Translation guide
How to say 'open the door' in Japanese, covering requests, commands, and descriptions.
Politely or casually asking someone to open a door.
Polite request. Use in most situations with strangers, acquaintances, or in service contexts.
Excuse me, please open the door.
Casual request. Use with friends, family, or children.
Open the door for a sec.
Very polite request. Suitable for formal situations or when speaking to superiors.
Sorry to trouble you, but could you open the door?
Casual, friendly request. Often used among close friends. Can sound blunt if intonation is off.
Sorry, but could you open the door?
Giving a direct order or strong instruction.
Talking about opening a door in a statement or narrative.
Transitive verb. Used when someone opens a door. The subject is the person doing the opening.
He slowly opened the door.
Intransitive verb. Used when a door opens by itself or the focus is on the door opening. Note: 開く can also be read あく, but ひらく is common for doors.
The door opened because of the wind.
To leave the door open. Combines 開ける with ～ておく (do in advance/leave as is).
Please leave the door open for ventilation.
The polite act of holding a door open for another person.
Specifically opening a door that is locked or latched.
Unlock the door. Use when the door is locked and you need to unlock it first.
Please unlock the door before entering.
Release the door lock. More technical, used for electronic or car door locks.
I unlocked the door with the remote.
開ける is transitive (someone opens something). 開く is intransitive (something opens). For doors, 開く is usually read ひらく, but あく is also possible in some contexts. Use ドアを開ける for 'open the door' as an action, and ドアが開く for 'the door opens'.
The English phrase 'open the door' can metaphorically mean to create opportunities. In Japanese, this is not translated literally. Use expressions like 道を開く (みちをひらく, pave the way) or 可能性を広げる (かのうせいをひろげる, expand possibilities).
Thank you for opening the door and waiting for me.