Responding to Polite Requests in Japanese: Accepting and Refusing Naturally
Learn how to accept or politely refuse requests in Japanese using いいですよ, もちろん, すみませんが… and other natural response patterns for everyday conversation.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
When someone asks you for help in Japanese, how you respond matters as much as how you ask. Japanese has clear, socially tuned ways to say yes warmly and to say no without damaging the relationship. This lesson focuses only on responses to polite requests, not on making them. You will learn set phrases for accepting, soft refusals that explain a reason, and the small follow-up expressions that make a reply sound natural. All examples use everyday polite Japanese (です・ます style), suitable for coworkers, classmates, neighbors and acquaintances.
By the end, you can…
- accept a polite request warmly using いいですよ, もちろん or よろこんで.
- refuse a request politely with すみませんが and a brief reason.
- offer an alternative or partial help instead of a flat no.
- choose between casual and polite responses based on who is asking.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
いいですよ。
Sure, that's fine.
ii desu yo
A friendly, standard acceptance. Works with coworkers, friends and neighbors. The final よ softens and confirms willingness. Note that いいです can also mean 'no thanks' in response to an offer, so context matters.
もちろん。
Of course.
mochiron
Casual but widely used. Safe with friends and close colleagues; in very formal settings, prefer もちろんです。
よろこんで。
With pleasure. / I'd be happy to.
yorokonde
Warm and slightly formal. Good when you genuinely want to help, such as a senior colleague asking a favor. In casual speech, よろこんで alone is common; in formal writing or speech, よろこんでいたします is more polite.
すみませんが、ちょっと…。
I'm sorry, but it's a bit difficult...
sumimasen ga, chotto...
A classic soft refusal. The trailing ちょっと… leaves the refusal implied rather than stated bluntly. It is not a complete sentence; the listener infers the rest.
あしたなら、できます。
If it's tomorrow, I can do it.
ashita nara, dekimasu
A partial acceptance that offers an alternative time. Useful when you cannot help right now but want to stay helpful. なら is a conditional particle meaning 'if it's the case that'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
For accepting, the core pattern is いいですよ ('that's fine') or もちろん ('of course'). To sound more willing, add よろこんで ('with pleasure'). For refusing, the key pattern is すみませんが、〜 ('I'm sorry, but...') followed by a reason: すみませんが、きょうは いそがしいです ('I'm sorry, but I'm busy today'). You can also use ちょっと むりです ('it's a bit impossible for me'), which is softer than a direct できません. Notice that Japanese refusals usually include an apology or a reason, not just 'no'. Also note that いいですよ can be ambiguous: in response to an offer it may mean 'no thank you', so tone and context are important.
When to use it
Use いいですよ and もちろん with friends, classmates and close coworkers. Use もちろんです or よろこんで with seniors, teachers or customers. When refusing someone of higher status, lead with すみませんが and give a brief reason, then optionally offer help later: すみませんが、きょうは むりです。あしたは だいじょうぶです ('I'm sorry, but today is impossible. Tomorrow is fine'). With close friends, ごめん、むり can be enough, but avoid it at work or with strangers. Note that よろこんで is not keigo; for very formal situations, use よろこんでいたします or ぜひ.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、この しごとを てつだって いただけませんか。
Excuse me, could you help me with this work?sumimasen, kono shigoto o tetsudatte itadakemasen kaいいですよ。もちろん。
Sure. Of course.ii desu yo. mochironありがとう ございます。たすかります。
Thank you. That helps a lot.arigatou gozaimasu. tasukarimasuどう いたしまして。なにか あったら、また いって ください。
You're welcome. If anything comes up, please ask again.dou itashimashite. nanika attara, mata itte kudasaiA little context goes a long way
Japanese refusals often avoid a direct いいえ. A trailing ちょっと… or すみませんが、むりです lets the listener infer the no while preserving harmony. Accepting with よろこんで can sound warmer than a plain はい, especially when a senior asks you. Match your level of politeness to the relationship: casual with friends, です・ます with acquaintances, and more formal keigo with teachers, customers or senior colleagues. Note that よろこんで is not itself keigo; for very formal contexts, use よろこんでいたします.
One thing to watch for
Refusing with a flat できません or だめです.
Try this instead: These sound abrupt in polite conversation. Use すみませんが、ちょっと むりです or すみませんが、できません with an apology and reason. Example: すみませんが、きょうは よやくが あって、むりです ('I'm sorry, but I have plans today, so it's impossible').
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1A coworker asks for help. Accept warmly and formally.
Show a sample answer
よろこんで。
よろこんで means 'with pleasure' and suits a coworker or senior. もちろんです or いいですよ are also valid, but よろこんで sounds especially willing. For very formal situations, よろこんでいたします is more appropriate.
2Your neighbor asks you to babysit tonight, but you are busy. Refuse politely.
Show a sample answer
すみませんが、こんばんは ちょっと むりです。
すみませんが softens the refusal, and ちょっと むりです avoids a blunt no. You could also add a reason such as よやくが あります.
3You cannot help today but can help tomorrow. Respond.
Show a sample answer
すみませんが、きょうは むりです。あしたなら、できます。
This refuses today while offering an alternative, which keeps the relationship positive. あしたは だいじょうぶです is another natural option.
Accept with いいですよ or もちろん, refuse with すみませんが + reason or ちょっと むりです, and always match your politeness to the person asking.
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