ていただけませんか
🃏 Flashcard
ていただけませんか
te itadakemasen ka
Tap to reveal usage
could you please
N4
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
te itadakemasen ka
Post ID
50776
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
could you please
📖 How to use it
A polite way to ask someone to do something for you, equivalent to 'could you please...'.
Attaches to
Attach to the て-form of a verb: Vて + いただけませんか. For example, 手伝って (help) + いただけませんか.
This pattern is a very polite request, often used with people you are not close to, such as superiors, customers, or strangers. It is more formal than 〜てください, which can sound too direct in some situations. The verb 'いただく' is the humble form of 'もらう', so the nuance is 'could I receive the favor of you doing...?'
ちょっと待っていただけませんか。
Chotto matte itadakemasen ka.
Could you wait a moment, please?
この漢字を読んでいただけませんか。
Kono kanji o yonde itadakemasen ka.
Could you read this kanji for me?
窓を開けていただけませんか。
Mado o akete itadakemasen ka.
Could you open the window, please?
Not 〜てくれませんか
〜てくれませんか is also polite but slightly less formal and more commonly used in everyday situations with acquaintances or colleagues. 〜ていただけませんか is more humble and respectful, appropriate for formal contexts or when addressing someone of higher status.
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Formal and polite; used in spoken and written Japanese when you need to show respect, such as speaking to a boss, teacher, or customer.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
ていただけませんか
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat ていただけませんか three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using ていただけませんか. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns
← Previous
ていた
was doing something (past continuous)
Next →
てくれる
to do a favor; do something for someone
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern ていただけませんか mean?
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Could you please
What JLPT level is ていただけませんか?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use ていただけませんか in a sentence?
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Attach ていただけませんか (te itadakemasen ka) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is ていただけませんか formal or casual Japanese?
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ていただけませんか is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember ていただけませんか long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.