When do I use よろしく

When should you say よろしく? That is a good question since よろしく is a fairly common and broadly said word in Japanese. You can say よろしく for introducing your self, making requests, or just saying hi. Let’s take a look.

How do you Translate よろしく？

よろしく is one of those words where any translation into English just doesn’t sound quite right. Before knowing Japanese, I received a letter from someone who was going to be staying with me that said, Please kindly take care of me. I was not quite sure what the person meant until I started studying Japanese.

This phrase is the longer version or more formal version of saying よろしく. We will talk about that a little bit later.

The Etymology of よろしく

The word, よろしく is the adverb form of the adjective 宜よろしい. As an adjective, 宜しい is used as a formal word for いい or よい. It can mean acceptable, good, alright, etc.

In the adverb form there are several other ways to use よろしく.

Introducing Yourself

When you start learning Japanese one of the first phrases you will learn is よろしくお願ねがいします. Back to the letter I received, this is what my friend was trying to say to me. He wanted to introduce himself to me. お願いします means to request, wish or ask for something. So よろしくお願いします is like a greeting that you use to requesting or wishing that everyone will get along well or work together well.

Outside of Initial Introductions

It does not need to be the first time you meet, you can also use this in all kinds of situations. If you are going to be participating in any activities with someone you would use よろしくお願いします. If you are at work you could say something like the following.

Asking for Cooperation and Understanding

This usage is not as common since it will usually be reserved for businesses and organizations to customers or the general public. Here you would use the more formal.

Above is not a direct translation. It is just a general idea of the intention behind the phrase so you know in what situations you may say it. 何卒 is a pretty formal term that is not used outside of basic set phrases. You can translate it as kindly, somehow, by all means and so on. The meaning is not so important here. You could also say something like the following though which is a more direct translation. 

Making Arrangements

Anytime you make a promise for some future event or make any plans with someone you would say よろしくお願いします. If you make plans for a trip with someone next week then say this.

Making Requests

よろしくIs also used when asking people to do something. Using this as a request comes in really handy.

Requests can be made formally also, like at work.

Say Hi for me

よろしく has a different usage as an indirect greeting. It is the same as in English where someone says, Say hi to your family for me.

Or if you want to be informal

Resources

• よろしく – goo.ne.jp