Page 358 - Basic Japanese

7.10. Quoting requests

The usual way to make a request is to use the GERUND +

kudasai ‘please do (something for me).’ To quote such a

request in the exact words, you say something like “Yukkuri
hanashite kudasai” to iimashita ‘He said, “Please talk slow.”’

Ordinarily, however, you just give the gist of the request
and say Yukkuri hanasu yō ni (to) iimashita ‘He told me to talk

slow.’ This is a special use of the expression consisting of a
modifying phrase (with a plain imperfect verb) + yō ni in the

meaning ‘so that.’ It may be thought of as a sort of

shortening of yō ni shite (kudasai) ‘(please) behave in a way so
that’ or yō ni suru ‘(to) behave in a way so that.’ In other

words Yukkuri hanasu yō ni to iimashita is a sort of shortening of
Yukkuri hanasu yō ni shite kudasai to iimashita ‘He told me to

behave in a way so that I talked slow.’

子供におもちゃをかたづけるように言いました。

Kodomo ni omocha o katazukeru yō ni iimashita.
I told my child to put away the toys.

行儀よくするように言います。
Gyōgi yoku suru yō ni iimasu.
I’ll tell them to behave.

夜中には大きい音を出さないようにと隣の人にお願い
しました。

Yonaka ni wa ōkii oto o dasanai yō ni to tonari no hito ni
onegai shimashita.
I asked my next-door neighbor not to make loud

noises at night.