Difference between revisions of "Polite requests with "qing""
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| − | * <em>请</em> | + | * <em>请</em> 喝 茶 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Qǐng</em> hē chá.</span><span class="trans">Please have some tea.</span> |
* <em>请</em> 不要 迟到 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Qǐng</em> bùyào chídào.</span><span class="trans">Please do not be late.</span> | * <em>请</em> 不要 迟到 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Qǐng</em> bùyào chídào.</span><span class="trans">Please do not be late.</span> | ||
| − | * <em>请</em> 尝 一 尝 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Qǐng</em> cháng | + | * <em>请</em> 尝 一 尝 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Qǐng</em> cháng yī cháng.</span><span class="trans">Please have a taste.</span> |
| − | * <em>请</em> 你 说 得 慢 一点 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Qǐng</em> nǐ shuō de màn | + | * <em>请</em> 你 说 得 慢 一点 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Qǐng</em> nǐ shuō de màn yīdiǎn.</span><span class="trans">Please speak more slowly.</span> |
* <em>请</em> 你 听 老师 的 话 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Qǐng</em> nǐ tīng lǎoshī de huà.</span><span class="trans">Please listen to the teacher.</span> | * <em>请</em> 你 听 老师 的 话 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Qǐng</em> nǐ tīng lǎoshī de huà.</span><span class="trans">Please listen to the teacher.</span> | ||
* <em>请</em> 你 离开 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Qǐng</em> nǐ líkāi.</span><span class="trans">Please leave.</span> | * <em>请</em> 你 离开 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Qǐng</em> nǐ líkāi.</span><span class="trans">Please leave.</span> | ||
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The phrase 请问 (qǐngwèn) is a set expression meaning not "please ask," but rather, "may I ask." It frequently comes before asking for directions or other polite requests for information. | The phrase 请问 (qǐngwèn) is a set expression meaning not "please ask," but rather, "may I ask." It frequently comes before asking for directions or other polite requests for information. | ||
| − | + | <div class="liju"> | |
| − | + | * <em>请</em>问 ， 洗手间 在 哪里 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Qǐng</em> wèn, xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ?</span><span class="trans">Excuse me, where is the restroom?</span> | |
| − | + | </div> | |
== Being Polite without 请 (qǐng) == | == Being Polite without 请 (qǐng) == | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * 你 <em>可 不 可以</em> …… ？<span class="pinyin"><em></em> | + | * 你 <em>可 不 可以</em> …… ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>kě bu kěyǐ</em>…?</span><span class="trans">Could you...?</span> |
| − | * 你 <em>能 不 能</em> …… ？<span class="pinyin"><em></em> | + | * 你 <em>能 不 能</em> …… ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>néng bu néng</em>…?</span><span class="trans">Can you...?</span> |
| − | * <em>麻烦</em> 你 …… <span class="pinyin"><em></em> | + | * <em>麻烦</em> 你 …… <span class="pinyin"><em>Máfan </em>nǐ…</span><span class="trans">Can I trouble you to... (?)</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | === | + | == More Advanced Uses of 请 (qǐng) == |
| + | |||
| + | Aside from this "please" usage, the word 请 (qǐng) has some additional uses not covered here. It can mean "to invite," or "to treat (someone to a meal)," and can even be used as a [[Causative verbs|causative verb]]. None of those uses are covered here. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Sources and further reading == | ||
| − | + | {{Source|HSK Standard Course 1|75}} | |
[[Category:A2 grammar points]] | [[Category:A2 grammar points]] | ||
| − | {{Basic Grammar|请|A2|请 + Verb|<em>请</em> 坐 。|grammar point| | + | {{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}} |
| + | {{Basic Grammar|请|A2|请 + Verb|<em>请</em> 坐 。|grammar point| ASG25C48}} | ||
{{Similar|Causative verbs}} | {{Similar|Causative verbs}} | ||
{{POS|Verbs}} | {{POS|Verbs}} | ||
{{Used for|Requesting}} | {{Used for|Requesting}} | ||
Latest revision as of 09:21, 20 April 2021
To be more polite in English, we add the word "please" onto our requests. In Chinese, the word 请 (qǐng) serves the same purpose.
Contents
Simple Requests
In its most simple form, a polite request can consist of only two words.
Structure
请 + Verb
Examples
- 请 进 。Please come in.
- 请 坐 。Please sit down.
- 请 说 。Please speak.
Longer Requests
Obviously, those requests may be significantly longer.
Structure
请 (+ 你) + Verb Phrase
Examples
- 请 喝 茶 。Please have some tea.
- 请 不要 迟到 。Please do not be late.
- 请 尝 一 尝 。Please have a taste.
- 请 你 说 得 慢 一点 。Please speak more slowly.
- 请 你 听 老师 的 话 。Please listen to the teacher.
- 请 你 离开 。Please leave.
The phrase 请问 (qǐngwèn) is a set expression meaning not "please ask," but rather, "may I ask." It frequently comes before asking for directions or other polite requests for information.
- 请问 ， 洗手间 在 哪里 。Excuse me, where is the restroom?
Being Polite without 请 (qǐng)
You may have noticed that the Chinese themselves do not use 请 (qǐng) nearly as much as we use the word "please" in English. It's not because Chinese people are rude; it's because the word 请 (qǐng) feels rather formal in Chinese, and most people don't feel the need to use it with family members, friends, or even co-workers.
Here are some other ways to start make a request to still be polite, but less in a less formal way:
- 你 可 不 可以 …… ？Could you...?
- 你 能 不 能 …… ？Can you...?
- 麻烦 你 …… Can I trouble you to... (?)
More Advanced Uses of 请 (qǐng)
Aside from this "please" usage, the word 请 (qǐng) has some additional uses not covered here. It can mean "to invite," or "to treat (someone to a meal)," and can even be used as a causative verb. None of those uses are covered here.
