Make Requests or Ask Someone To Do Something: てください
The てください (te kudasai) form in Japanese is a polite way to make requests or ask someone to do something. It is an essential structure for beginners, as it helps communicate requests clearly and respectfully. Let's explore how to use this form, along with some practical examples.
Formation of てください
To form てください, you first need the て form of the verb. The て form is a conjugation that can be used in various grammatical structures. Here's how you conjugate verbs into the て form:
Verb Group Dictionary Form て Form Example Sentence る Verbs たべる (taberu) たべて たべて ください。 - Please eat. う Verbs のむ (nomu) のんで のんで ください。 - Please drink. Irregular Verbs する (suru) して して ください。 - Please do. くる (kuru) きて きて ください。 - Please come.
Usage and Examples
The てください form is straightforward to use. You simply attach ください (kudasai) to the て form of a verb. This structure can be used in various contexts, such as asking for favors, giving instructions, or making polite requests. Below are some examples to illustrate its usage.
みせ て ください。 - Please show me.
いす に すわっ て ください。 - Please sit on the chair.
ドア を あけ て ください。 - Please open the door.
ほん を かえし て ください。 - Please return the book.
The てください form is polite but not overly formal, making it suitable for everyday situations. It's more polite than using the imperative form but less formal than more advanced structures like ていただけますか (te itadakemasu ka). This makes it versatile for most daily interactions, whether you're asking a friend, a colleague, or a stranger for help.
Mastering the てください form is essential for anyone learning Japanese, as it is a fundamental part of polite conversation. By understanding how to conjugate verbs into the て form and combining them with ください, you can make polite requests effectively.
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The てください (te kudasai) form in Japanese is a polite way to make requests or ask someone to do something. It is an essential structure for beginners, as it helps communicate requests clearly and respectfully. Let's explore how to use this form, along with some practical examples.
Formation of てください
To form てください, you first need the て form of the verb. The て form is a conjugation that can be used in various grammatical structures. Here's how you conjugate verbs into the て form:
| Verb Group | Dictionary Form | て Form | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| る Verbs | たべる (taberu) | たべて | たべて ください。 - Please eat. |
| う Verbs | のむ (nomu) | のんで | のんで ください。 - Please drink. |
| Irregular Verbs | する (suru) | して | して ください。 - Please do. |
| くる (kuru) | きて | きて ください。 - Please come. |
Usage and Examples
The てください form is straightforward to use. You simply attach ください (kudasai) to the て form of a verb. This structure can be used in various contexts, such as asking for favors, giving instructions, or making polite requests. Below are some examples to illustrate its usage.
みせ て ください。 - Please show me.
いす に すわっ て ください。 - Please sit on the chair.
ドア を あけ て ください。 - Please open the door.
ほん を かえし て ください。 - Please return the book.
The てください form is polite but not overly formal, making it suitable for everyday situations. It's more polite than using the imperative form but less formal than more advanced structures like ていただけますか (te itadakemasu ka). This makes it versatile for most daily interactions, whether you're asking a friend, a colleague, or a stranger for help.
Mastering the てください form is essential for anyone learning Japanese, as it is a fundamental part of polite conversation. By understanding how to conjugate verbs into the て form and combining them with ください, you can make polite requests effectively.