Japanese word

頼む

Pronunciation

Romajitanomu

Meaning

  • verbask

Example

友達に手伝いを頼みます。tomo dachi ni te tsuda i o tano mi ma su

I ask my friend for help.

Illustration for 頼む (ask)

More examples

友だちに手伝いを頼みます。tomo da chi ni te tsuda i o tano mi ma su

I ask my friend for help.

母に駅まで送ってくれるよう頼みました。haha ni eki ma de oku tte ku re ru yō tano mi ma shi ta

I asked my mother to take me to the station.

Core concept

Centers on asking another person to provide help or take a requested action, ranging from a normal request to an earnest plea.

Common phrases

  • 家族に頼むka zoku ni tano mu

    ask one's family

  • 人に用事を頼むhito ni yō ji o tano mu

    ask someone to run an errand

Similar words

頼み込むtanomikomu: To ask someone repeatedly and earnestly to do something.
依頼するiraisuru: To formally ask someone to carry out a task or provide a service.

Definition in Japanese

相手に何かをしてほしいと求める。ai te ni nan ka o shi te ho shi i to moto me ru

Word origin

頼む (tanomu) is a native Japanese verb, and its continuative form 頼み (tanomi, "request or favor") is also used as a noun.

Usage tips

  • For a beginner, 頼む (tanomu) is the natural choice when asking someone to do a favor, not when asking for information; Japanese uses a different verb for questions.

Other meanings

  • begverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word