How do you say please in Japanese?

In Japanese, you can express 'please' with different honorifics depending on the situation. For example, to say 'please' in a polite or respectful tone, use (sumimasen), which literally means 'to bow and say sorry.' When speaking to someone of higher social status, such as a teacher or a shopkeeper, you can use (gomen nasai) to show respect, roughly translating to 'excuse me.' In more formal situations, like during business meetings or when visiting temples and shrines, (o genki desu ka?) which means 'how are you?' is often used as a greeting. When ordering food at restaurants, it's customary to say (arigatou gozaimasu), meaning 'thank you very much.' For everyday situations like asking for directions, saying (ohayou gozaimasu) at the beginning and (konbanwa) at the end can be helpful. Remember that Japanese culture values politeness, so using these phrases will not only show respect but also bring a smile to locals' faces.

To express 'please' in Japanese, you can use the word (sumimasen) which is more formal or (ohayou) for a casual greeting. When speaking to someone you don't know well, it's common to say (gomen nasai) which means 'excuse me' but also conveys a polite tone. For example: , (konnichiwa) means 'hello', while is used to bid farewell. It's always appreciated when visitors make an effort to learn and use basic Japanese phrases like .