JLPT N5–N2Register guide

Furigana

Choosing the right Japanese request

Do not choose a request by politeness level alone. First decide whether you want a thing, an action, or non-action. Then ask what kind of situation this is: a favor between close people, a clear instruction, a respectful service interaction, or an institutional message. Finally, decide how much room you want to leave for the listener’s response. A more formal form can still be quite directive.

Make three decisions

Start with the requested result. A thing uses a noun request; an action uses an action request; preventing an action uses a negative request. Next, match the relationship and setting. Close conversation permits short familiar forms, while customers, superiors, and the public call for other choices. Last, distinguish a direct request from a question or hoped-for outcome. Questions often leave a clearer opening for the listener to respond, but wording alone cannot remove the burden of a difficult favor.

A thing, an action, or restraint

These three ordinary polite patterns differ first in what result the speaker wants. They are polite in form, but the action and negative-action versions still tell the listener clearly what to do.

温あたたかいお茶ちゃをください。

Some hot tea, please.

This asks for an item that can be supplied.

お茶ちゃをこちらに置おいてください。

Please put the tea here.

This asks the listener to perform an action.

この机つくえには荷に物もつを置おかないでください。

Please do not put luggage on this desk.

This asks the listener to refrain from an action and may function as a firm rule.

Three familiar spoken choices

Close relationships allow several short forms, but they do not have the same stance. The bare te-form is simply direct and casual. A negative question frames the action as a favor. The final choice below adds a stronger personal “do it for me” feeling and often suits intimate, caregiver-like, or downward-directed speech.

ねえ、窓まどを少すこし開あけて。

Hey, open the window a little.

Natural with someone close; potentially abrupt with a stranger or superior.

帰かえりにパンを買かってきてもらえない？

Could you pick up some bread on your way back?

The negative question asks whether the speaker can receive the action as a favor; it does not predict refusal.

この箱はこを棚たなに戻もどしてちょうだい。

Please put this box back on the shelf for me.

Familiar and personally directed; tone can make it affectionate, routine, or insistent.

Two viewpoints on a familiar favor

With てくれない, the listener’s action is viewed as coming toward the speaker. With てもらえない, the speaker is presented as receiving that action. Both are common conversational requests among familiar people; the difference is viewpoint, not a fixed ranking of politeness.

A cautious question is not automatically an action request

The cautious question ending でしょうか can ask for information or confirm an arrangement. It does not itself mean “please perform this action.” For a clearly deferential action request, ていただけませんか asks whether the speaker can receive the listener’s action.

受うけ付つけは何なん時じまででしょうか。

Until what time is reception open?

This is a careful information question, not a request for an action.

こちらの書しょ類るいに署しょ名めいしていただけませんか。

Could you sign this document?

This explicitly requests the listener’s action and is highly deferential.

Respectful service directions and invitations

In service, announcements, signs, and formal invitations, a respectful request can honor the listener’s action without turning the sentence into a personal-favor question. Common combinations should be learned as whole expressions rather than built mechanically with every verb.

どうぞこちらでお掛かけください。

Please have a seat here.

A respectful service invitation using the verb stem.

入にゅう場じょう前まえに予よ約やく番ばん号ごうをご確かく認にんください。

Please confirm your reservation number before entering.

A conventional respectful request using a verbal noun.

Stating what action you want to receive

These forms state the speaker’s desire for someone else to act. The ordinary form can be direct when addressed to the intended doer. The deferential form treats the received action respectfully, but it still states what the speaker wants and may sound like a firm expectation when used by a manager or institution.

みんなには自じ分ぶんの意い見けんを話はなしてもらいたい。

I want everyone to express their own opinion.

The speaker states the desired action directly.

参さん加か者しゃの皆みな様さまには、開かい始し時じ刻こくまでに着ちゃく席せきしていただきたいと思おもいます。

We ask that all participants be seated by the starting time.

The wording is deferential, but the institutional context creates a clear expectation.

Three formal institutional framings

Formal organizational requests are not all equally direct. The first form states the request as an official instruction. The second asks formally whether compliance is possible. The third presents compliance as the outcome the writer hopes for and is especially natural in carefully worded messages.

申しん請せい書しょは今こん月げつ末まつまでにご提てい出しゅつ願ねがいます。

Please submit the application form by the end of this month.

A direct formal request or instruction from an organization.

修しゅう正せい版ばんを明日あしたまでにご送そう付ふ願ねがえますか。

Could we ask you to send the revised version by tomorrow?

The formal question leaves an explicit opening for a response.

ご意い見けんは来らい週しゅうまでにお寄よせいただければと思おもいます。

We would appreciate receiving your comments by next week.

The requested action is presented indirectly as a hoped-for outcome.

Safe practical defaults

For a routine item in a shop, use the ordinary noun request. For clear everyday directions, use the ordinary polite action or negative-action request. With friends, choose a familiar form that fits your usual relationship rather than assuming every casual form is interchangeable. For a favor to a teacher, client, superior, or unfamiliar person, a deferential question is a reliable choice. In customer service, public guidance, or formal invitations, respectful action language is often more natural than a personal-favor question. Reserve the most institutional forms for notices, business correspondence, and official announcements.

More examples across the family

持もち帰かえり用ようの袋ふくろを一いち枚まいください。

One takeout bag, please.

到とう着ちゃくしたら、この番ばん号ごうに電でん話わしてください。

Please call this number when you arrive.

会かい議ぎ中ちゅうはドアを開あけないでください。

Please do not open the door during the meeting.

悪わるい、この荷に物もつちょっと持もって。

Sorry—hold this bag for a second.

この表ひょう、あとで確かく認にんしてくれない？

Could you check this table later?

次つぎの便びんは何なん番ばん乗のり場ばでしょうか。

Which platform does the next service leave from?

恐おそれ入いりますが、こちらで少しょう々しょうお待まちいただけませんか。

I’m sorry to trouble you, but could you wait here for a moment?

詳くわしい日にっ程ていは案あん内ない書しょをご覧らんください。

Please see the guide for the detailed schedule.

この件けんは担たん当とう者しゃから直ちょく接せつ説せつ明めいしてもらいたい。

I want the person in charge to explain this directly.

受うけ付つけでは身み分ぶん証しょうをご提てい示じ願ねがいます。

Please present identification at reception.

内ない容ようをご確かく認にんのうえ、ご回かい答とう願ねがえますか。

Could we ask you to review the details and reply?

欠けっ席せきの場ば合あいは、前ぜん日じつまでにお知しらせいただければと思おもいます。

If you will be absent, we would appreciate being notified by the previous day.

出でかける前まえに部屋へやを片かたづけてちょうだい。

Please tidy your room before you go out.

Natural, for example, from a caregiver to a child; it is not a generally polite request.

How the Japanese honorific system fits togetherUse this guide next to understand why some request forms respectfully raise the listener’s action while others humbly present the speaker as receiving it.Commands and prohibitions by strength and settingUse this guide to compare direct control of the listener’s behavior with a request that leaves room for cooperation.Talking about wants and desiresThis guide clarifies how stating a desire for another person’s action differs from asking that person with a question.Permission, optional actions, and practical acceptabilityUse this guide when the speaker wants authorization to act rather than asking the listener to perform the action.