Grammar clarification, レストランで

Hi guys i have just some little questions for you regarding kudasai and onegaishimasu.

I have been told that kudasai is used just with verbs, you can’t use it for requests without verbs, is that correct?

So can I say:

ラメンを2つください
Is only correct this one?

ラメンを2つおねがいします

教えてくれてありがとう

4 comments
  1. “ください” can be used with a noun followed by “を” to mean “Please give me X” or “May I please have X.” It can also follow the て-form of a verb to mean “Please X.”

  2. Both work with nouns.

    おねがいします is a little more formal sounding.

    ください can be used with verbs.

    It’s also ラーメン, fyi.

  3. Using (を)ください with nouns can have an old-fashioned or foreign vibe. It’s not going to offend anyone so if you just need tourist-level or phrasebook Japanese I wouldn’t worry about this detail but if you’re aiming higher then observe how people use お願いします。

    In the same vein: verbてください isn’t *that* polite either. Nor rude, just neutral, “です for imperatives” is a reasonable way to describe it. There are lots of other forms to learn and use.

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