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Learn Hardcore Japanese: koko de ugaisite kudasai. - Please rinse here.

Hardcore Japanese
/Getting treatment at the dentist
/koko de ugaishite kudasai.

koko de ugaishite kudasai.

ここ　で　うがいして　ください。koko de ugaishite kudasai.

Please rinse here.

Breakdown of koko de ugaishite kudasai.

location particle

くださいkudasai

うがいするugaisuru

to rinse or gargle

Questions & Answers about koko de ugaishite kudasai.

What does ここで mean, and why is there a で after ここ?

ここ means here.

The particle で marks the place where an action happens. So:

ここ = here
ここで = here / at this place, for doing something

In this sentence, the action is うがいして, so で shows that this is the location where you should do it.

A helpful comparison:

ここに = here, to here, at here (depending on context)
ここで = here, where an action takes place

So ここでうがいしてください means Please do the gargling/rinsing here.

What does うがい mean exactly?

うがい usually means gargling or rinsing your mouth/throat.

In Japanese, it often refers to the common health habit of washing out the mouth or gargling, especially after coming home. Depending on context, English translations can be:

gargle
rinse your mouth
rinse out your mouth/throat

So the exact English wording may vary, but the Japanese idea is the same.

Is うがい a noun or a verb?

Nihon-shiki romanizationwatasi ha tyuugoku kara kimasita

Hepburn romanizationwatashi wa chuugoku kara kimashita

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By itself, うがい is a noun, but it is very commonly used with する to make a verb:

うがいする = to gargle / to rinse one’s mouth

In your sentence, that する verb is being put into the て-form:

うがいする
うがいして

Then it combines with ください:

うがいしてください = please gargle / please rinse your mouth

So even though うがい looks like a standalone word, the full verb idea here is really うがいする.

Why is it うがいして and not うがいする?

Because ください usually comes after the て-form of a verb.

The pattern is:

verb て-form + ください = please do ...

Since the verb is うがいする, its て-form is:

する → して

So:

うがいする = to gargle
うがいして = gargle and...
うがいしてください = please gargle

That is why して appears here instead of する.

Why is there no を? Shouldn’t it be うがいをしてください?

Good question. うがいをしてください is also possible.

With many noun + する expressions, Japanese often omits を, especially in everyday speech or simple instructions. So both of these are natural:

うがいしてください
うがいをしてください

The version without を is very common and sounds smooth and natural.

So:

うがいする = common dictionary form
うがいをする = also possible
うがいしてください = very natural
うがいをしてください = also correct

How polite is ～てください here?

～てください is a polite request. It is very common in:

instructions
signs
announcements
hospitals/clinics
classrooms
workplaces

So ここでうがいしてください is polite, but it is also fairly direct in the sense that it is an instruction.

It is not rude. It is just standard, practical Japanese.

Softer alternatives exist, such as:

ここでうがいしてくださいね = Please gargle here, okay?
ここでうがいをお願いします = Please rinse/gargle here

But ～てください is completely normal.

Could I say ここにうがいしてください instead?

Normally, no. ここで is the natural choice.

That is because で marks the place where an action is performed.

Since うがいする is an action, Japanese uses で:

ここでうがいしてください = Please do the gargling here

Using に would sound unnatural here because に is not the usual particle for the location of this kind of action.

A simple way to remember it:

で = where something happens
に = destination, existence, specific target point, etc.

Why is the person doing the action not stated? Who is supposed to gargle?

Japanese often leaves out subjects and objects when they are obvious from context.

In this sentence, the speaker is clearly talking to the listener, so Japanese does not need to say you.

English often needs the subject or at least implies it strongly:

Please gargle here
Please rinse your mouth here

Japanese just says:

ここでうがいしてください

The understood meaning is Please do it here.

Why is everything written in hiragana? Would Japanese normally use spaces like this?

Japanese normally does not use spaces between words in ordinary writing. So the usual way to write this would be:

ここでうがいしてください。

The spaced version is probably for learners, children, or readability.

As for the hiragana:

ここ is normally written in hiragana.
うがい is very often written in hiragana.
して and ください are also usually written in hiragana.

There are rare or technical kanji related to うがい, but in normal everyday Japanese, hiragana is much more common.

Could this sentence also be translated as Please rinse your mouth here rather than Please gargle here?

Yes. That depends on context.

うがい often gets translated as gargling, but in practical English, sometimes rinse your mouth sounds more natural, especially in places like:

a dentist’s office
a clinic
a sink area

So both can be reasonable translations depending on the situation.

The Japanese word covers the general idea of washing/rinsing the mouth or throat, so the exact English wording may shift a little.

What is the plain form of the verb in this sentence?

The plain form is うがいする.

Here is the breakdown:

うがいする = plain/dictionary form
うがいして = て-form
うがいしてください = polite request

So if you want to learn the base verb from this sentence, it is:

うがいする = to gargle / to rinse one’s mouth

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