Isoide and hayaku
Isoide comes from isogu, to hurry, and hayaku is the adverb form of hayai, fast or early. Both are direct commands in casual speech, and adding kudasai makes them polite requests but does not remove their pushiness.
Hayaku shite, literally do it quickly, is especially impatient.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 急いで！ | Isoide! | Hurry! |
| 早く！ | Hayaku! | Quick! |
| 早くして。 | Hayaku shite. | Hurry up: impatient |
| 急いでください。 | Isoide kudasai. | Please hurry |
| 早く来て！ | Hayaku kite! | Come quickly! |
Softer ways to urge
The softer options shift the focus from the other person being slow to the shared situation: the train, the time, the plan. That makes them work with friends, colleagues and even superiors.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ちょっと急ごうか。 | Chotto isogō ka. | Shall we hurry a bit? |
| 急がないと間に合わないよ。 | Isoganai to maniawanai yo. | If we don't hurry we won't make it |
| そろそろ行かないと。 | Sorosoro ikanai to. | We should really get going |
| 時間、大丈夫？ | Jikan, daijōbu? | Are we okay for time? |
| 電車、あと五分だよ。 | Densha, ato gofun da yo. | The train's in five minutes |
No rush
Saying there is no need to hurry is just as useful, and Japanese speakers say it often out of consideration.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 急がなくていいよ。 | Isoganakute ii yo. | No rush |
| ゆっくりでいいですよ。 | Yukkuri de ii desu yo. | Take your time |
| 急ぎませんので。 | Isogimasen node. | There's no hurry: polite, e.g. to staff |
| ごゆっくりどうぞ。 | Go-yukkuri dōzo. | Take your time: from a host or staff |
| いつでも大丈夫です。 | Itsu demo daijōbu desu. | Any time is fine |
At shops and counters
At dry cleaners, photo shops, repair counters and pharmacies, staff may ask whether you are in a hurry. Your answer decides whether they rush your order or give you a later time.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| お急ぎですか。 | O-isogi desu ka. | Are you in a hurry?: from staff |
| 少し急いでいるんですが。 | Sukoshi isoide iru n desu ga. | I'm in a bit of a hurry |
| どのくらいかかりますか。 | Dono kurai kakarimasu ka. | How long will it take? |
| 急ぎでお願いできますか。 | Isogi de onegai dekimasu ka. | Could you do it as a rush order? |
| いえ、急ぎません。 | Ie, isogimasen. | No, I'm not in a hurry |
Urgency at work
At work, urgency is usually expressed as a request plus the reason or deadline, and framed as help to you rather than pressure on them. Direct forms such as o-isogi itadakemasu ka exist and are polite, but without a reason they can still feel like pressure.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 本日中にいただけると助かります。 | Honjitsu-chū ni itadakeru to tasukarimasu. | It would help if I could have it by today |
| お手数ですが、お早めにご確認いただけますと幸いです。 | Otesū desu ga, o-hayame ni go-kakunin itadakemasu to saiwai desu. | Sorry for the trouble, but I'd appreciate it if you could check soon |
| 少しお急ぎいただけますか。 | Sukoshi o-isogi itadakemasu ka. | Could you hurry a little?: polite but direct |
| 至急お願いできますか。 | Shikyū onegai dekimasu ka. | Could you do this urgently?: internal, genuinely urgent |
| 急かしてしまってすみません。 | Sekashite shimatte sumimasen. | Sorry to rush you |
Choosing the right level
| Who you are hurrying | Best approach | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Your child or a close friend | Direct hurry words are fine | Nothing in particular |
| A friend you are waiting for | Mention the time or train | An impatient hurry up |
| A colleague | Explain the deadline and ask politely | A bare hurry command |
| A client or superior | A request framed as help to you | Any direct hurry word |
| Shop staff | Say you are in a bit of a hurry | Demanding speed |
Practising time pressure
Urgency is where register slips most, because stress pushes you toward the shortest word you know. Unihongo's Call Work About a Train Delay and Reschedule a Missed Delivery missions put timing at the centre of the conversation, so you practise stating deadlines and asking for speed politely.
The corrections in the session report can show when a hurry word came out too direct, which is easy to miss while you are focused on the clock.