. Best regards.
- 今後ともよろしくお願いします。Kongo tomo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.Best regards for our future relationship.
Example conversation
Kenta is finishing a formal email to Misaki about a new project.
- 健太 Kenta資料を送りました。よろしくお願いします。Shiryo o okurimashita. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.I sent the documents. Best regards.
- 美咲 Misaki健太さん、確認しておきますね。Kenta-san, kakunin shite okimasu ne.Kenta, I will check them.
- 健太 Kentaありがとうございます。Arigato gozaimasu.Thank you very much.
- 美咲 Misakiいえいえ、こちらこそよろしくお願いします。Ie ie, kochira koso yoroshiku onegaishimasu.No problem, best regards to you too.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry よろしくお願いします, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
