Page 475 - Basic Japanese

Watashi wa inu ni sētā o tsukutte yarimashita.
I made a sweater for my dog.

Sensei ni suisenjō o kaite itadakimashita.
I had my teacher write a letter of

recommendation for me.

9.20. Requests

The Japanese do not use imperative forms as often as we
do. There are several ways to make a polite request in
Japanese. You can use gerund forms or honorific infinitive

along with some forms of verbs of giving and receiving. The
expressions ending in a verb of giving (e.g. kudasai) are quite

straightforward and might be too plain in a polite context.
The politeness increases if the expression takes the form of

a negative question (…masen ka), because this would make it

sound more indirect. Furthermore, it sounds more polite if
you use a verb of receiving (morau/itadaku) rather than a verb
of giving, in the potential form (moraeru/itadakeru) in a

negative question, as in moraenai deshō ka, itadakemasen ka or

itadakenai deshō ka. The following sentences all express the
request ‘Please read this letter.’

Kono tegami o yonde kudasai(masen ka).

Kono tegami o o-yomi kudasai.