Polite requests in German: "Machst du bitte …", "Kannst du mal …" and the missing question mark
German requests range from a plain imperative (Mach das Fenster zu.) to very polite questions in the subjunctive (Könnten Sie bitte das Fenster schließen?). Between the two sit the forms people use most: a question with bitte and often mal, such as Machst du bitte das Fenster zu? or Kannst du mal das Fenster zumachen? The more distance or the bigger the favour, the further you move towards könnten and würden.
From direct to very polite
The same request can be phrased in at least six ways. In everyday life the middle of the scale is the most useful.
| Form | Example | How it sounds |
|---|---|---|
| Imperative | Mach das Fenster zu. | direct; fine with family, sounds like an order otherwise |
| Imperative + bitte | Mach bitte das Fenster zu. | friendly but still direct |
| Present-tense question | Machst du bitte das Fenster zu? | normal, relaxed request |
| können | Kannst du (mal) das Fenster zumachen? | normal, very common |
| könnten / würden | Könntest du das Fenster zumachen? Würdest du …? | polite, a bit careful |
| Extra-polite phrases | Wären Sie so nett, das Fenster zu schließen? | very polite, for strangers or bigger favours |
With Sie, everything moves up one step. Machen Sie bitte das Fenster zu is acceptable with a stranger, and Könnten Sie bitte …? is the standard polite request in shops, offices and emails.
Where bitte goes
bitte can go in several places. In the middle of the sentence, after the verb and any pronouns, it sounds natural and light. At the start or the end of the sentence, it is more noticeable, and at the end it can even sound slightly impatient, depending on the tone.
Kannst du mir bitte helfen?Could you help me, please?
Bitte warten Sie hier.Please wait here.
Gib mir das Salz, bitte.Pass me the salt, please.
mal, doch and eben
Requests between friends, family and colleagues are often softened with the particle mal, which makes them sound casual and small: Kannst du mal kurz kommen? (Can you come here a moment?) doch makes a suggestion warmer: Setz dich doch! (Do sit down.) mal eben means quickly and suggests that the favour is no trouble: Kannst du mal eben den Müll rausbringen? The post on German modal particles explains these words in more detail.
The statement form: "Du machst bitte …"
A request can also be phrased as a statement with bitte: Du machst bitte das Fenster zu. This is not a question and not quite an order. It tells someone what you expect them to do, a little like the English You'll close the window, please. Parents, teachers and managers use it, and it sounds firm. Between equals it can come across as bossy, so as a learner it is better to use the question forms above.
Why some requests end with a full stop
Learners are sometimes puzzled by written requests like Rufst du bitte die Kinder. or Würden Sie bitte hier unterschreiben. with a full stop rather than a question mark. The sentence looks like a question, but it is not really asking for information. It is a request, and the person is expected to do it.
German punctuation rules say that a request or instruction without special emphasis can end with a full stop instead of an exclamation mark. Some writers extend this to requests in question form, especially in instructions, forms and official letters. You will see both versions, and both are accepted in practice. If you are unsure in your own writing, use a question mark after a request that starts with the verb: Kannst du bitte die Kinder rufen?
Ordering and asking in shops
In cafés, bakeries and shops, the most common forms are Ich hätte gern … (I'd like …), Ich nehme … (I'll have …) and Kann ich … haben? (Can I have …?). All three are polite. Ich möchte … is also fine. Ich will … (I want …) sounds demanding and is best avoided.
Ich hätte gern zwei Brötchen, bitte.I'd like two rolls, please.
Ich nehme einen Cappuccino.I'll have a cappuccino.
Kann ich bitte die Rechnung haben?Can I have the bill, please?
Könnten Sie mir das bitte einpacken?Could you wrap it for me, please?
Common mistake
Ich will einen Kaffee. is wrong; correct: Ich hätte gern einen Kaffee.
Ich will expresses a strong wish or demand and sounds rude when ordering. Ich hätte gern or Ich möchte is the normal polite form. Note also that will means want, not the English future will.
Saying yes, no and thank you
A request needs an answer. The usual ways to agree are short: Gern!, Klar!, Kein Problem., Mach ich. or, more formally, Selbstverständlich. To say no politely, add a reason: Tut mir leid, das geht gerade nicht. Ich muss gleich los.
Danke or Danke schön answers a favour, and the reply is Bitte or Bitte schön, Gern geschehen or simply Gern.
Gern!Sure, happily.
Kein Problem.No problem.
Tut mir leid, das geht leider nicht.Sorry, I'm afraid that's not possible.
Danke schön! / Bitte schön!Thank you! / You're welcome!
Requests in the A1 speaking exam
In part 3 of the Goethe-Zertifikat A1 speaking exam, candidates make requests to each other based on picture cards. A complete request with können and bitte gets more points than naming the object: Kannst du mir bitte das Wörterbuch geben? rather than Wörterbuch? The post on the Goethe-Zertifikat A1 describes the exam in detail.
The forms behind these requests are covered on the pages about the imperative, modal verbs and Konjunktiv II. To hear requests in context, try the dialogues Im Café, In der Bäckerei and Im Restaurant. For the choice between du and Sie, see du or Sie.
Written by: Fatih Ün, German teacher · Last updated: