Asking favours, from family to strangers
You can ask the same favour at three levels. ～てくれる？ is for family and friends, ～てもらえますか for shops, stations and most people you don't know well, and ～ていただけますか when you want to be extra polite, for example with the school or the city office. Tap to hear any line. The bar at the bottom plays a hands-free drill for walking.
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25 everyday requests
Each card shows the dictionary form, the request form and something you'd ask at home, at a shop, in a taxi or at an office. The first eight are for family. Ten of the verbs are from earlier lessons and courses.
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Three levels of asking
Each step down is more polite. Turning the question negative (くれない？, もらえませんか) makes it a little softer at every level.
| Ask with | Feels | Example |
|---|
- Negative is softer. is like "you couldn't give me a hand, could you?"
- Start with a cushion. At home, open with ちょっと. At a shop or station, open with すみません.
- Don't overdo it at home. ～ていただけますか to your family sounds cold or sarcastic.
- いただく is polite もらう. ～ていただけますか is ～てもらえますか turned up a level. More in Everyday Japanese 6.
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Four patterns to use today
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Say it in Japanese
Say each one out loud before you reveal the answer. Getting close counts.