てちょうだいdo it for me (familiar)
A familiar "do it for me, will you", said mostly by women, and by adults to children and family. After a thing, ちょうだい by itself is "give me".
an action
Give me a hand over here, will you?
An action
Verb in the て-form + ちょうだい
待つ → 待ってちょうだい. "Don't" is ないでちょうだい.
A thing
Noun (+ を) + ちょうだい
The を usually drops: それ、ちょうだい.
- Who says it
- Mostly women, and parents and grandparents to children. Men use it less.
- Said to
- Family, children, people you are close to.
- Where you'll meet it
- At home, and in dramas and anime.
In use
a parent
Wash your hands when you get home, please.
I'm off to do some shopping.
Then pick up some milk too, will you?
The voice decides whether it is warm, routine or fed up.
Don't say things like that.
That's enough, now.
This one is fed up in any voice.
Two things to know
It isn't a polite "please"
It is softer than an order, but it is family talk. To a teacher, a boss or a stranger it sounds as if you were their mother.
Sounds odd: 先生、
Explain it once more for me, Professor.
説明していただけませんか.
ちょうだい alone is "give me"
After a thing, with no verb, it asks for the thing. This one everybody says in casual talk, children most of all. The polite version is ください.
Mom, can I have some water?
Give me a bite.
Close neighbours
て・てくれない？N4
What people of any age say to friends and family: straight out, or as a question.
Could you pick up some milk on your way home?
Check yourself
1Who would say this?
部屋を
Choose an answer to see why.
2What does the child want?
ママ、
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
It comes from 頂戴する, a humble word for receiving that is still in use: ありがたく頂戴します, "I accept it gratefully".
More sentences
Put the toys back in the box, please.
Tidy your room before you go out, please.
Show Grandma this photo, will you?
Read this letter later, will you?
Go to bed before me tonight, will you?