Fifty shades of Onegaishimasu

One day, when taking a stroll together with my husband in a park, we noticed a group of young people. They were perhaps gathering for some kind of event, maybe a dance performance. Bowing to each other they greeted “Konnichiwa. Onegaishimasu”. We overheard this and began discussing how to make an accurate translation in English. Though at a glance it appeared to be very simple to translate, we quickly realized the meaning went deeper. My husband jokingly said “It sounds like fifty shades of Onegaishimasu”.

They said “Hello”, then “Onegaishimasu”. So, we came up with few translations of the second word, which was related to that particular situation:

• Thank you for being here.
• Let’s have a good performance or
• Looking forward to a nice time together or
• I appreciate your effort of choosing to come here rather than being anywhere else.

Now, to say so many sentences in one breath its challenging, so “onegaishimasu” covers it all, isn’t it?

Over the years I came to understand that “Onegaishimasu” goes beyond its immediate translation of “please”. Its a tricky word to be put in English mot-à-mot, but the basic meaning is “the feeling of exchanging “good will” towards the “future” of the two meeting parties”.

When I am paying for the shopping or asking for water at the restaurant, I always use “Onegaishimasu”, since I am asking for a favor in a very polite way, and being polite in Japan is as good as having the daily share of food and water. “Could you do this for me, please?” or “May I have some water, please?”.

During New Year’s celebration the use of “Kotoshi Mo Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu” comes into picture. Kotoshi means “This year” and “Yoroshiku onegaishimasu” is to take the meaning of “I rely on you to take care of me”, or “I trust you to take care of me”, or “I pray for good things I do, for you to take care of me”, or “Let’s make this year a good one”. So, whatever I do, its not about me, its about others and the good things I should bring to them.

When lunch time, in some kindergartens, I heard the announcement “Onegaishimasu. Kyushoku todokimashita.” In this case”onegaishimasu” comes with the meaning of “Attention please. The lunch has arrived.” Children will run quickly to bring the food in their classrooms, in the same time exchanging the polite words with their teachers: “Shitsureishimasu. Onegaishimasu.” (I beg your pardon, please!)

There are also situations when a person can be taken by the feeling of humbleness and will use “onegai itashimasu”. This “humble” form of the word, puts one in a lower step of the hierarchy compared to the person is addressing to, unless the other one uses the same honorific and both of them end up having a bowing contest on whose nose will touch the ground first.