Polite Requests: ใใฆใใ ใใ (~te kudasai)
When you want to politely ask someone to do something, use the ~te kudasai form. It is the standard way to make a request in Japanese.
How to use ~te kudasai
In English, we say 'Please [verb]'. In Japanese, we attach 'kudasai' (please give me) to the Te-form of the verb.
This form is polite enough for everyday situations (like asking a stranger for directions or ordering at a restaurant).
However, it is slightly direct. You shouldn't use it to ask huge favors from your boss. For that, there are more advanced forms (like ~te itadakemasen ka).
Conjugation Rules
Example Sentences
Teacher's Advice
Even though 'kudasai' means 'please', it's actually a polite COMMAND. It means 'Do this for me'. So, if you say 'Mizu o nonde kudasai' (Please drink water), you are telling them to drink. If you want to OFFER water gently, say 'Mizu wa ikaga desu ka?' (How about water?) instead.
JLPT Exam Patterns
- โขNegative request form (~nai de kudasai) vs Positive form (N5)
- โขListening questions involving instructions (e.g., 'Please look at page 5') (N5)
- โขUnderstanding that ~te kudasai implies a request directed at the listener (N5)
Master Requests
Practice asking people to do (and not do) things with our interactive exercises.
Start Practice โ