The Difference Between「お越しください」と「いらしてください」の違い｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)

(Joy bowing formally [Okoshi kudasai] vs. Joy welcoming warmly [Irasshai kudasai])

“Please come to our office.”
In polite Japanese, you can’t just say “Kite kudasai” to a boss. You have two beautiful options: お越しください (Okoshi kudasai) and いらしてください (Irasshai kudasai). Which one is better for emails? Let’s learn with Joy and Ken!

🗣 Conversation Scene

Joy is writing an invitation email to a client, Mr. Tanaka.

Joy

ケンさん、メールの最後（さいご）に「ぜひ、いらしてください」と書（か）きました。
これでいいですか？
(Ken, I wrote “Please surely ‘come'” at the end of the email. Is this okay?)

Ken

間違いではありませんが、ビジネスメールならお越（こ）しくださいの方が一般的（いっぱんてき）ですよ。
(It’s not wrong, but for business emails, “Okoshi kudasai” is more common/standard.)

💡 Explanation

Both are honorifics (Sonkeigo) for “Kuru” (to come), but the tone differs.

Point 1: Okoshi kudasai (お越しください) = Formal / Written

Nuance: “Please cross over (mountains/borders) to come here.”
It implies gratitude that the person is taking the trouble to travel to you. It sounds very crisp and formal. It is preferred in emails, announcements, and formal invitations.

ぜひ、弊社（へいしゃ）へお越しください。
(Please come to our company. [Formal])
気（き）をつけてお越しください。
(Please come safely. [Travel])

Point 2: Irasshai kudasai (いらしてください) = Soft / Spoken

Nuance: “Please be here / Please come.”
This comes from “Irassharu” (to be/come/go). It sounds softer and gentler than “Okoshi”. It is often used in conversations or when welcoming someone warmly to a less formal setting.

またいらしてくださいね。
(Please come again, okay? [Friendly & Polite])
どうぞ、こちらへいらしてください。
(Please come this way. [Guiding someone])

📊 Comparison Table

Phrase	Tone	Common Use
お越しください (Okoshi kudasai)	Formal, Business	Emails, Reception desk, Announcements
いらしてください (Irasshai kudasai)	Soft, Spoken	Conversation, Home visit, Guiding

🚧 Joy’s Mistake

(Sending an official invitation email to a CEO)

❌ Wrong: ぜひ、パーティーに 来（き）てください。
(Grammatically correct, but for a CEO, “Kite kudasai” is too direct and sounds like an order.)

✅ Right: ぜひ、パーティーに お越（こ）しください。
(This shows high respect and appreciation for their travel.)

🔥 Practice Quiz

Tap to check the answer!

Q1. (In an email) We are waiting for you to come.
(______ o omachi shite orimasu.)

Answer: Okoshi (お越し)
“Okoshi” is a noun form here. “Waiting for your coming.”

Q2. (Talking to a teacher) Please come to my house anytime.
(Itsudemo uchi ni ______ kudasai.)

Answer: irasshatte (いらっしゃって) / irashite (いらして)
A home visit is personal, so the softer “Irasshai” is good.

Q3. (Shop staff) Welcome! (Short form)
(______)

Answer: Irasshaimase (いらっしゃいませ)
This comes from “Irasshai”.

Keep practicing with JPLT!