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お~願う
N2 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today
o~negau
please do; could you please~
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🃏 Flashcard
お~願う
o~negau
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please do; could you please~
N2
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📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level N2
Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage
Reading o~negau
Post ID 51121
Patterns today 0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes

please do; could you please~

📖 How to use it

A polite request pattern asking someone to do something for you, equivalent to 'please do'.

Attaches to Attach to the ます-stem of a verb (the form used with ます, e.g., 待つ → 待ち). The pattern is お + ます-stem + 願う.

This is a formal and very polite way to make a request. You use it when you want to ask someone to do something, often in service situations or when you need a favor. It sounds softer and more respectful than direct commands like ~てください. For example, when asking a waiter to wait, you might say お待ち願います. The verb 願う (to request) is conjugated to show politeness, most commonly as 願います or 願えます. Note that this pattern is not used with all verbs; it is typically used with verbs that have a ます-stem of one or two syllables (like 待つ, 読む). For longer or more complex verbs, other forms like ~ていただけませんか are more natural. Also, it is not used with する-verbs (like 勉強する) directly; instead, you might use ご~願う with the noun form.

お待ち願います。
Omachi negaimasu.
Please wait.
お読み願います。
Oyomi negaimasu.
Please read.
Not ~てください ~てください is a direct request, while お~願う is more formal and humble. Use お~願う in business or polite situations, but ~てください is fine for everyday requests.
Register Formal and polite, used in business, customer service, or when speaking to superiors; not used in casual conversation.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
お~願う
📚 How to Master This Pattern
🔊
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat お~願う three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
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Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
✍️
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using お~願う. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
⏰
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern お~願う mean? ▼
Please do; could you please~
What JLPT level is お~願う? ▼
Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use お~願う in a sentence? ▼
Attach お~願う (o~negau) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is お~願う formal or casual Japanese? ▼
お~願う is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.
How can I remember お~願う long-term? ▼
Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.