Hello! Do you know how to say "Please eat your meal" or "Please wait a moment" in Japanese?
Today, we'll learn one of the most commonly used expressions in Japanese conversation: "Verb Te-form + kudasai (Please do...)"!
This article covers example sentences for all verb groups. After reading this, you'll be able to make polite requests to anyone in Japanese.
Use this when asking someone to do something or giving instructions.
Group 1: Godan Verbs
Group 1 verbs change their Te-form differently depending on their ending sound. Let's learn them by rhythm!
โ [u, tsu, ru] โ [tte]
| Masu Form | Te-form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ่ฒท(ใ)ใใพใ | ่ฒท(ใ)ใฃใฆ | To buy |
| ๅพ (ใพ)ใกใพใ | ๅพ (ใพ)ใฃใฆ | To wait |
| ๅ ฅ(ใฏใ)ใใพใ | ๅ ฅ(ใฏใ)ใฃใฆ | To enter |
ๆฐใใ ๆฌ ใ ่ฒทใฃใฆใใ ใใใ
atarashii hon o katte kudasai
Please buy a new book.
ใใ ใง ๅพ ใฃใฆใใ ใใใ
koko de matte kudasai
Please wait here.
โก [mu, bu, nu] โ [nde]
| Masu Form | Te-form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ้ฃฒ(ใฎ)ใฟใพใ | ้ฃฒ(ใฎ)ใใง | To drink |
| ่ชญ(ใ)ใฟใพใ | ่ชญ(ใ)ใใง | To read |
ๆฐด ใ ใใใใ ้ฃฒใใงใใ ใใใ
mizu o takusan nonde kudasai
Please drink plenty of water.
โข [ku] โ [ite] / [gu] โ [ide]
| Masu Form | Te-form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ๆธ(ใ)ใใพใ | ๆธ(ใ)ใใฆ | To write |
| ๆฅ(ใใ)ใใพใ | ๆฅ(ใใ)ใใง | To hurry |
ใใ ใซ ๅๅ ใ ๆธใใฆใใ ใใใ
koko ni namae o kaite kudasai
Please write your name here.
"่กใใพใ" ends with "ku" but becomes "่กใฃใฆ (itte)" instead of "iite".
ๆฐใใคใใฆ ่กใฃใฆใใ ใใใ
ki o tsukete itte kudasai
Please go carefully. / Have a safe trip.
โฃ [su] โ [shite]
ใใฃใจ ใใฃใใ ่ฉฑใใฆใใ ใใใ
motto yukkuri hanashite kudasai
Please speak more slowly.
Group 2: Ichidan Verbs
Group 2 is very simple! Just remove "masu (ใพใ)" and add "te (ใฆ)".
| Masu Form | Te-form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ้ฃ(ใ)ในใพใ | ้ฃ(ใ)ในใฆ | To eat |
| ่ฆ(ใฟ)ใพใ | ่ฆ(ใฟ)ใฆ | To see |
้่ ใ ใใใใ ้ฃในใฆใใ ใใใ
yasai o takusan tabete kudasai
Please eat plenty of vegetables.
ใใฎ ๆ ็ป ใ ่ฆใฆใใ ใใใ
kono eiga o mite kudasai
Please watch this movie.
Group 3: Irregular Verbs
Group 3 has only two verbs: "suru (ใใ)" and "kuru (ใใ)". They have special conjugations.
| Masu Form | Te-form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ใใพใ | ใใฆ | To do |
| ใใพใ | ใใฆ | To come |
ๆฏๆฅ ๆฅๆฌ่ช ใ ๅๅผทใใฆใใ ใใใ
mainichi nihongo o benkyou shite kudasai
Please study Japanese every day.
ๆๆฅ 3ๆ ใซ ๆฅใฆใใ ใใใ
ashita 3-ji ni kite kudasai
Please come at 3 o'clock tomorrow.
- "Te kudasai" is a polite way to make requests.
- With friends, you can just use "te" alone (e.g., "Mite!", "Matte!").
- For more formal requests, use "te itadakemasu ka".
Summary
"~te kudasai" is the basic expression for making requests in Japanese.
Since the Te-form changes differently depending on the verb group, practice a lot to
remember them!
| Group | Conjugation Rule | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | Changes based on ending | Katte, Nonde, Kaite, Hanashite |
| Group 2 | masu โ te | Tabete, Mite, Okite |
| Group 3 | Special conjugation | Shite, Kite |
โก Practice Quiz
Test your understanding of "~te kudasai"!