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Lesson Transcript

Let's look at some examples.
Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.
すみません、みずを おねがいします。(Sumimasen, mizu o onegai shimasu.)
すみません、みずを おねがいします。(Sumimasen, mizu o onegai shimasu.)
メニューを おねがいします。(Menyū o onegai shimasu.)
メニューを おねがいします。(Menyū o onegai shimasu.)
これを おねがいします。(Kore o onegai shimasu.)
これを おねがいします。(Kore o onegai shimasu.)
おかいけいを おねがいします。(O-kaikei o onegai shimasu.)
おかいけいを おねがいします。(O-kaikei o onegai shimasu.)
すみません、おかいけい、おねがいします。(Sumimasen, o-kaikei, onegai shimasu.)
すみません、おかいけい、おねがいします。(Sumimasen, o-kaikei, onegai shimasu.)
Did you notice how I omitted the object-marking particle を(o)?
すみません、おかいけい、おねがいします。(Sumimasen, o-kaikei, onegai shimasu.)
"Excuse me, the check, please."
First is すみません "Excuse me." すみません.
Next is おかいけい (o-kaikei), the "check" or "bill," as in the amount owed for food and drink in a restaurant or bar.
おかいけい。
おかいけい is made up of two parts.
First is the honorific prefix, お (o). お. お.
Here the honorific prefix is placed in front of the noun かいけい, "bill" or "check." か-い-け-い. かいけい.
Together, おかいけい.
Note: you can say かいけい without the honorific prefix, but by using お (o) here, the speaker sounds more polite and refined.
Next the speaker omitted the particle を that followed おかいけい, "the check."
In Japanese, it's common to omit particles when the meaning is clear from context. Doing so is often associated with casual speech, but you'll hear it in more formal language as well.
The pattern is:
{ITEM} 、おねがいします。
You should be aware of this shortcut, but for this lesson, we'll use the full sentence pattern:
{ITEM} を おねがいします。

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