Formal to Acquaintance
Cultural · Communication
You
少し検討させてください。
すこしけんとうさせてください。
Let me think about it for a little while.
Romaji: Sukoshi kentou sasete kudasai. / Reply Romaji: Hai, douzo go-yukkuri.
Reply
はい、どうぞご゛ゆっくり。
はい、どうぞごゆっくり。
Of course, please take your time.
Gesture & etiquette
A slight downward gaze and a slow nod while saying this often reinforces the indirect refusal. Culturally attuned listeners will recognize the cue and gracefully shift the conversation.
In Japanese communication, this phrase very frequently signals a soft 'no.' A direct refusal can feel rude, so 「検討します」or 「難しいかもしれません」act as polite declinations. If someone says this to you, do not push for an immediate answer — a follow-up silence often means the answer is no.
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