how to politely ask in japanese Archives

Mastering Polite Suggestions and Requests in Japanese

If you’re learning Japanese, understanding how to make polite suggestions and requests is a key part of effective communication. Whether you’re planning activities with friends or politely asking for help, two common expressions—Verb stem + ましょう and Verb stem + てください—are your go-to tools. Let’s dive into their usage, including how to form them step by step.

1. Making Suggestions with ましょう (mashou): “Let’s [verb]”

The expression ましょう is a polite and versatile way to suggest an activity or propose an idea. It carries a collaborative tone, meaning “Let’s do [verb].”

How to Form the ましょう Form

Japanese verbs are divided into three groups, and the method for creating the ましょう form depends on the group.

Group 1: U-Verbs (Godan Verbs)

Start with the stem of the verb (remove the u-ending).
Replace the u sound with the i sound.
Add ましょう.

Verb	Stem	Change to i Form	Add ましょう	Example Translation
行く	行	行き	行きましょう	Let’s go.
書く	書	書き	書きましょう	Let’s write.
話す	話	話し	話しましょう	Let’s talk.

Group 2: Ru-Verbs (Ichidan Verbs)

Remove the final る.
Add ましょう.

Verb	Stem	Add ましょう	Example Translation
食べる	食べ	食べましょう	Let’s eat.
見る	見	見ましょう	Let’s look.

Group 3: Irregular Verbs

There are two irregular verbs, and their ましょう forms are as follows:

Verb	Change to Stem	Add ましょう	Example Translation
する	し	しましょう	Let’s do it.
来る (kuru)	来 (ki)	来ましょう	Let’s come.

When to Use ましょう

Planning with others:
Example: 公園へ行きましょう！(Kōen e ikimashou!) = Let’s go to the park!
Encouraging teamwork:
Example: 一緒に勉強しましょう。(Issho ni benkyou shimashou.) = Let’s study together.

The tone is polite, making it suitable for formal and casual settings, as long as it’s a group-oriented activity.

2. Making Requests with てください (tekudasai): “Please [verb]”

Before diving into てください, we need to understand how to form the te-form of verbs. The te-form is one of the most fundamental conjugations in Japanese grammar and is used in various contexts beyond requests, such as making commands, linking actions, and creating the polite request structure てください.

How to Make the Te-Form

Japanese verbs are categorized into three groups, and the rules for forming the te-form differ depending on the group.

Group 1: U-Verbs (Godan Verbs)

For verbs ending in う, つ, る, む, ぶ, ぬ, く, ぐ, す, follow these rules:

Replace the final u-sound with its corresponding te-form sound:

Ending	Te-Form Rule	Example
う	Replace with って	買う (kau) → 買って (katte) = Buy
つ	Replace with って	立つ (tatsu) → 立って (tatte) = Stand
る	Replace with って	取る (toru) → 取って (totte) = Take
む	Replace with んで	読む (yomu) → 読んで (yonde) = Read
ぶ	Replace with んで	遊ぶ (asobu) → 遊んで (asonde) = Play
ぬ	Replace with んで	死ぬ (shinu) → 死んで (shinde) = Die
く	Replace with いて	書く (kaku) → 書いて (kaite) = Write
ぐ	Replace with いで	泳ぐ (oyogu) → 泳いで (oyoide) = Swim
す	Replace with して	話す (hanasu) → 話して (hanashite) = Speak

Group 2: Ru-Verbs (Ichidan Verbs)

For verbs ending in る, simply drop る and add て:

食べる (taberu) → 食べて (tabete) = Eat.
見る (miru) → 見て (mite) = Look.

Group 3: Irregular Verbs

There are only two irregular verbs in Japanese:

する → して = Do.
Example: 勉強する (benkyou suru) → 勉強して (benkyou shite) = Study.
来る (kuru) → 来て (kite) = Come.

Forming てください

Once you have the te-form of a verb, simply add ください to make a polite request:

見る (miru) → 見て (mite) + ください = 見てください (mite kudasai) = Please look.
書く (kaku) → 書いて (kaite) + ください = 書いてください (kaite kudasai) = Please write.
手伝う (tetsudau) → 手伝って (tetsudatte) + ください = 手伝ってください (tetsudatte kudasai) = Please help.

When to Use It

Asking politely:
Example: ちょっと待ってください。(Chotto matte kudasai.) = Please wait a moment.
Giving instructions:
Example: ドアを閉めてください。(Doa o shimete kudasai.) = Please close the door.

This phrase is polite and commonly used in both formal and informal situations.

Key Differences Between ましょう and てください

Expression	Purpose	Tone
Verb stem + ましょう	Suggestion: “Let’s do [verb]”	Collaborative and inclusive
Verb stem + てください	Request: “Please do [verb]”	Respectful and polite

Quick Practice: Try It Out!

Let’s put these into practice. Can you guess the correct form for each scenario?

You’re suggesting to a friend: “Let’s watch a movie.”
Hint: The verb is 見る (miru).
Answer: 映画を見ましょう！(Eiga o mimashou!)
You’re asking someone politely: “Please listen to me.”
Hint: The verb is 聞く (kiku).
Answer: 私の話を聞いてください。(Watashi no hanashi o kiite kudasai.)

Conclusion

Mastering ましょう and てください opens up a world of polite and smooth communication in Japanese. By understanding these structures—and learning how to form the te-form and ましょう—you can make suggestions, request actions, and navigate various social situations with confidence. Practice them in your daily conversations, and soon they’ll become second nature!

What are your favorite phrases using ましょう or てください? Share them in the comments below! Or, if you have any questions about Japanese grammar, feel free to ask. Let’s keep learning together—日本語を楽しみましょう！(Nihongo o tanoshimimashou!) 😊

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