～てください
polite request or instruction
～てください is the standard way to make a polite request in Japanese. It is made by taking the て-form of a verb and adding ください.
It maps closely to English “please do ...” and is one of the most useful everyday patterns, from asking someone to wait to following a teacher's instructions.
1. Polite requests
Use ～てください to politely ask someone to do something for you.
ちょっと待ってください。
“Please wait a moment.”
- ちょっと = a little, a moment
- 待ってください（まってください）= please wait
2. Soft instructions
Teachers, signs, and instructions also use ～てください to tell people what to do in a polite way.
ここに名前を書いてください。
“Please write your name here.”
- ここ = here
- に = place marker (where to write)
- 名前（なまえ）= name
- を = object marker
- 書いてください（かいてください）= please write
For people you must show extra respect, a humbler request such as ～ていただけますか (from ～ていただく) sounds softer than ～てください.
How to form it
Verb て-form + ください
- 待つ（まつ）= to wait → 待ってください（まってください）= please wait
- 見る（みる）= to look → 見てください（みてください）= please look
- 来る（くる）= to come → 来てください（きてください）= please come
Key idea
～てください is the all-purpose polite “please do X”. It is polite but still a direct request, so use it freely with equals and in instructions.
Built on the same stem
Updated .