A2 Expressions & Patterns 1 min read 쉬움

Polite Requests: てください (te kudasai) — "Please do..."

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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use the 'te-form' of a verb followed by 'kudasai' to make a polite request.

  • Convert verb to te-form: {食べる|たべる} → {食べて|たべて}.
  • Add {ください|ください} after the te-form: {食べて|たべて} {ください|ください}.
  • Use this for requests, instructions, or asking for help.
Verb(te-form) + ください

Overview

てください (te kudasai) is the standard way to make polite requests in Japanese — equivalent to please do... in English. It is formed by taking the te-form of a verb and adding ください. This pattern is used constantly in daily life: at restaurants, shops, work, school, and with anyone you are not extremely close to.
食べてください (please eat), 見てください (please look), 待ってください (please wait), 座ってください (please sit down), 書いてください (please write). The te-form is the crucial part — you need to know how to form it for each verb group. Group 1 has various te-form rules depending on the verb ending (く→いて, ぐ→いで, す→して, etc.).
Group 2 simply drops る and adds て. する→して, 来る→来て. ください literally means please give me (from the honorific 下さる), so てください literally means
please give me the action of doing X.
This makes it inherently polite but not overly formal.
For more formal requests, you can use お + masu-stem + ください: お待ちください (please wait — more formal). To say "please don't," use ないでください: 食べないでください (please don't eat).

Te-Form Conjugation Guide

Verb Type Dictionary Form Te-Form Request Form
Group 1
{読む|よむ}
{読んで|よんで}
{読んで|よんで} {ください|ください}
Group 1
{書く|かく}
{書いて|かいて}
{書いて|かいて} {ください|ください}
Group 2
{食べる|たべる}
{食べて|たべて}
{食べて|たべて} {ください|ください}
Group 2
{見る|みる}
{見て|みて}
{見て|みて} {ください|ください}
Group 3
{する|する}
{して|して}
{して|して} {ください|ください}
Group 3
{来る|くる}
{来て|きて}
{来て|きて} {ください|ください}

Meanings

This pattern is the standard way to politely ask someone to perform an action. It is essential for daily communication in Japan.

1

Direct Request

Asking someone to do a specific action.

“{座って|すわって} {ください|ください}。”

“{待って|まって} {ください|ください}。”

Reference Table

Reference table for Polite Requests: てください (te kudasai) — "Please do..."
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Verb(te) + ください
{食べて|たべて} {ください|ください}
Negative
Verb(nai) + で + ください
{食べないで|たべないで} {ください|ください}
Question
Verb(te) + ください + か
{食べて|たべて} {ください|ください}か？
Polite
Verb(te) + ください
{見て|みて} {ください|ください}
Casual
Verb(te)
{見て|みて}！

격식 수준 스펙트럼

격식체
{お待ち|おまち} {ください|ください}。

{お待ち|おまち} {ください|ください}。 (General)

중립
{待って|まって} {ください|ください}。

{待って|まって} {ください|ください}。 (General)

비격식체
{待って|まって}！

{待って|まって}！ (General)

속어
{待って|まって}よ！

{待って|まって}よ！ (General)

Te-Form Request Flow

Request

Step 1

  • Conjugate Change to Te-form

Step 2

  • Add Attach kudasai
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수준별 예문

1

{座って|すわって} {ください|ください}。

Please sit down.

2

{食べて|たべて} {ください|ください}。

Please eat.

3

{見て|みて} {ください|ください}。

Please look.

4

{待って|まって} {ください|ください}。

Please wait.

1

{静かに|しずかに} {して|して} {ください|ください}。

Please be quiet.

2

{名前|なまえ}を {書いて|かいて} {ください|ください}。

Please write your name.

3

{ここ|ここ}で {止まって|とまって} {ください|ください}。

Please stop here.

4

{傘|かさ}を {貸して|かして} {ください|ください}。

Please lend me an umbrella.

1

{明日|あした}、{また|また} {電話して|でんわして} {ください|ください}。

Please call me again tomorrow.

2

{急いで|いそいで} {ください|ください}。

Please hurry.

3

{資料|しりょう}を {確認して|かくにんして} {ください|ください}。

Please check the documents.

4

{無理|むり}を {しないで|しないで} {ください|ください}。

Please don't push yourself.

1

{詳細|しょうさい}を {説明して|せつめいして} {ください|ください}。

Please explain the details.

2

{ご意見|ごいけん}を {聞かせて|きかせて} {ください|ください}。

Please let me hear your opinion.

3

{こちら|こちら}で {手続き|てつづき}を {して|して} {ください|ください}。

Please complete the procedure here.

4

{ご遠慮|ごえんりょ} {なく|なく} {召し上がって|めしあがって} {ください|ください}。

Please feel free to eat.

1

{念のため|ねんのため}、{再確認|さいかくにん} {して|して} {ください|ください}。

Please double-check just in case.

2

{ご配慮|ごはいりょ} {いただけます|いただけます}と {幸いです|さいわいです}。

I would appreciate your consideration.

3

{万が一|まんがいち}の {際|さい}は {連絡して|れんらくして} {ください|ください}。

Please contact me in case of emergency.

4

{ご提示|ごていじ} {ください|ください}。

Please present it.

1

{何卒|なにとぞ} {ご容赦|ごようしゃ} {ください|ください}。

Please kindly forgive me.

2

{ご検討|ごけんとう} {ください|ください}。

Please consider it.

3

{ご指導|ごしどう} {ください|ください}。

Please guide me.

4

{ご協力|ごきょうりょく} {ください|ください}。

Please cooperate.

혼동하기 쉬운

Polite Requests: てください (te kudasai) — "Please do..." 대 Te-form vs. Te-kudasai

Te-form is just the verb; Te-kudasai is the request.

자주 하는 실수

✗

{読む|よむ} {ください|ください}

✓

{読んで|よんで} {ください|ください}

Must use te-form.
✗

{食べ|たべ} {ください|ください}

✓

{食べて|たべて} {ください|ください}

Missing the 'te' suffix.
✗

{飲んで|のんで} {ください|ください}か？

✓

{飲んで|のんで} {ください|ください}。

Kudasai is a request, not a question.
✗

{先生|せんせい}、{やって|やって} {ください|ください}。

✓

{先生|せんせい}、{やって|やって} {いただけます|いただけます}か？

Too direct for superiors.

문장 패턴

___を {して|して} {ください|ください}。

Real World Usage

Restaurant very common

{水|みず}を {ください|ください}。

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Practice Te-form

If you know the te-form, you know 50% of Japanese grammar.

Smart Tips

Always use te-form + kudasai.

{水|みず} {ください|ください} → {水|みず}を {飲んで|のんで} {ください|ください}

발음

koo-dah-sigh

Kudasai

Pronounced ku-da-sai. The 'u' in 'ku' is often devoiced.

Request

Verb-te kudasai ↓

Falling intonation indicates a polite request.

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기억법

Think of 'Kudasai' as 'Could-a-say' (Could you say/do this for me?).

시각적 연상

Imagine a waiter holding a tray, bowing slightly and saying 'Kudasai' while handing you a menu.

Rhyme

To make a request, don't be shy, just add the te-form and kudasai.

Story

Ken is at a restaurant. He wants water. He remembers the rule: 'Water' is {水|みず}. 'Drink' is {飲む|のむ}. He changes {飲む|のむ} to {飲んで|のんで} and adds {ください|ください}. He says '{水|みず}を {飲んで|のんで} {ください|ください}' and gets his water.

Word Web

{食べて|たべて}{飲んで|のんで}{見て|みて}{書いて|かいて}{待って|まって}{して|して}

챌린지

Write down 5 things you want someone to do for you today using this pattern.

문화 노트

Direct requests can be seen as rude. 'Te-kudasai' is polite, but often softened further in business.

Kudasai comes from the verb {下さる|くださる}, meaning 'to give' (honorific).

대화 시작하기

“

What do you want your friend to do?

일기 주제

Write 5 things you want your teacher to do.

자주 하는 실수

Incorrect

정답

Incorrect

정답

Incorrect

정답

Incorrect

정답

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank.

{本|ほん}を ___ {ください|ください}。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Must be te-form.

Score: /1

연습 문제

1 exercises
Fill in the blank.

{本|ほん}を ___ {ください|ください}。

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: a
Must be te-form.

Score: /1

자주 묻는 질문 (1)

It is polite, but use 'te-itadakemasen ka' for better results.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

Por favor + imperative

Japanese requires a specific conjugation.

French moderate

S'il vous plaît

Japanese changes the verb itself.

German moderate

Bitte + imperative

Japanese is more indirect.

Japanese high

Te-kudasai

N/A

Arabic low

Min fadlak

Japanese conjugates.

Chinese moderate

Qing + verb

Japanese puts 'kudasai' at the end.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Ongoing Actions & States: ている (te iru) Form
Next
Expressing Desire: たい (tai) — "I want to..."

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