Translation guide
The English verb "beg" covers a range of situations from desperate pleading to polite requests and even describing a dog's trick. This guide organizes the most common meanings and provides natural Japanese equivalents for each.
To ask for something in a desperate, emotional, or urgent way, often involving strong feelings like fear or need.
A formal and strong word for earnestly pleading or entreating. Used in serious contexts.
He begged for his life.
Literally 'to ask desperately.' Conveys a sense of urgency and desperation.
She desperately begged for help.
A literary or formal term for supplicating or begging with pathos. Rare in everyday speech.
The prisoner begged for forgiveness.
To ask strangers for money, food, or other necessities, often in a public place.
The standard term for begging as a livelihood or on the street. Can be used as a noun (物乞い) or verb phrase.
I saw a person begging in front of the station.
A blunt noun meaning 'beggar.' Can be derogatory; use with caution.
Considered derogatory; avoid using to refer to people directly.
To ask for something in a very polite, humble, or formal way, often using set phrases.
The most common polite way to say 'please' or to make a request. Not as strong as 'beg,' but used in many situations where English might use 'beg' politely.
I beg you for another chance.
A very formal and humble expression used in business or official contexts. Closer to 'I humbly beg you.'
An emphatic way to plead politely. 'I beg of you, please.'
I beg you, please forgive me.
To command or ask a dog to sit up on its hind legs with front paws raised.
The standard command for a dog to 'beg' or 'sit up.' Often used as a noun or interjection.
When I said 'beg' to the dog, it sat up.
To make a dog do the 'beg' trick.
He made the dog beg.
To assume the truth of the conclusion in the premise; a circular argument.
A polite phrase used to apologize or ask someone to repeat what they said.
The most common way to say 'excuse me' or 'I beg your pardon' in everyday situations.
I beg your pardon, could you say that again?
A more formal apology, like 'I beg your pardon' when you've made a mistake.
I beg your pardon, I got your name wrong.
The English verb 'beg' is often used in polite requests ('I beg you to reconsider'), but directly translating this into Japanese can sound overly dramatic or unnatural. Use appropriate polite request forms instead.
In Japanese, the distinction between 'asking' and 'begging' is often conveyed by the level of politeness and desperation in the phrasing. 頼む (tanomu) is 'to ask,' while 懇願する (kongan suru) is 'to beg earnestly.' Choose based on the intensity of the request.
彼は乞食に小銭を渡した。
He gave some change to a beggar.
I beg you to consider it.
Circular reasoning; often used interchangeably with 論点先取.
That's begging the question.