Meaning
These two sentence patterns are used to politely ask someone to do something for you. Both ~てもらえませんか and ~てくれませんか function as negative questions that soften requests and express politeness. ~てもらえませんか slightly emphasizes your desire or need, while ~てくれませんか is more commonly used in casual contexts. For formal situations with seniors or superiors, ~ていただけませんか is preferred.
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| 动词 | 動詞（て形）もらえませんか |
| 动词 | 動詞（て形）くれませんか |
Examples
-
明日の 引っ越し、手伝って もらえませんか。
Could you help me with moving tomorrow? -
A:お兄さん、明日 京都に 行くんだけど、案内してくれる？ B:いいよ。
A: Big brother, I'm going to Kyoto tomorrow. Could you show me around? B: Sure, I'd be happy to. -
この漢字の 発音を 教えて もらえませんか。
Could you tell me the pronunciation of this kanji?
Summary
- Both ~てもらえませんか and ~てくれませんか make polite requests with similar meanings
- Use ~ていただけませんか for more formal situations with superiors or elders
- In intimate relationships, use ~てくれる instead of ~てくれませんか to sound more natural