「お願いします」（onegaishimasu） is one of the most frequently used phrases in Japanese.
You hear it in shops, at work, at school, and in online chat.
It is very convenient, but at the same time it is also a phrase whose meaning can easily become vague.
Depending on the situation, it can be a request, a greeting, a way to say thank you, or a closing phrase.
For example:
「書類の確認、お願いします。」（Please check the document.）
「本日もよろしくお願いします。」（I look forward to working with you today.）
「いつもありがとうございます。今後ともお願いします。」（Thank you as always. I hope for your support in the future as well.）
Even though all of them use 「お願いします」, the role is different: asking for a concrete action, greeting before work, or expressing thanks and hoping for a long relationship.
In this article, we look at the function of 「お願いします」, and think about how to rephrase it so that your intention is clear to the listener.
We also include kana readings and IPA so that you can practice both meaning and pronunciation.
Grammatically, 「お願いします」 comes from the compound verb 「お願いする」（onegai-suru）.
「お願い」 is a noun, and 「する」 is a verb. Together they mean “to make a request”.
In real conversation, however, the noun part often appears alone, and other parts of the sentence are left out.
Because of this, the same 「お願いします」 is used for many different purposes.
Function
Meaning
Example
Reading (kana)
Pronunciation (IPA)
Request
Ask the other person to do something
「ご確認をお願いします。」（Please check it.）
（ごかくにんを おねがいします。）
[go kakɯnin o onega.i ɕimasɯ]
Greeting
Use at the start or end of a talk
「よろしくお願いします。」（Nice to meet you / I count on you.）
（よろしく おねがいします。）
[joɾoɕikɯ onega.i ɕimasɯ]
Thanks + request
Show thanks and also ask for future help
「いつもありがとうございます。今後ともお願いします。」（Thank you as always. I hope for your support in the future as well.）
「本日もよろしくお願いいたします。」（Thank you in advance for today.）
（ほんじつも よろしく おねがいいたします。）
[hoɴdʑitsɯmo joroɕikɯ onega.i itaɕimasɯ]
The sentence pattern is almost the same, but the nuance changes a lot depending on:
your relationship with the other person
how formal the situation is
what you want to do by saying the phrase
Also, there is usually some omission:
「確認をお願いします。」（Please check it.） → the action 「確認」（checking） is clear
「お願いします。」（Please.） → what to do is not said; it depends on the context
This kind of omission makes the phrase softer and less direct.
At the same time, it increases the risk that important information is missing.
In business emails or customer service, we need to add words so that the content of the request is clear.
If you use only 「お願いします」, your message can easily become vague.
To avoid this, make clear what you are asking and how you want the other person to cooperate.
Here are some common directions for rephrasing.
Rephrase type
Purpose
Example sentence
Reading (kana)
Pronunciation (IPA)
Explanation
Requesting an action
Ask for a concrete task
「ご確認いただけますか。」（Could you check it, please?）
（ごかくにん いただけますか。）
[go kakɯnin itadakemasɯka]
Makes the action 「確認」（to check） clear, and uses a soft question form.
Requesting an action
Ask politely for handling
「ご対応をお願いいたします。」（Thank you in advance for your handling.）
（ごたいおうを おねがいいたします。）
[go tai.oː o onega.i itaɕimasɯ]
Uses 「対応」 to refer to necessary steps or processing without being too detailed.
Requesting continued support
Ask for future cooperation
「今後ともよろしくお願いいたします。」（I hope for your continued support.）
（こんごとも よろしく おねがいいたします。）
[koŋgo tomo joroɕikɯ onega.i itaɕimasɯ]
Used when you already have a relationship and want it to continue.
Requesting with thanks
Ask while showing care for their busy schedule
「ご多忙のところ恐縮ですが、ご確認をお願いいたします。」（I know you are busy, but please check it.）
（ごたぼうの ところ きょうしゅくですが、ごかくにんを おねがいいたします。）
[go taboː no tokoro kʲoːɕɯkɯ desɯga, go kakɯnin o onega.i itaɕimasɯ]
Refers to their busy situation and shows respect while making the request.
Requesting confirmation
Ask for judgment or approval
「問題ないかご確認ください。」（Please check if there is any problem.）
（もんだいないか ごかくにんください。）
[moːndai nai ka go kakɯnin kɯdasai]
Asks them to confirm that there is no problem before you act.
Requesting a decision
Ask for their opinion or decision
「差し支えなければ、ご意見をお聞かせください。」（If possible, please share your opinion.）
（さしつかえなければ、ごいけんを おきかせください。）
[saɕitsɯkae nakeɾeba, go ikʲeɴ o okikase kɯdasai]
Does not say just 「お願いします」 but clearly names the requested item: their opinion.
Note
IPA is only a guide. Long vowels and the nasal sound 「ん」 change slightly in natural speech. Please check together with the kana readings.
Now let’s look at how to choose expressions in real situations.
In every example, we try to say the intention directly instead of relying only on 「お願いします」.
Scene
What you want to do
Good rephrase
Reading (kana)
Pronunciation (IPA)
Why it works
Service（cashier line）
Ask customers to line up
「こちらにお並びください。」（Please line up here.）
（こちらに おならびください。）
[koʨiɾa ni onarabikɯdasai]
Names the concrete action 「並ぶ」（to line up） and gives a polite instruction.
Service（handing items）
Ask them to check the order
「ご注文の内容をご確認ください。」（Please check your order.）
（ごちゅうもんの ないようを ごかくにんください。）
[go ʨɯːmoɴ no naijoː o go kakɯnin kɯdasai]
Shows exactly what to do instead of only saying 「お願いします」.
Service（giving a warning）
Tell a rule gently
「他のお客さまのために、ここでの撮影はご遠慮ください。」（For other customers, please refrain from taking photos here.）
（ほかの おきゃくさまの ために、ここでの さつえいは ごえんりょください。）
[hoka no okʲakɯsama no tame ni, koko de no satsɯeː wa go eɴɾʲo kɯdasai]
Uses 「ご遠慮ください」 to politely say “please don’t”, without sounding aggressive.
In-house（email）
Ask a colleague to check and reply
「資料をご確認のうえ、ご返信をお願いいたします。」（Please check the document and then reply.）
（しりょうを ごかくにんのうえ、ごへんしんを おねがいいたします。）
[ɕiɾʲoː o go kakɯnin no ɯe, go heɴɕiɴ o onega.i itaɕimasɯ]
Shows the order of actions: first check the document, then send a reply.
External partner
Ask to keep a good relationship
「引き続きご支援のほど、よろしくお願いいたします。」（We appreciate your continued support.）
（ひきつづき ごしえんのほど、よろしく おねがいいたします。）
[hikitsɯdzɯki go ɕieɴ no hodo, joroɕikɯ onega.i itaɕimasɯ]
A polite social phrase that fits ongoing business relationships.
In-house（morning greeting）
Greet colleagues before work
「本日もよろしくお願いいたします。」（Let’s work well together today.）
（ほんじつも よろしく おねがいいたします。）
[hoɴdʑitsɯmo joroɕikɯ onega.i itaɕimasɯ]
A standard greeting that asks gently for cooperation for the day.
External（declining a request）
Say “no” politely
「申し訳ありませんが、今回は見送らせていただきます。」（I’m sorry, but we will pass this time.）
（もうしわけありませんが、こんかいは みおくらせて いただきます。）
[moːɕiwake aɾimasen ga, koŋkai wa mio?kɯɾasete itadakimasɯ]
Does not use 「お願いします」; clearly refuses but in a soft and respectful way.
Here we look briefly at 「お願いします」 from a grammar point of view.
「お願いする」 is noun + verb
「お願い」：a noun meaning “request”
「する」：a verb meaning “to do”
Together, they work like one verb: 「お願いする」（to make a request）.
Polite form becomes 「お願いします」
Plain form: 「お願いする」
Polite form: 「お願いします」
In real use, the subject（who） and object（what） are often left out and guessed from context.
Sometimes only the noun part appears
In conversation, people may use only the noun part plus some extra words:
「一つお願いがあります。」（I have one request.）
「最後にもう一つだけお願いしてもいいですか。」（May I ask just one more thing at the end?）
In these cases, it is important to explain the content of the request in the following sentence.
Balance between softness and missing information
「確認をお願いします。」（Please check it.） → the target of the request is clear
「お願いします。」（Please.） → the target is not clear; it depends on the situation
The shorter form sounds softer and less pushy, but it can also hide what you actually want.
Especially in emails or chat, where the listener cannot see your face or hear your voice, it is safer to show enough information in words.
「お願いします」 is a very useful expression, but its purpose can easily become unclear.
If you sort its functions into “request”, “greeting”, “thanks + request”, and “social phrase”, it becomes easier to choose your words.
When you rephrase, the basic point is to show what you are asking for and how you want the other person to cooperate.
In business or service situations, combine “request + concrete action” and “greeting + keeping a good relationship” so that your sentence has a clear goal.
Instead of relying only on 「お願いします」 as a magic phrase, build a toolbox of expressions that match each situation. This way you can be polite even with simple words.
Next: Rephrase Your Words ⑥ Find words that express 「すごい」 more precisely
