Use お願いする to ask for a service or favour, or to report making a request.
The idea
The person asked takes に and the thing or service takes を: 先生に説明をお願いします. お願いする conjugates like する; お願いします can also make a direct polite request.
| Dictionary form | Polite non-past | Polite negative | Polite past | て form |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| お願いする | お願いします | お願いしません | お願いしました | お願いして |
Examples
- 先生に説明をお願いしました。I asked my teacher for an explanation.
- 友達に手伝いをお願いします。I will ask a friend to help.
- コーヒーをお願いします。Please give me a coffee.
- 同僚に書類の確認をお願いしました。I asked my colleague to check the documents.
- 隣の人に猫の世話をお願いしませんでした。I did not ask the neighbour to look after the cat.
- 受付にタクシーをお願いして、待ちました。After asking the receptionist for a taxi, I waited.
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Watch out
A request does not guarantee that the action was done. For an action, use a noun such as 確認 or a clause with ように, rather than attaching a verb directly to を.
Try it yourself
＿。（お願いする→ます）
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お願いします
お願いします is the polite non-past form; it can itself be a polite request.
＿。（お願いする→て）
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お願いして
お願いして is the て form, formed with して, and can connect to a following action.
先生＿説明をお願いしました。（に／を）
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に
に marks the teacher as the person being asked; を marks the explanation.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
＿。（お願いする→ます）
＿。（お願いする→て）
先生＿説明をお願いしました。（に／を）
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Ask a colleague for help, then describe the request in the polite past.