Prayer

by Nao

ino-ri, ino-ru, ki

The verb “inoru” means to pray. The noun “inori” is derived from the verb and means prayers. We sometimes add the prefix “o” to make it sound polite. One of the verbs suitable for inori or oinori is sasageru, meaning to dedicate or to offer. To say a prayer is therefore “inori wo sasageru.”

Japanese inflects verbs for tense, aspect, and mood.

• Let’s pray. … ino-rō
• One does not pray, or will not pray. … ino-ranai
• One is praying. … ino-tteiru
• One is not praying … ino-tteinai
• One prays. … ino-ru
• When one prays, … ino-ru (toki)
• If one prays, … ino-reba

Here are more polite expressions.

• Shall we pray? … ino-rimasyō
• One does not pray, or will not pray. … ino-rimasen
• One is praying. … ino-tteimaru
• One is not praying. … ino-tteimasen
• One prays. … ino-rimasu (“Oinori shimasu” is much more polite. “Oinori mōshiagemasu” is even more polite. They are good expressions for letters.)

We sometimes pray for somebody’s happiness (shiawase), lots of happiness (ta kō), health (kenkō), success (seikō) and so on.

I pray for your happiness (oshiawase wo oinori mōshiagemasu).

You can find these words and expressions in Japanese -> here.

1. Draw the dot on the top.
2. Draw the hook. After changing the direction, draw a sweeping stroke.
3. Draw the vertical stroke.
4. Draw the dot touching the previous stroke.
5. Begin to draw the right-hand side of the character. Draw the sweeping stroke from the top.
6. Draw the longer sweeping stroke touching the previous stroke.
7. Draw the horizontal stroke touching the previous stroke.
8. Draw the vertical stroke starting from the middle of previous stroke. This is a sweeping stroke.

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