Make Everyday Requests with 请, 可以, and 一下

A polite request needs a clear action and a tone that fits the situation. qǐng请 (qǐng), kěyǐ可以 (kěyǐ), and yī一xià下 (yíxià) offer useful starting patterns, but no single word guarantees politeness in every interaction.

Use qǐng请 with a clear action

• qǐngzuò请坐。 — Qǐng zuò. — Please sit down.
• qǐng请děng等yī一xià下。 — Qǐng děng yíxià. — Please wait a moment.
• qǐng请bāng帮wǒ我kàn看yī一xià下。 — Qǐng bāng wǒ kàn yíxià. — Please take a look for me.

qǐng请 is direct and often appropriate for invitations or requests. Keep the action specific so the other person knows what you need.

Ask whether an action is possible

nǐ你kěyǐ可以bāng帮wǒ我ma吗？ — Nǐ kěyǐ bāng wǒ ma? — Could you help me?

wǒ我kěyǐ可以jiè借nǐ你de的bǐ笔ma吗？ — Wǒ kěyǐ jiè nǐ de bǐ ma? — May I borrow your pen?

A question gives the other person space to respond. If borrowing is involved, identify the item and explain the need when helpful rather than relying only on a politeness marker.

Use yī一xià下 for a brief action

yī一xià下 after a verb can present an action as brief or limited.

• kàn看yī一xià下 — kàn yíxià — take a look
• děng等yī一xià下 — děng yíxià — wait a moment

nǐ你néng能bāng帮wǒ我kāi开yī一xià下mén门ma吗？ — Nǐ néng bāng wǒ kāi yíxià mén ma? — Could you open the door for me?

It can soften suitable requests, but it should not disguise a large demand as a tiny favor. The actual effort and your relationship still matter.

Open and close the interaction

bùhǎoyìsi不好意思，kěyǐ可以bāng帮wǒ我yī一xià下ma吗？ — Bù hǎoyìsi, kěyǐ bāng wǒ yíxià ma? — Excuse me, could you help me for a moment?

xièxie谢谢nǐ你。 — Xièxie nǐ. — Thank you.

bùhǎoyìsi不好意思 can attract attention or acknowledge an interruption. You do not need it before every sentence in an ongoing conversation.

Practice three situations

Ask someone to wait, ask to borrow a pen, and ask for help opening a door. Choose one main request pattern for each. Say the line aloud in a calm tone, then imagine how you would respond if the other person could not help. Politeness includes making room for that answer.