Minna no Nihongo 14 : Making Requests and Suggestions

こんにちは、みなさん😄 おじゃちゃんです。

It’s been a while since I posted the lesson of Minna no Nihongo.
Today is “Minna no Nihongo lesson 14: Making Requests and Suggestions in Japanese”. Expressions of making requests and suggestions differ from the situations or the people. You want to use them correctly because that would determine your impression, don’t you?
Let’s learn these expressions together with te-form I taught in previous lessons together.

Let’s get started!

⭐️This lesson is following the textbook “Minna no Nihongo”. (*not perfectly)

⭐️I’m going to give a lesson easier to understand for Japanese learners without following textbook’s orders.

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CONTENTS

■ Making Requests in Japanese

*⭐️ appears the expressions in Minna no Nihongo.

Let’s learn the phrases of making requests the listener.
Please read this if you didn’t learn “how to conjugate te-from”.

Japanese Lesson 19: te-form Is Very Easy!

Casual Expressions | Making Requests

You can use these expressions below when you want to make requests casually to your close people like your friends or family.

・te-form + くれる？ Can you ~?

窓　開けて　くれる？
mado aketekureru
Can you open the window?

・te-form + くれない？ Can’t you ~?

ドア　閉めて　くれない？
doa shimete kurenai
Can’t you close the door?

You can imply politer casual expressions by using the negative form.
*I translate Japanese into English directly because I couldn’t find good English translations.

Suitable Casual Responses | Making Requests

・Positive Responses

Japanese	English	Usages
もちろん。 mochiron	Of course.	when you are willing to do something
いいよ。 iiyo	Sure.	when you are fine to do something
オッケー。 okkei	OK.	for casual situations

・Negative Responses

Japanese	English	Usages
ごめん、できない。 gomen dekinai	Sorry, I can’t.	when you decline it
ちょっと、ごめん。 chotto gomen	Ah, I’m sorry.	when you imply declining
いや、できない。 iya dekinai	No, I can’t.	when you refuse definitely
いやだ。 iyada	No.	when you don’t want to do something

Polite Expressions | Making Requests

You can use these expressions below when you want to make requests politely to your co-workers or strangers etc.

・te-form + くれませんか。Could you ~?

日本語を　教えて　くれませんか。
nihongo wo oshiete kuremasenka
Could you tell me Japanese?

⭐️ [Noun] を　お願います。Please ~.

日本語の　訂正を　お願いします。
nihongo no teisei wo onegaishimasu
Please correct my Japanese.

⭐️ te-form + ください。~, please.

この英語を　日本語に　訳して　ください。
kono eigo wo nihongo ni yakushite kudasai
Translate English into Japanese, please.

・te-form + いただけると　助かります。It would be appreciated if ~.

メールを　送って　いただけると　助かります。
meeru wo okutte itadakeru to tasukarimasu
It would be appreciated if you send me an e-mail.

Suitable Polite Responses | Making Requests

・Positive Responses

Japanese	English	Usages
いいですよ。 iidesuyo	Sure.	when you are fine to do something
わかりました。 wakarimashita	I got it.	when you approve to do something
了解です。 ryoukai desu	I see.	when you approve to do something (formal)
かまいませんよ。 kamaimasenyo	I don’t mind.	when you don’t care to do something

・Negative Responses

Japanese	English	Usages
申し訳ないです。 moushiwakenaidesu	*I’m sorry for that.	when you decline it
ごめんなさい。 gomennasai	I’m sorry.	when you decline it gently
すみません、ちょっと。 sumimasen chotto	Umm, I’m sorry.	when you want to say it in a roundabout way
できません。 dekimasen	No, I can’t.	when you refuse it directly
いやです。 iyadesu	*No, I don’t want.	when you don’t want to do something
お断りします。 okotowarishimasu	*I refuse it.	when you refuse it decidedly

*I translate Japanese into English directly because I couldn’t find good English translations.

Graceful Polite Phrases for Business | Making Requests

Be careful when you make requests to superior people, elder people or your clients etc.

・te-form + いただけますか。Could you ~?

イスを　持ってきて　いただけますか。
isu wo mottekite itadakemasuka
Could you bring a chair ?

・te-form + もらえませんか。Could you ~?

ここを　通して　もらえませんか。
koko wo tooshite moraemasenka
Could you let me through here, please?

・[Noun] + 頂きますよう　お願い致します。Please ~.

すぐに　ご連絡　頂きますよう　お願い致します。
sugu ni gorenraku itadakimasuyou onegai itashimasu
Please let me know as soon as possible.

[Noun] + 頂きますよう　お願い申し上げます。Please ~.

添付ファイルを　ご確認　頂きますよう　お願い申し上げます。
teupu-fairu wo gokakunin itadakimasuyou onegai moushiagemasu
Please confirm the attached file.

Suitable Graceful Polite Responses for Business | Making Requests

・Positive Responses

Japanese	English	Usages
了解いたしました。 ryoukai itashimashita	I understand.	when you approve it formally
かしこまりました。 kashikomarimashita	Certainly.	when you approve it formally for your superior people, clients or customers
承知いたしました。 shouchi itashimashita	Absolutely.	when you approve it formally to your bosses on business

・Negative Responses

Japanese	English	Usages
申し訳ありません。 moushiwake arimasen	I’m so sorry.	when you decline it gently
申し訳ありませんが、[Noun]　致しかねます。 moushiwake arimasen ga itashikanemasu	I’m afraid that we are not able to do [Noun].	when you decline it in a roundabout on business
申し訳ありませんが、お断り申し上げます。 moushiwake arimasen ga okotowari moushiagemasu	We regret to say that we will decide to decline your request.	when you decline it directly on business

■ Making Suggestions in Japanese

I’m going to tell you the expressions of making suggestions to your listener here.

*⭐️ appears expressions in みんなの日本語.

Casual Expressions | Making Suggestions

You can use these expressions below when you want to make suggestions casually to your close people like your friends or family.

・volitional form + か。Do you want me to ~?

荷物　持とう　か。
nimotsu motouka
Do you want me to hold your bag?

Suitable Casual Responses | Making Suggestions

・Positive Responses

Japanese	English	Usages
うん、お願い。 un onegai	Yes, please.	when you want the speaker to do something
ありがとう。 arigatou	Thanks.	when you want to say your gratitude

・Negative Responses

Japanese	English	Usages
ありがとう、でも　いいや。 arigatou demo iiya	Thanks, but I’m all right.	when you want to decline it gently
いや、いいよ。 iya iiyo	I’m good, thanks.	when you want to decline it modestly
いや、大丈夫。 iya daijoubu	I’m fine, thanks.	when you want to decline it casually
いや、いい。 iya ii	Ah, no.	when you don’t want the speaker to do

Polite Expressions | Making Suggestions

You can use these expressions below when you want to make suggestions politely to your co-workers or strangers etc.

⭐️ masu form + ましょうか。Can I ~? / Shall I ~?

お手伝いし　ましょうか。
otetsudai mashouka
Can I give you a hand?

Suitable Polite Responses | Making Suggestions

・Positive Responses

Japanese	English	Usages
ぜひ、お願いします。 zehi onegaishimasu	I really appreciate it.	when you want the speaker to do willingly
お願いします。 onegaishimasu	Yes, please.	when you want the speaker to do
ありがとうございます。 arigatou gozaimasu	Thank you.	when you want to say your gratitude

・Negative Responses

Japanese	English	Usagess
いいえ、大丈夫です。 iie daijoubu desu	No, I’m good.	when you want to decline it in a roundabout
ありがとうございます、でも　大丈夫です。 arigatou gozaimasu demo daijoubu desu	Thank you, but it’s fine with me.	when you want to decline it politely
お気遣い　ありがたいですが、大丈夫です。 okizukai arigattai desu ga	I appreciate the offer, but I’m okay.	when you want to decline it gently and tell your gratitude

Graceful Polite Phrases for Business | Making Suggestions

Here is graceful polite phrases in a hotel or on business etc.

graceful polite phrases for businees making suggestions

・[Noun] + を　どうぞ。Here is ~.

お茶を　どうぞ。
ocha wo douzo
Here is your tea.

・お + masu form + いたしましょうか。Would you like me to ~?

何か　飲み物　お持ち　いたしましょうか。
nanika nomimono omochi itashimashouka
Would you like me to get you something to drink?

Suitable Graceful Polite Responses for Business | Making Suggestions

・Positive Responses

Japanese	English	Usages
宜しく　お願いします。 yoroshiku onegaishimasu	Yes, please.	when you want to be offered formally
有難うございます。 arigatougozaimasu	Thank you very much.	when you want to say your gratitude
恐縮です、有難うざいます。 kyoushukudesu arigatougozaimasu	I am really grateful, thank you.	when you want to be offered to your superior people

・Negative Responses

Japanese	English	Usages
いいえ、結構です。 iie kekkou desu	No, thank you.	when you refuse directly
とんでもない、お気遣いなく。 tondemonai okizukainaku	Thank you for your consideration but it’s fine with me.	when you want to decline it politely to elder or superior people
有難うございます、お構いなく。 arigatougozaimasu okamainaku	That’s very kind of you, but don’t bother yourself.	when you want to decline modestly and tell your gratitude
恐れ入りますが、私は　結構です。 osoreirimasuga watashi wa kekkou desu	I’m afraid that I’m good.	when you want to decline it gently on business