JLPT N5 grammar

〜てくださいませんかmeaning and usage

Meaning

Added to a verb’s て-form to make a courteous, indirect request: “Would you please …?”

How to form it

  • verb (te-form)くださいませんか

How it is used

A request phrased as a negative question, softer than 「〜てください」 and suited to superiors, strangers or bigger favors. 「〜ていただけませんか」 is even more polite. As an auxiliary, 「ください」 is usually written in kana.

Examples

  1. ドアに鍵をかけて下さいませんか。

    Would you please lock the door?

  2. すみません、写真を撮ってくださいませんか。

    Excuse me, would you mind taking a photo for me?

  3. この言葉の意味を教えてくださいませんか。

    Could you please tell me what this word means?

About the example In かけて下さいませんか, てくださいませんか frames the request to lock the door as a courteous question.