Meaning & Usage
โจ Basic Meaning
“Would you grant me the favor of doing [Verb]?” or “Could you please [Verb]?”
๐ฏ Primary Function
To make a request in a highly polite, humble, and deferential manner, emphasizing the speaker’s gratitude for the potential favor.
๐ Grammar Structure
Verb Te-form (Vใฆ) + ใใใ ใใพใใใ
N/A (Does not attach directly to i-adjectives)
N/A (Does not attach directly to na-adjectives)
N/A (The structure itself is a highly polite negative question used for requests.)
๐ญ Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Essential for business, official correspondence, customer service, and interacting with superiors.
Informal Situations
Rarely used; it would sound overly stiff, sarcastic, or excessively formal among friends and family.
Written Language
Used in formal emails and letters when making requests or asking for information.
Spoken Language
Very common in any situation requiring high politeness and deference.
๐ก Common Applications
Formal Business Requests
Used when asking a superior, client, or formal contact to perform an action related to work. It maintains maximum respect.
Example: ใใฎๆธ้กใ็ขบ่ชใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ (Kono shorui o kakunin shite itadakemasen ka.)
Requesting Help/Information from Strangers
Appropriate when addressing service staff, officials, or strangers in a public setting to ask for assistance or directions.
Example: ้ง
ใพใงใฎ่กใๆนใๆใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ (Eki made no ikikata o oshiete itadakemasen ka.)
Asking for Clarification or Repetition
Used when you need the speaker to repeat or elaborate on something, ensuring you are maximally polite since you are interrupting or causing them effort.
Example: ใใไธๅบฆใใใฃใใ่ฉฑใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ (Mล ichido, yukkuri hanashite itadakemasen ka.)
Frequency
High (in formal and polite social contexts)
Difficulty
N4 (Essential Polite Form)
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
ใใฟใพใใใใใฎๆใฎๆๅณใๆใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Furigana: ใใฟใพใใใใใฎใถใใฎใใฟใ ใใใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Romaji: Sumimasen, kono bun no imi o oshiete itadakemasen ka.
English: Excuse me, would you please teach/tell me the meaning of this sentence?
Example #2
ใๅฟใใใจใใๆ็ธฎใงใใใใใฎไผ็ปๆธใ่ฆใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใใใใจใใใใใใใ
ใใงใใใใใฎใใใใใใใฟใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Romaji: Oisogashii tokoro kyลshuku desu ga, kono kikakusho o mite itadakemasen ka.
English: I apologize for asking while you are busy, but could you please look at this proposal?
Example #3
้ใ่ท็ฉใชใฎใงใ้ใถใฎใๆไผใฃใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใซใใฎใชใฎใงใใฏใใถใฎใใฆใคใ ใฃใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Romaji: Omoi nimotsu na node, hakobu no o tetsudatte itadakemasen ka.
English: Since it is heavy luggage, could you please help me carry it?
Example #4
ไบ็ดใฎๆ้ใๅคๆดใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใฎใใใใใธใใใใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Romaji: Yoyaku no jikan o henkล shite itadakemasen ka.
English: Would you mind changing the time of the reservation for me?
Example #5
ๆฌกใฎไผ่ญฐใฎๅ ดๆใๆใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Furigana: ใคใใฎใใใใฎใฐใใใ ใใใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Romaji: Tsugi no kaigi no basho o oshiete itadakemasen ka.
English: Could you please tell me the location of the next meeting?
Example #6
ใใฎไปถใซใคใใฆใใใๅฐใ่ฉณใใๆ
ๅ ฑใ้ใฃใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Furigana: ใใฎใใใซใคใใฆใใใใใใใใใใใใใใปใใใใใฃใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Romaji: Sono ken ni tsuite, mล sukoshi kuwashii jลhล o okutte itadakemasen ka.
English: Regarding that matter, could you please send me a little more detailed information?
Example #7
็ณใ่จณใใใพใใใใใใไธๅบฆ็นฐใ่ฟใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใใใใใพใใใใใใใใกใฉใใใใใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Romaji: Mลshiwake arimasen ga, mล ichido kurikaeshite itadakemasen ka.
English: I am terribly sorry, but could you please repeat that one more time?
Example #8
ใใฎ็ชใ้ใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใๅฐใๆใใฆใ
Furigana: ใใฎใพใฉใใใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใใใใใใคใใฆใ
Romaji: Kono mado o akete itadakemasen ka. Sukoshi atsukute.
English: Would you mind opening this window? It’s a little hot.
Example #9
ใกใใฃใจๅพ
ใฃใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใใใใซๆปใใพใใ
Furigana: ใกใใฃใจใพใฃใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใใใใซใใฉใใพใใ
Romaji: Chotto matte itadakemasen ka. Sugu ni modorimasu.
English: Could you please wait a moment? I will be right back.
Example #10
็งใฎๆฅๆฌ่ชใใใงใใฏใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใฎ ใซใปใใใใใงใใฏใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Romaji: Watashi no Nihongo o chekku shite itadakemasen ka.
English: Would you please check my Japanese for me?
Notes & Nuances
๐ Important Points
It is a Humble Negative Question
It is a question (ใ) that implies possibility of refusal. This gentle approach makes the request less demanding and more polite than a direct command.
Example: ๆใๅ
ฅใใพใใใใใฐใใใๅพ
ใกใใใ ใใพใใใใ
Derived from the Humble Verb ใใใ ใ
The structure is an extension of Vใฆใใใ (to receive the favor of V-ing), using the humble form ใใใ ใ, which emphasizes the speaker’s position of receiving the kindness.
Example: ่ณๆใ่ชญใใงใใใ ใใพใใใใ (Shiryo o yonde itadakemasen ka.)
Often Preceded by Softeners
Beginning the request with an expression of apology or gratitude for their time softens the request and demonstrates consideration for the listener’s effort.
Example: ใใฟใพใใใใใใใใณใใผใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใ
โ ๏ธ Common Mistakes
โ Using ใฆใใใใพใใใ in a business meeting.
โ
Use ใฆใใใ ใใพใใใ or ใใใ ใใพใใงใใใใ.
ใฆใใใใ/ใใใใพใใใ uses the plain/polite form of ใใใ, which is too casual or direct for formal business interactions where humble language is required.
โ Using ใฆใใใ ใใพใใใ with close friends or family.
โ
Use simpler forms like ใฆใใใ๏ผ, ใฆใใใใชใ๏ผ, or plain ใฆ.
Using ใฆใใใ ใใพใใใ with close contacts creates unnecessary distance and sounds overly stiff.
โ Directly translating it as “Can you V?” (like ใงใใพใใ).
โ
It means “Would you grant me the favor of V-ing?” or “I would be grateful if you would V.”
The structure comes from ใใใ ใ (humble for ใใใ – to receive), meaning the speaker is humbly receiving a favor, not just asking about ability.
๐๏ธ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Extremely High (Keigo: specifically, it includes the Humble form ใใใ ใ combined with the polite negative question ใพใใใ).
Social Situations: Mandatory when interacting with customers (as a service provider), addressing superiors (bosses, teachers), or strangers in a professional capacity.
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan, though more common in the Kanto region (Tokyo area) in formal settings. Kansai speakers may use variations of ใใใใซ with simpler request forms, but ใฆใใใ ใใพใใใ remains the formal standard.
๐ Subtle Differences
ใฆใใใ ใใพใใใ vs. ใฆใใใพใใ
ใฆใใใพใใ uses the polite form of ใใใ (to give a favor), which is polite but lacks the deep humility of ใใใ ใ.
When to use: Use ใฆใใใพใใ with colleagues or people slightly above you in status. Use ใฆใใใ ใใพใใใ for superiors, clients, or very formal settings.
ใฆใใใ ใใพใใใ vs. ใฆใใใ ใใพใใ
The negative question (ใพใใใ) is technically more polite than the affirmative question (ใพใใ) because it leaves more room for the listener to refuse.
When to use: ใฆใใใ ใใพใใใ is preferred for the highest level of politeness. ใฆใใใ ใใพใใ is also very polite but slightly more direct.
ใฆใใใ ใใพใใใ vs. ใฆใใใ ใใใใฎใงใใ
ใฆใใใ ใใใใฎใงใใ states the speaker’s desire, often serving as a soft lead-in, rather than a direct request for action.
When to use: Use ใฆใใใ ใใใใฎใงใใ when you want to express your need very gently and wait for the listener’s input. Use ใฆใใใ ใใพใใใ when directly asking for the action.
๐ Conjugation Notes
The structure is fixed: Te-form of the main verb + ใใใ ใใพใใใ. This is not a conjugation of the main verb but a compound auxiliary structure derived from the humble verb ใใใ ใ.
๐ Pronunciation Tips
Maintain a smooth, slightly raised tone on ใใใ , and let the pitch fall gently on ใพใใใ, characteristic of polite interrogative forms. Avoid sharp, demanding pronunciation.
๐ง Memory Tips
Break it down: TE (Action) + ITA-DAKU (Humbly Receive) + MASEN (Polite Negative) + KA (Question). It means, “Wouldn’t I be able to humbly receive the favor of your action?” (a very indirect, polite request).
Other Grammar
Iโm a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. Iโm passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.