A1 Expression Formal 1 min de lectura

〜をください

~ o kudasai

Please give me ~.

Practícalo

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 〜をください to politely ask for an item or a service in shops, restaurants, or daily life.

  • Means: Please give me [item].
  • Used in: Ordering food, buying items at a store, or requesting an object.
  • Don't confuse: Do not use this for requesting actions from people (use 〜てください instead).
Item + を + ください = Polite Request

Explicación a tu nivel:

This is a simple way to ask for things. You put the name of the thing first, then 'o kudasai'. It is very polite and useful for beginners in shops.
As an A2 learner, you should use this for transactions. It is the standard polite form. Remember that it only works for nouns, not for asking people to do verbs.
At this level, you should distinguish between 'kudasai' for objects and 'te-kudasai' for actions. Using this correctly shows you understand the fundamental structure of Japanese requests.
While 'kudasai' is standard, B2 learners should start incorporating 'o-negai shimasu' for more nuanced situations, especially in professional environments where 'kudasai' might sound slightly too direct.
Advanced learners analyze 'kudasai' as a fossilized imperative of the honorific 'kudasaru'. Understanding the historical shift from 'bestowal' to 'standard request' helps in mastering the nuances of Japanese politeness levels.
At C2, one recognizes that 'kudasai' functions as a pragmatic marker of social distance. Its usage is a delicate balance between clarity and the avoidance of imposition, essential for navigating complex Japanese social hierarchies.

Significado

A polite way to request an item or service.

🌍

Contexto cultural

Using 'kudasai' is essential for polite service interactions.

💡

Polite Prefix

Add 'o' to nouns like 'mizu' (o-mizu) to sound extra polite.

💡

Polite Prefix

Add 'o' to nouns like 'mizu' (o-mizu) to sound extra polite.

Ponte a prueba

Complete the sentence: 'Coffee ____.'

コーヒー ____ ください。

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: を

The particle 'o' marks the object of the request.

🎉 Puntuación: /1

Ayudas visuales

Banco de ejercicios

2 ejercicios
Elige la respuesta correcta Fill Blank

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta:
Complete the sentence: 'Coffee ____.' Fill Blank A1

コーヒー ____ ください。

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: を

The particle 'o' marks the object of the request.

🎉 Puntuación: /2

Preguntas frecuentes

1 preguntas

It's okay, but 'choudai' is more common.

Frases relacionadas

🔗

お願{願|ねが}いします

similar

Please do me a favor

Dónde usarla

☕

Ordering at a Cafe

You: コーヒーをください。

Staff: はい、かしこまりました。

neutral
🛍️

Shopping

You: これ{これ|これ}をください。

Staff: はい、ありがとうございます。

neutral

Memorízalo

Mnemotecnia

Think of 'Kudasai' as 'Cool-da-sigh'—you feel cool and sigh with relief when you get what you want.

Asociación visual

Imagine a waiter handing you a plate while you bow slightly and say 'Kudasai'.

Rhyme

When you want a treat, say 'Kudasai' so sweet.

Story

Ken goes to a shop. He sees a cool pen. He points at it and says 'Kudasai'. The clerk smiles and hands it to him. Ken is happy.

In Other Languages

Similar to 'Please give me' in English or 'Por favor, me da' in Spanish.

Word Web

くださいお願{願|ねが}いしますちょうだい物{物|もの}注文{注文|ちゅうもん}店員{店員|てんいん}

Desafío

Go to a restaurant or store and use '...o kudasai' for every item you order today.

Review in 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, and 14 days.

Pronunciación

Stress Flat pitch.

Pronounce each syllable clearly.

Espectro de formalidad

Formal
お水{おみず|おみず}をいただけますでしょうか。

お水{おみず|おみず}をいただけますでしょうか。 (Asking for water)

Neutral
お水{おみず|おみず}をください。

お水{おみず|おみず}をください。 (Asking for water)

Informal
水{水|みず}ちょうだい。

水{水|みず}ちょうだい。 (Asking for water)

Jerga
水{水|みず}！

水{水|みず}！ (Asking for water)

Derived from the verb 'kudasaru', an honorific form of 'kureru'.

Edo Period:

Dato curioso

It literally means 'to descend from above'.

Notas culturales

Using 'kudasai' is essential for polite service interactions.

“メニューをください。”

Inicios de conversación

“

What would you say to a waiter?

Errores comunes

✗

食{食|た}べるをください

✓

食{食|た}べてください

wrong conjugation
You cannot use 'kudasai' with a verb dictionary form. Use the te-form for actions.

L1 Interference

0 1

In Other Languages

Spanish Very Similar

Por favor, deme...

Japanese requires the particle 'o' before the verb.

French moderate

S'il vous plaît, je voudrais...

Japanese is more direct in its request structure than French.

German moderate

Ich hätte gerne...

Japanese uses a direct request verb.

Chinese Very Similar

请给我...

Word order: Chinese puts 'please' at the start.

Korean Very Similar

...주세요

Korean attaches the request to the noun directly.

Portuguese Very Similar

Por favor, me dê...

Japanese is more consistent with the 'o' particle.

Arabic moderate

من فضلك أعطني...

Japanese 'kudasai' is a single word at the end.

English moderate

Can I have...

Japanese 'kudasai' is a statement of request, not a question.

Spotted in the Real World

🎬

(2003)

“...”

Ordering at a bar.

Fácil de confundir

〜をください vs 〜てください

Learners mix up object requests and action requests.

If it's an object, use 'o kudasai'. If it's an action, use 'te kudasai'.

Preguntas frecuentes (1)

It's okay, but 'choudai' is more common.

usage contexts

Learning Path

Prerequisites

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