どうぞ
dōzo[do̞ːzo̞]
The English phrase "please go ahead" is translated into Japanese as どうぞ (dōzo).
どうぞ is a polite expression used to grant permission to someone or to invite them to do something before you do it. It is also a common, concise response when someone asks for permission to perform an action.
Which one should you use?
While どうぞ can be used alone to give permission, adding a phrase like お先に makes your specific intent clearer, such as indicating someone should move ahead in a sequence or a queue. The form お先にどうぞ specifically emphasizes that the other person should go first in terms of movement or order, whereas 先にどうぞ is also used to mean "please go ahead."
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding お先に (o-saki ni) to どうぞ specifically emphasizes that the other person should go ahead of you in terms of sequence or movement.
How do you pronounce it?
dōzo
Did you know?
- In a Japanese elevator or doorway, you may see two people repeatedly saying どうぞ to each other as a polite 'battle' to decide who enters first.
- The emphatic particle ぞ at the end of どうぞ originally carried a much stronger, sometimes masculine or commanding tone, which has since softened into a polite invitation in modern usage.
- When offering a seat on a train, simply saying どうぞ while gesturing is often more natural and polite than using a full sentence, as the gesture provides the necessary context.
Examples in context
- お先にどうぞ。Please go ahead.This sentence shows how to use どうぞ to say "please go ahead."Tatoeba #226990 by bunbuku, translation #2249790 by CK
- どうぞ、ご自由にみてください。Please go ahead and take a look at your leisure.This sentence uses どうぞ to invite someone to look at something freely.Tatoeba #2461914 by flavio78, translation #5241225 by RoseTech
- 「電話を使わせてもらってもいいですか」「ええ、どうぞ」"Do you mind if I use your phone?" "No, please go ahead."This sentence demonstrates using どうぞ as a polite response to a request for permission.Tatoeba #236217 by mookeee, translation #73593 by CK
Example conversation
Misaki and Ren are entering a room together.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮さん、どうぞ。Ren-san, douzo.Ren, please go ahead.
- 蓮 Renありがとうございます。Arigatou gozaimasu.Thank you very much.
- 美咲 Misakiいいえ、気にしないでください。Iie, ki ni shinaide kudasai.No, please don't worry about it.
- 蓮 Renでは、失礼します。Dewa, shitsurei shimasu.Well then, excuse me.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry どうぞ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries どうぞ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
