Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have hundreds of Japanese lessons and thousands of exercises.
Questions & Answers about yukkuri hanasite kudasai.
What part of speech is ゆっくり here?
ゆっくり is functioning as an adverb (副詞), meaning “slowly” or “at a relaxed pace.” It directly modifies the verb 話して.
Should I add に after ゆっくり (i.e. ゆっくりに話してください)?
No. ゆっくり already works as an adverb, so you don’t need に. Japanese adverbs typically modify verbs without a particle. If you want a slightly more formal nuance, you can say ゆっくりと話してください, where と is another way to turn words into adverbs.
Why is the verb in the て-form (話して) instead of the dictionary form (話す)?
When you make a polite request in Japanese, you use Verb (て-form) + ください. Here, 話す → 話して + ください gives “please speak.”
What kind of expression is ～てください?
～てください is the basic polite request pattern. It literally means “please do …,” and is neutral in tone—appropriate for most everyday requests.
Can I make this request more polite or formal?
Yes. You can use ～ていただけますか (e.g. ゆっくり話していただけますか) for a higher level of politeness. Alternatively, you can employ the honorific prefix and noun form: ゆっくりお話しください, which sounds more refined.
What’s the difference between 話してください and お話しください?
話してください is the standard polite request. お話しください adds お (honorific) to the noun 話し plus ください, raising the politeness/respect level.
Why is there no subject in this sentence?
Japanese often omits the subject when it’s obvious from context. Here, it’s understood you’re addressing the listener—no need to say (あなたは).
I see spaces in ゆっくり 話して ください. Do Japanese normally write like that?
In everyday Japanese, words aren’t separated by spaces. These spaces are just a learner’s aid to show the three components: adverb (ゆっくり), verb in て-form (話して), and request marker (ください).