Meaning and Usage
The word 是非 (ぜひ) is used to express strong encouragement or insistence, meaning "certainly," "by all means," or "definitely." It is often used when inviting someone or expressing a strong desire to do something.
Common Contexts
- Invitations: When you want someone to come or join, you say 是非 followed by a polite request.
- Expressing eagerness: To show you really want to do something, 是非 emphasizes your intention.
- Recommendations: When recommending something, 是非 adds emphasis to the suggestion.
Collocations and Patterns
- 是非〜してください: A polite and strong way to ask someone to do something.
- 是非参加したい: Expressing a strong desire to participate.
- 是非見てください: Strong recommendation to watch or see something.
Register and Nuance
是非 is polite and commonly used in both formal and informal contexts. It adds enthusiasm and positive insistence without being forceful. Avoid overusing it in casual speech to keep naturalness.
Common Mistake
Learners sometimes confuse 是非 with ぜひとも, which is a more formal and emphatic version. Use 是非 for everyday polite encouragement and ぜひとも for very formal or written requests.