A2 Expressions & Patterns 1 min read Easy

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

てください = te-form + ください = "please do..." — the standard polite request.

Formation

Te-form of verb + ください:

  • 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)
  • 書いてください (please write)

Negative Request

ないでください = "please don't": 食べないでください (please don't eat).

More Formal

お + masu-stem + ください: お待ちください (please wait — more formal).

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}！

Formality Spectrum

Formal
{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)

Neutral
{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)

Informal
{待って|まって}！

{待って|まって}！ (General)

Slang
{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

Examples by Level

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.

Easily Confused

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

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

Common Mistakes

✗

{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.

Sentence Patterns

___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}。

💡

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}

Pronunciation

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.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

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

Visual Association

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}

Challenge

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

Cultural Notes

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).

Conversation Starters

“

What do you want your friend to do?

Journal Prompts

Write 5 things you want your teacher to do.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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

Practice Exercises

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

FAQ (1)

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

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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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