て・
With friends and family, てください loses its ください: 待って. A favor is asked more gently as a question, with てくれる or てもらう: 待ってくれない？, 待ってもらえない？, "could you wait?".
a little more careful
Could you take me to the station tomorrow morning?
Asking straight out
Verb in the て-form
待って, 見て. "Don't" is ないで: 行かないで.
Asking a favor
Verb in the て-form + くれない？／もらえない？
Said with a rising voice. もらえ is the "can" form of もらう.
| Friends and family | Polite | |
|---|---|---|
| Straight out | 待って | 待ってください |
| A favor | 待ってくれない？, 待って | 待って |
in polite speech
Could you help me for a moment?
て: asking straight out
Friends and family say this all day. ね makes it gentler, and people often start with ねえ or ちょっと. You know some already: 気をつけて (take care), 頑張って (good luck).
Pass the salt.
Send the photos tomorrow, okay?
Don't go yet.
Watch out! Get away from there!
In an emergency, to anyone.
My hands are full. Open the door.
It expects a yes, and it isn't polite. To a teacher, a boss or a stranger it sounds like an order.
てくれない？ and てもらえない？: asking a favor
These are てくれる and てもらう as a question: "will you do it for me?", "can I have you do it?". The ない isn't "not". It makes the request softer, where English "won't you…?" sounds impatient. They too are for people you are close to.
Could you take a quick look at this?
Could you pick up some milk on your way home?
Sorry, but could you wait a bit?
悪いけど, "sorry, but", often comes first.
Can you hold this for a second?
Without ない, a little more direct.
くれない or もらえない?
Could I get you to send me this photo?
A little more careful, so it suits a bigger favor. Often either will do.
With かな it is softer still, as if you were only wondering.
Do you think you could carry this box upstairs?
Asking, or complaining?
Nobody will help me.
The voice falls: a real "not". You wish they would.
"Can you…?" is てくれる？
Can you open the window?
A request: will you do it for me?
Are you able to open the window?
The "can" form asks first whether it is possible. Perhaps the window is stuck.
Other jobs of て
The て that asks ends the sentence. In mid-sentence, the same form does other work.
Joins actions in order.
I went home, did my homework, and went to bed.
The first half is why the second happened.
I forgot my key, so I couldn't get into the house.
How the second verb is done. In mid-sentence, ないで is "without doing".
I went to school without eating breakfast.
Close neighbours
The careful way to ask a favor of a teacher, a boss or a stranger.
Excuse me, could you tell me the way to the station?
In a statement they report a favor someone did for you.
Mr. Yamamoto fixed the broken chair for me.
Check yourself
1What does this mean?
ちょっと
Choose an answer to see why.
2You stop a stranger in the street. Which one fits?
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
てくれ
The blunt form, heard mostly from men, and a great deal in manga and dramas.
Hold on a second.
More sentences
Hey, open this box.
Speak slowly, okay?
Explain this problem one more time.
Sorry, hold this bag for a second.
Could you speak a little more slowly?
Could you check this table later?
Could you pick up some bread on your way back?
I wonder if you could send me this photo.