お・
少々お待ちください. This is てください as staff, signs and announcements say it to customers and the public: a request, with respect for the person asked.
a sign
Please feel free to use these computers.
How to form it
お + Verb ます-stem + ください ご + する-noun + ください
待ちます → お待ちください, 確認する → ご確認ください. There is no て and no して in it. A few する-nouns take お: お電話ください. 見る and 来る have forms of their own: ご覧ください, お越しください.
Who is doing it?
Respectful forms raise what the other person does. Humble forms lower what you, or your side, do. You never raise yourself, and to an outsider you never raise your own family or company.
A request is something the other person does, so お～ください is respectful. You say it too: as host, when serving, or to a boss or teacher (部長、少々お待ちください).
More respectful than てください, but it still expects a yes. A real favor is usually asked with a question.
Where you'll meet it
on a website
Please check the details before sending.
in an email
If anything comes up, please contact us.
With どうぞ, or when it is for your own good, it is an invitation or a kind word.
Please come into the hall.
Have a safe trip home.
Verbs with a form of their own
| Verb | Please… |
|---|---|
| 見る | ご覧ください |
| 来る | お越しください |
| 食べる・飲む | お召し上がりください |
| 寝る | お休みください |
お見ください and お来ください don't exist. The other special respectful verbs take て and ください: おっしゃってください, なさってください.
Please have a look at this menu.
Please do come again.
on a food label
Please eat it soon.
Two respectful forms in one, but this one is accepted.
Where it goes wrong
お～して and ご～して are the humble お～する, for what you do yourself. They have no place in a request.
Not said: こちらで
(Please wait here.)
お待ちください.
Not said: 内容を
(Please check the details.)
ご確認ください, or 確認してください with no ご. Heard often, and still a mistake.
Not said: こちらで
(Please wait here.)
お goes with the ます-stem. With the て-form there is no お: 待ってください.
Please don't
お～ください has no negative of its own. For "please don't", signs and staff say ご遠慮ください, "please refrain", or keep ないでください.
Please refrain from smoking here.
Close neighbours
Asking a favor: a question the other person can say no to.
Excuse me, could you take a photo?
Check yourself
1Which one do staff say?
こちらの
Choose an answer to see why.
2Which one is right?
詳しくは
Choose an answer to see why.
3Which one is right?
一列に
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
くださいませ
In shops you also hear くださいませ, softer still: 少々お待ちくださいませ.
Written 下さい
On signs you will also see it in kanji: お待ち下さい. It is the same word.
More sentences
We're still getting ready, so please wait a moment.
Please fill in the required information on the application form.
Please check your reservation number before you go in.
Please show your ID at reception.
It's straight from the fryer, so please be careful not to burn yourself.
Please see the guide for the detailed schedule.