N5Te-form Patterns

〜てください

Q: Is "Using dictionary form instead of te-form before ください" correct?

No. The correct form is "Use the te-form of the verb before ください". The te-form of the verb is used to indicate that the action is being done for the benefit of someone else, which is the polite way to make a request in Japanese.

Q: Is "Confusing 〜てください (request) with 〜ないでください (negative request)" correct?

No. The correct form is "Use 〜ないでください for negative requests". 〜てください is used to make a polite request, while 〜ないでください is used to make a polite negative request. For example, "食べないでください" means "Please don't eat".

Q: Is "Using 〜てください for commands or orders" correct?

No. The correct form is "Use imperative form for commands or orders". 〜てください is used to make polite requests, but it is not used for commands or orders. For example, "食べる" means "Eat!"

Please do...

Definition

Meaning

The grammar pattern 〜てください is used to make a polite request in Japanese. It attaches ください to the te-form of a verb to convey a sense of politeness and courtesy. This pattern is commonly used in everyday conversations, especially when asking someone to do something for you. The nuance of this pattern is that it implies a sense of obligation or favor, making it a more polite way to ask for something compared to using the dictionary form of the verb.

Structure

Formation Rules

Form	Pattern	Example
Te-form of the verb	Verb te-form + ください	食べ (tabe) te-form of the verb "to eat"
Te-form of the verb with polite suffix	Verb te-form + ください ( polite suffix )	食べる (taberu) te-form of the verb "to eat" with polite suffix
Te-form of the verb with polite suffix and honorific	Verb te-form + ください ( polite suffix ) + ください (honorific)	食べてもらいます (tabete moraimasu) te-form of the verb "to eat" with polite suffix and honorific

Examples

Example Sentences

すみません、もう少しゆっくり寝てください。

Sumimasen, mō sukoshi yukkuri nemete kudasai.

Excuse me, please sleep a bit more slowly.

すみません (sumimasen) - excuse me, ゆっくり (yukkuri) - slowly, 寝て (nete) - sleep (te-form of the verb "to sleep"), ください (kudasai) - please

ここに名前を書いてください。

Koko ni namae o kaite kudasai.

Please write your name here.

ここに (koko ni) - here, 名前を (namae o) - name, 書いて (kaite) - write (te-form of the verb "to write"), ください (kudasai) - please

先生：「教科書の20ページを読んでください。」

Sensei: "Kyōkasho no 20-pēji o yonde kudasai."

Teacher: "Please read page 20 of the textbook."

先生 (sensei) - teacher, 教科書の (kyōkasho no) - textbook, 20ページを (20-pēji o) - page 20, 読んで (yonde) - read (te-form of the verb "to read"), ください (kudasai) - please

このビールを飲んでください。

Kono biiru o nomite kudasai.

Please drink this beer.

この (kono) - this, ビールを (biiru o) - beer, 飲んで (nomite) - drink (te-form of the verb "to drink"), ください (kudasai) - please

この部屋を片付けてください。

Kono heya o katte kudasai.

Please clean up this room.

この (kono) - this, 部屋を (heya o) - room, 片付け (katte) - clean up (te-form of the verb "to clean up"), ください (kudasai) - please

Context

Usage Notes

The grammar pattern 〜てください is used to make a polite request in Japanese. It is commonly used in everyday conversations, especially when asking someone to do something for you. This pattern is more polite than using the dictionary form of the verb, and it implies a sense of obligation or favor. It is often used in situations where you want to show respect or courtesy to the person you are asking.

Watch out

Common Mistakes

Using dictionary form instead of te-form before ください

Use the te-form of the verb before ください

The te-form of the verb is used to indicate that the action is being done for the benefit of someone else, which is the polite way to make a request in Japanese.

Confusing 〜てください (request) with 〜ないでください (negative request)

Use 〜ないでください for negative requests

〜てください is used to make a polite request, while 〜ないでください is used to make a polite negative request. For example, "食べないでください" means "Please don't eat".

Using 〜てください for commands or orders

Use imperative form for commands or orders

〜てください is used to make polite requests, but it is not used for commands or orders. For example, "食べる" means "Eat!"

Strategy

JLPT Exam Tips

In the JLPT N5 exam, you may be asked to fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in the te-form. Make sure to use the correct te-form of the verb before ください. You may also be asked to identify the correct usage of 〜てください in a sentence. Pay attention to the context and the nuance of the sentence to choose the correct answer.

Related Patterns

〜ないでください〜ないでください is used to make a polite negative request, similar to 〜てください. However, it is used to indicate that the action should not be done, whereas 〜てください is used to indicate that the action should be done.

In context