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How to say よろしくお願いします in English?

Is there a translation for the above from Japanese to English?

Is nice to meet you sufficient in this case?

Mars
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    it's more like "much obliged " – A.Ellett Aug 03 '16 at 20:51
  • As sjiveru said, there are many different situations in which one might use the phrase よろしくお願いします. Is there a particular situation that you are thinking about? – Leo Aug 04 '16 at 02:06

1 Answers1

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Is there a translation? No, there is not.

The meaning of よろしくお願いします corresponds to a concept English-speaking culture doesn't have, namely, the expression of goodwill before a relationship or communal activity begins. English speakers have phrases that are used in a subset of these circumstances, such as 'nice to meet you', but in other situations either nothing is said or there is no one set phrase that could be given as a translation. You'll have to translate it differently on a case-by-case basis, and sometimes the best translation to English might be not saying anything at all.

Compare 頂きます before a meal - there is no English equivalent, because English speakers simply don't say a set phrase before a meal. Maybe they say a prayer, maybe they don't say anything, but there is no phrase that corresponds even generally with 頂きます.

Sjiveru
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    I think 頂きます is closest to a prayer due to the Shinto influence in its use. Kind of like "I humbly accept the spirit of this meal", or something of that nature. – bcloutier Aug 04 '16 at 02:54