Formal to Senior
Care · Daily · Support
お爪が伸びていらっしゃるようなので、よろしければお切りしましょうか？ — Your nails seem to have grown a bit. With your permission, shall I trim them? (Care · Daily · Support, Formal to Senior, JLPT N4)
You
お爪が伸びていらっしゃるようなので、よろしければお切りしましょうか？
おつめがのびていらっしゃるようなので、よろしければおきりしましょうか？
Your nails seem to have grown a bit. With your permission, shall I trim them?
Romaji: Otsume ga nobite irassharu you na node, yoroshikereba okiri shimashou ka? / Reply Romaji: A, ne. Onegai dekiru? Tasukaru wa.
Reply
あ、ね。お願いできる？助かるわ。
あ、ね。おねがいできる？たすかるわ。
Oh, yes. Could you? That would be a help.
Gesture & etiquette
Sit on a low stool beside them at hand-height. Wash hands visibly before starting. Show the clippers, never approach silently. Hold the finger gently, support the joint. Cut slowly, with visible care. After finishing, smooth any rough edges with a file. Wipe down the area.
Nail care is intimate and requires explicit consent each time, not implicit standing permission. 'Yoroshikereba' (if it's alright) gives an easy refusal route. 'Okiri shimashou ka' (shall I cut for you?) is the offering form, humble. Always check for any wounds or discoloration during nail care — early skin issue detection is part of the service. Use proper nail clippers (not toenail clippers) for fingernails, and the reverse.