‘Onegaishimasu’ Vs. ‘Kudasai’: When To Use Each In Japanese

Learning Japanese Requests When to Use ‘Onegaishimasu’ vs. ‘Kudasai’

(Joy asking a taxi driver for a ride [Onegaishimasu] vs. Ken asking for an apple at a store [Kudasai])

“To the station, please.” -> Eki made onegaishimasu.
“Water, please.” -> Mizu o kudasai.
In English, the magic word “Please” works for almost everything. But in Japanese, you must choose between お願いします (Onegaishimasu) and ください (Kudasai) based on what you are asking for. Are you asking for a physical object, or are you asking for a service? Mixing these up leads to one of the funniest beginner mistakes! Let’s learn the rules with Joy and Ken.

🗣 Conversation Scene

Joy and Ken have just arrived in Japan for the offline Bootcamp event. They get into a taxi at the airport.

Joy

（タクシーの運転手さんに）
すみません、新宿駅（しんじゅくえき）、ください！
((To the taxi driver) Excuse me, Shinjuku Station, “Kudasai” [Please]!)

Ken

Joyさん！「ください」は「Give me」という意味ですよ！駅は大きすぎて買えません！(笑)
こういう時は、「新宿駅までお願いします」ですよ！
(Joy! “Kudasai” means “Give me”! A station is too big to buy! haha. In this situation, it’s “To Shinjuku Station, Onegaishimasu”!)

💡 Explanation

Service vs. Physical Object

1. お願いします (Onegaishimasu) = Requesting a Service / Favor 🚕

Structure: [Noun] + Onegaishimasu
Use this when you want someone to do something for you or provide a service. It is highly polite and relies on the other person taking action.

東京駅までお願いします。
(To Tokyo station, please. *Service: driving you there*)
[On the phone] 田中さんをお願いします。
(Mr. Tanaka, please. *Service: connecting you to him*)
これをお願いします。
(Please handle this. *e.g., handing a document to a clerk*)

2. ください (Kudasai) = Give me / Please do 🍎

Structure A: [Noun] + o Kudasai
Use this when you are asking someone to hand over a physical object. It literally translates to “Please give me [Noun].”

お水をください。
(Please give me water.)
このりんごをください。
(I’ll take [give me] this apple.)

Structure B: [Te-form Verb] + Kudasai
When attached to a verb, it politely commands or requests someone to do that specific action.

これを食べてください。
(Please eat this.)

📊 Comparison Table

Word	Core Meaning	When to use with Nouns
お願いします (Onegaishimasu)	I trust this to you / I request a favor	Asking for a Service (Destinations, people on the phone, ordering food).
ください (Kudasai)	Give me [Object]	Asking for a Physical Object (Water, a menu, a product at a store).

🚧 The Phone Call Trap!

When calling an office and asking to speak to someone, choosing “Kudasai” sounds very creepy!

❌ Wrong: 田中さんを ください。
(Nuance: “Please hand over Mr. Tanaka’s physical body to me. I want to own him.” 😱)

✅ Right: 田中さんを お願いします。
(Nuance: “Could you please connect me to Mr. Tanaka / Call him for me?” This is the correct, polite way!)

🔥 Practice Quiz

Tap to check the answer!

Q1. You are at a restaurant and you want to look at the English menu. “English menu, please!”
(Eigo no menyuu o ______)

Answer: kudasai (ください) / onegaishimasu (お願いします)
Both work here! You are asking for a physical object (kudasai), but bringing it to you is also a service (onegaishimasu). When ordering food from the menu, however, “onegaishimasu” is the most natural.

Q2. You get into a taxi and want to go to the airport.
(Kuukou made ______)

Answer: onegaishimasu (お願いします)
You are asking for the service of being driven there. You cannot “buy” the airport with “kudasai”!

Q3. You are asking someone to please “write” your name here.
(Koko ni namae o kaite ______)

Answer: kudasai (ください)
Because “kaite” is a Te-form verb, you must attach “kudasai” to request the action.

Keep practicing with JPLT!