をお願いします
o onegaishimasu
In Japanese, "can I please have" is translated as をお願いします (o onegaishimasu).
This phrase is used when ordering food in a restaurant, requesting a service or asking for a specific object.
Which one should you use?
While をお願いします is very polite and standard for ordering, をください is also common but can sometimes sound more like a direct command to "give" something.
How do you pronounce it?
o onegaishimasu
Did you know?
- The word お願い (onegai) used in this phrase literally translates to 'a prayer' or 'a wish'. When you use it to order food, you are essentially saying 'I make a request/prayer for this item'.
- Depending on the region, some people use お願いします to politely decline an offer by pairing it with a gesture of waving the hand. The phrase then shifts to mean 'I'll pass on that, please'.
- In Japan, you can say お願いします without any noun before it to mean 'please do this for me' or 'I am in your hands'. This is common when handing a document to a colleague or starting a business meeting.
Examples in context
- お水をお願いします。Can I please have some water?
- この本をお願いします。Can I please have this book?
- コーヒーをお願いできますか？Can I please have some coffee?
- 席をお借りできますか？Can I please have this seat?
- メニューをお願いします。menyuu o onegaishimasu.Can I please have the menu?
Example conversation
Daito and Yui are at a cafe.
- 大翔 Hiroto結衣、何を飲む？Yui, nani o nomu?Yui, what will you drink?
- 結衣 Yui私は紅茶をお願いします。Watashi wa kōcha o onegaishimasu.I'll have the black tea, please.
- 大翔 Hirotoわかった。店員さん、すみません。Wakatta. Ten'in-san, sumimasen.Got it. Excuse me, waiter.
- 結衣 Yuiあ、ミルクもお願いします。A, miruku mo onegaishimasu.Oh, can I please have some milk too?
