Japanese - Requests

Lesson 151 of 168

A helpful scene in Japanese: a polite request at a train station information desk, showing Japanese request phrases on a small sign.

Goal: Polite, useful ways to ask for help

Free Japanese lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Ready to ask for help politely in Japanese? This short lesson focuses on everyday request phrases you can use in shops, on the street, or with friends. Have fun — polite Japanese opens doors (and umbrellas)!

Level A1: In this lesson you'll learn and practice six polite request phrases (お願いできますか。/ 確認してもらえますか。/ 教えてもらえますか。/ ___を教えてください。/ もう少しください。/ 傘を貸してもらえますか。). We'll hear them, repeat them, and use them in a short conversation — CEFR-aligned and ready for real life.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and pronounce six polite request phrases.
  • Use these phrases to ask for information, checks, small favors, or a little more of something.
  • Practice speaking the phrases out loud and using them in a short conversation.
A friendly shop counter in Japan with a customer asking a clerk for a little more sauce and for information using the lesson request phrases.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

お願いできますか。

Onegai dekimasu ka.

Could I ask you a favor?

Meaning: Could I ask you a favor?

When to use: Soft request opener; say the specific request before or after it.

お願いできますか。少し手伝ってもらえますか。

Onegai dekimasu ka. Sukoshi tetsudatte moraemasu ka.

Could I ask a favor? Could you help me a bit?
お願いできますか。書類を確認してもらえますか。

Onegai dekimasu ka. Shorui o kakunin shite moraemasu ka.

Could I ask a favor? Could you check the document?

確認してもらえますか。

Kakunin shite moraemasu ka.

Could you check it for me?

Meaning: Could you check it for me?

When to use: Useful for forms, reservations, details, or mistakes.

Tip: Beginners sometimes say 確認できますか which sounds like you are asking if checking is possible; use 確認してもらえますか to request the person do it for you.

予約の時間を確認してもらえますか。

Yoyaku no jikan o kakunin shite moraemasu ka.

Could you check the reservation time for me?
この名前の漢字を確認してもらえますか。

Kono namae no kanji o kakunin shite moraemasu ka.

Could you check the kanji for this name?

教えてもらえますか。

Oshiete moraemasu ka.

Could you tell me?

Meaning: Could you tell me?

When to use: Use for asking information, directions, or how to do something.

電車の乗り換えはどうすればいいか教えてもらえますか。

Densha no norikae wa dō sureba ii ka oshiete moraemasu ka.

Could you tell me how to transfer trains?
このメニューの英語を教えてもらえますか。

Kono menyū no eigo o oshiete moraemasu ka.

Could you tell me the English for this menu item?

___を教えてください。

___ o oshiete kudasai.

Please tell me ___.

Meaning: Please tell me ___.

When to use: Use with information such as a phone number, address, or time.

電話番号を教えてください。

Denwa bangō o oshiete kudasai.

Please tell me the phone number.
住所を教えてください。

Jūsho o oshiete kudasai.

Please tell me the address.

もう少しください。

Mō sukoshi kudasai.

Please give me a little more.

Meaning: Please give me a little more.

When to use: Use for sauce, time, space, or an amount when context is clear.

ソースが少ないとき、店員さんに『もう少しください。』と言います。

Sōsu ga sukunai toki, ten'in-san ni 'Mō sukoshi kudasai.' to iimasu.

When the sauce is low, say 'Please give me a little more.' to the server.
時間が足りないとき、先生に『もう少しください。』と言えます。

Jikan ga tarinai toki, sensei ni 'Mō sukoshi kudasai.' to iemasu.

When you need more time, you can say 'Please give me a little more.' to the teacher.

傘を貸してもらえますか。

Kasa o kashite moraemasu ka.

Could you lend me an umbrella?

Meaning: Could you lend me an umbrella?

When to use: Use 貸して for borrowing from the other person’s perspective: “lend to me.”

Tip: Don't confuse 貸して (lend) and 借りて (borrow); when asking someone to give you a loan, use 貸してもらえますか。

外は雨です。『傘を貸してもらえますか。』と友だちに頼みます。

Soto wa ame desu. 'Kasa o kashite moraemasu ka.' to tomodachi ni tanomimasu.

It's raining outside. I ask my friend, 'Could you lend me an umbrella?'
急に雨が降ってきたので、隣の人に『傘を貸してもらえますか。』と聞きます。

Kyū ni ame ga futte kita node, tonari no hito ni 'Kasa o kashite moraemasu ka.' to kikimasu.

It suddenly rains, so I ask the person next to me, 'Could you lend me an umbrella?'

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

On a rainy day at a café counter

Anna and David under an umbrella, one asking politely to lend an umbrella and to check a reservation — Japanese request phrases in use.

What does Anna ask David to lend her?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

すみません、お願いできますか。傘を貸してもらえますか。

Sumimasen, onegai dekimasu ka. Kasa o kashite moraemasu ka.

Excuse me, could I ask a favor? Could you lend me an umbrella?

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

もちろん。傘をどうぞ。あと、予約の時間を確認してもらえますか。

Mochiron. Kasa o dōzo. Ato, yoyaku no jikan o kakunin shite moraemasu ka.

Of course. Here you go. Also, could you check the reservation time for me?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

ありがとうございます。確認してもいいですか、それとも私が教えてもらえますか。

Arigatō gozaimasu. Kakunin shite mo ii desu ka, soretomo watashi ga oshiete moraemasu ka.

Thank you. Can I check it, or could you tell me?

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

私が確認します。あと、もう少し紙ナプキンをください。

Watashi ga kakunin shimasu. Ato, mō sukoshi kami napukin o kudasai.

I'll check. Also, please give me a few more paper napkins.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which Japanese phrase means 'Could you lend me an umbrella?'

Which phrase should you use to ask someone to check a reservation for you?

Which phrase politely opens a request: 'Could I ask you a favor?'

If you need a little more time or sauce, which phrase fits?

At a restaurant when the sauce is low, you say 'Please give me a little more.'

レストランでソースが少ないとき、店員さんに『___』と言います。

At a hotel front desk when you want the company's address, you say 'Please tell me the address.'

ホテルのフロントで会社の住所を知りたいとき、あなたは『___』と言います。

If you are worried about your plane ticket, say 'Could you check it for me?' to airport staff.

飛行機のチケットについて心配なとき、空港のスタッフに『___』と言ってください。

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

お願いできますか。

Onegai dekimasu ka.

Could I ask you a favor?

Say this phrase out loud:

確認してもらえますか。

Kakunin shite moraemasu ka.

Could you check it for me?

Say this phrase out loud:

教えてもらえますか。

Oshiete moraemasu ka.

Could you tell me?

Say this phrase out loud:

___を教えてください。

___ o oshiete kudasai.

Please tell me ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

もう少しください。

Mō sukoshi kudasai.

Please give me a little more.

Say this phrase out loud:

傘を貸してもらえますか。

Kasa o kashite moraemasu ka.

Could you lend me an umbrella?