頼みます（たのみます、tanomimasu）
- to request

The Japanese word 頼みます means "to request," "to ask for," "to count on," or "to rely on" something or someone. It implies making a request, placing an order, or asking for help. It's a versatile word used in a variety of situations.

⚫︎水をお願いします Translation: I'd like some water, please. ⚫︎この仕事、頼みます Translation: I'll leave this work to you. / I'm counting on you for this job. ⚫︎手伝って頼みます Translation: Please help me.

This word is widely used in everyday conversation. ⚫︎It's frequently used when placing an order, such as at a restaurant or shop. ⚫︎It can be used to ask someone for a favor or assistance. ⚫︎It can express reliance on someone's skills or abilities. ⚫︎The level of politeness of 頼みます is considered polite, suitable for many situations. ⚫︎More polite forms exist, such as お願いします, which is the same verb but with more polite conjugation. ⚫︎In business settings and formal situations, you might use more formal expressions, depending on the context.

⚫︎The word is typically written in kanji as 頼みます. ⚫︎It is also acceptable to write it in hiragana as たのみます, especially for beginners. ⚫︎The okurigana (the suffix hiragana) is always ます. ⚫︎The verb stem is 頼(たの).

⚫︎お願いします (more polite version of 頼みます) ⚫︎ください (to give me, to ask for) ⚫︎お願いする (a more polite way to say "to request") ⚫︎依頼する (to request formally) ⚫︎注文する (to order) ⚫︎求める (to request, to seek)

While there isn't a direct single antonym, words that imply giving rather than requesting could be considered opposites. ⚫︎与える (to give, to grant) ⚫︎渡す (to hand over, to deliver)

メニューをお願いします。 ・Translation: I'd like the menu, please. ・Explanation: This is a common phrase to request a menu at a restaurant. The use of 頼みます makes the request polite.

レポートの提出を頼みます。 ・Translation: I'm counting on you to submit the report. / Please submit the report. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 頼みます to request the submission of a report. The speaker is relying on the listener to complete the task.

The verb 頼(たの)む (the base form of 頼みます) is composed of the kanji 頼 which originally depicted a person leaning on something or someone. This conveys the idea of relying or depending on someone. The word evolved to include the meaning of requesting or asking for something.