Genki Grammar #93: Mastering -itadakemasenka

Introduction

In this post, we will explore three different ways to make a request in Japanese, each with varying levels of politeness. Understanding when to use each form is essential to communicating politely, especially when asking for favors from people in different social positions.

What It Means

The three ways to make requests we will learn are:

1. -ていただけませんか (te-itadakemasenka) – Very polite
2. -てくれませんか (te-kuremasenka) – Polite
3. -てくれない？ (te-kurenai) – Casual

Each form uses the te-form of a verb, and the level of politeness depends on the ending you choose. 

When You Use It

1. -ていただけませんか (te-itadakemasenka)
   This is the most polite way to ask for a favor. It is used when you are asking someone of higher status, such as a teacher or a boss, or when you want to be very respectful. It’s more polite than just using -てください ( -tekudasai).
   For example:
   手伝っていただけませんか。(Tetsudatte itadakemasenka)
   Would you lend me a hand?
2. –てくれませんか (te-kuremasenka)
   This form is polite but less formal than -ていただけませんか. It’s suitable for situations where you are asking for help from someone in your host family, colleagues, or acquaintances.
   For example:
   ちょっと待ってくれませんか。(Chotto matte kuremasenka)
   Could you wait a moment?
3. –てくれない？ (te-kurenai)
   This is the most casual way to ask for a favor. You would use it when speaking to close friends or people of the same social standing.
   For example:
   それ取ってくれない？(Sore tottekurenai)
   Could you pass that to me?

Examples

Here are some examples of how these forms can be used:

• For a polite request to a professor:
  レポートを見ていただけませんか。(Repouto o mite itadakemasenka)
  Would you take a look at my report?
• For asking a friend politely:
  電話番号を教えてくれませんか。(Denwabangou o oshiete kuremasenka)
  Could you tell me your phone number?
• For a casual favor:
  この本貸してくれない？(Kono hon o kashite kurenai)
  Could you lend me this book?

Note

いただけませんか comes from the potential form of いただく (itadaku), which means “to receive” from someone of higher status. Similarly, くださいませんか comes from くださる (kudasaru), meaning “to give” in an honorific way. These polite forms are often used to show respect when requesting favors.

Here’s a breakdown of request forms, ordered from most to least polite:

1. -ていただけませんか
2. -てくださいませんか
3. -てもらえませんか
4. -てくれませんか
5. -てもらえない？
6. -てくれない？

Conclusion

Understanding the different levels of politeness when making requests is crucial in Japanese communication. Use -ていただけませんか when asking for something from someone of higher status, -てくれませんか for polite requests, and -てくれない？ for casual conversations with friends. Remember to adjust your request form according to the situation to sound respectful and polite.