Learn Japanese effortlessly! You know that you attract more bees with honey. That is, you’ll get what you want by being polite to people. Just think about the last time you flew on an airplane. The attendant didn’t order you to fasten your seatbelt. Instead, I’ll bet she said, “Please fasten your seatbelt.” This Lower Intermediate Japanese article shows you how to make very polite requests in Japanese. You’ll master the many ways that the Japanese phrase o ~ kudasai can be used to politely ask for what you want. Being polite in Japanese is extremely important, so learn how to ask for anything nicely here.
Vocabulary: In this article, you’ll learn the following words and phrases:
migigawa – “(the) right side”
kinchoo suru – “to feel nervous”
hikooki – “airplane”
bin – “flight”
yotei – “plans, arrangements, schedules”
keitaidenwa – “cell phone, mobile phone”
dengen – “power switch” (electronics)
zaseki – “seat”
tsuuro – “aisle, passage”
kyakushitsujoomuin – “a flight attendant, a cabin attendant”
ririku suru – “to take off”
Grammar: In this article, you’ll learn the following words and phrases: Today’s grammar point is “o ~ kudasai.” This phrase expresses a very polite request. The three examples below are very polite requests to the passengers from a flight attendant.
- Today’s Example 1: Shiito beruto o o-shime kudasai. “Please fasten your seatbelt.”
- Today’s Example 2: Keitaidenwa no dengen mo o-kiri kudasai. “Please turn off your cell phone, too.”
- Today’s Example 3: Furaito o go-yukkuri o-tanoshimi kudasai. “We hope that you have a pleasant flight.” (literally, “Please enjoy your flight.”)
Formation
o + V masu stem + kudasai
Examples:
- O-kutsurogi kudasai. “Please make yourself comfortable.”
- O-kuchi ni awanai kamo shiremasen ga, Doozo o-tabe kudasai. “I’m not sure if you’ll like it, but please try it.”
- Kondo no paatii wa, o-tomodachi mo zehi o-sasoi kudasai. “Please be sure to invite your friends to the next party.”
- Iranai mono o o-uri kudasai. Nan demo kaitorimasu. “Please sell any items you don’t need to us. We’ll purchase anything.”