What does it mean word for word?
Literally, よろしくお願いします translates to 'please treat me well' or 'please look after me', representing a request for a favorable relationship or outcome.
Which one should you use?
While よろしくお願いします is the standard polite form, よろしくお願いいたします is an even more formal and humble version used in business or when addressing someone of much higher status. For a much more casual setting, you can use the informal version よろしく.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
よろしくお願いします is a formal way to say thank you in advance. For extremely high-status situations or professional business contexts, use the humble よろしくお願いいたします. In contrast, よろしく is an informal and relaxed version used among friends and acquaintances.
How do you pronounce it?
yoroshiku onegaishimasu
When do people say it?
When making a request that might be a burden, you can use the formal phrase お手数をおかけします to acknowledge that a request may inconvenience or burden the person being asked.
Did you know?
- The phrase is so versatile that it can also be used as a greeting when meeting someone for the first time. In that context, it functions more like 'it is a pleasure to meet you' than 'thank you in advance'.
- While the phrase can mean 'thank you in advance', its heart lies in the word よろしく, which stems from an adjective meaning 'good' or 'proper'. You are essentially asking the other person to act in a 'good' or 'suitable' manner toward you.
- In Japanese emails, よろしくお願いします often serves as a standard closing sentence, similar to how English speakers use 'Sincerely' or 'Best regards', regardless of whether a specific favor was asked for in the text.
Examples in context
- よろしくお願いします。Thank you in advance.This sentence demonstrates how to use よろしくお願いします to say 'Thank you in advance'.Tatoeba #806267 by pllim, translation #29863 by CK
- プロジェクトの手伝いをしていただけますか。よろしくお願いします。Could you help me with the project? Thank you in advance.
- 大事な書類の送付をお願いします。お手数をおかけします。Could you please send me the important documents? Thank you in advance for your trouble.
- チケットを取ってくれる？よろしく！Can you get the ticket for me? Thanks in advance!
- 資料のチェック、よろしくお願いします。Shiryou no chekku, yoroshiku onegaishimasu.Please check the documents, thank you in advance.
- 明日の件、よろしくお願いします。Ashita no ken, yoroshiku onegaishimasu.Regarding tomorrow's matter, thank you in advance.
Example conversation
Himari asks Hinata to help her with a project.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太さん、この作業を手伝ってくれますか？Hinata-san, kono sagyou o tetsudatte kuremasu ka?Hinata, can you help me with this task?
- 陽太 Yotaいいですよ。やってみます。Ii desu yo. Yatte mimasu.Sure, I will give it a try.
- 陽葵 Himari助かります。よろしくお願いします。Tasukarimasu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.That helps a lot. Thank you in advance.
- 陽太 Yotaいえいえ、任せてください。Iie ie, makasete kudasai.No problem, leave it to me.
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.
