# をください: please give me > Learn how to use をください, a JLPT N5 Japanese grammar point meaning please give me, with structure, nuance, examples, mistakes, and comparisons. JLPT level: N5 · Updated: 2026-05-17 · Canonical: https://hane-app.com/blog/n5-o-kudasai/ **をください** means **please give me**. It is a **JLPT N5** Japanese grammar pattern used to ask for an item politely. This grammar point appears often in beginner conversations, classroom Japanese, and JLPT-style questions. If you want to ask for an item politely, **をください** is a useful pattern to learn because it helps you build natural basic sentences. ## What does をください mean? Use **をください** when you want to ask for an item politely. Natural translations include: - please give me - please give me - please give me The exact English translation changes with context. Focus on the role of the grammar point in the sentence first, then choose the English phrase that sounds natural. ## How to form をください Noun + をください Examples of the pattern: - 水をください - これをください - メニューをください Pay attention to the word form before and after the pattern. Many beginner mistakes happen because the meaning is understood, but the grammar is attached to the wrong form. ## When is をください used? Use **をください** in situations like: - ordering or shopping - asking for objects - simple polite requests Tone and register: - polite but direct - Common in daily speech, textbook examples, and beginner JLPT questions ## をください example sentences - 水をください。 — Please give me water. - これをください。 — Please give me this one. - メニューをください。 — Please give me the menu. - 切符を一枚ください。 — Please give me one ticket. - 少し時間をください。 — Please give me a little time. Read the Japanese sentence first, then check the English translation. Try to notice what the grammar point contributes: question, contrast, reason, time limit, suggestion, negation, comparison, or obligation. ## Nuance of をください The key nuance is **used for requesting things, not actions**. This matters because beginner Japanese often uses small words and endings to show meaning that English expresses with word order or helper verbs. For **をください**, the sentence can change a lot depending on placement and context. For example: - In conversation, it helps the listener understand used for requesting things, not actions. - Compared with **てください**, it has a different job even when the English translation looks close. ## をください vs てください Both **をください** and **てください** can express related ideas, but they are different. **をください**: - requests an item - comes after a noun **てください**: - requests an action - comes after a verb in て-form Quick contrast examples: - 水をください。— Please give me water. - 水を飲んでください。— Please drink water. If you are unsure which one to use, ask what the sentence is trying to do: ask a question, connect ideas, show a reason, mark time, make an invitation, compare two things, or express obligation. ## Common mistakes with をください Watch out for these mistakes: - Using をください after a verb - Forgetting を in simple requests - Using it when asking someone to do an action A good study habit is to write one short sentence and then change only the grammar point. This makes the difference between similar patterns easier to feel. ## Is をください on the JLPT? Yes. **をください** is commonly taught as **JLPT N5** grammar. That means learners should be able to: - recognize it in reading - understand its nuance in context - use it in simple original sentences For test preparation, do not only memorize the English gloss. Practice identifying the words around the grammar point, because JLPT questions often test structure and context together. ## Practice questions for をください Try making your own sentences with these prompts: - Ask for water. - Ask for this one. - Ask for one ticket. Keep the sentences short at first. Once the form feels natural, add time words, places, reasons, or contrast to make the sentence more realistic. ## Learning path for をください 1. Use **をください** as part of your **JLPT N5** request, permission, prohibition, and obligation grammar toolkit. Check the social force of the sentence: request, invitation, permission, prohibition, advice, or necessity. Then practice changing the ending to make the sentence softer, stronger, positive, or negative. 2. Make one short sentence with **をください**, then compare it with [てください](/blog/n5-te-kudasai/). 3. Add [お / ご](/blog/n5-o-go/) or [ませんか](/blog/n5-masen-ka/) to see how the basic meaning changes. 4. For practice, keep the sentence short: write one example with **をください**, one example with a different subject or time word, and one example that contrasts it with a related pattern below. ## Related grammar to review next - [てください](/blog/n5-te-kudasai/) — contrasts request, permission, prohibition, advice, and obligation strength. - [お / ご](/blog/n5-o-go/) — contrasts with this pattern from the basic polite and honorific expression grammar group. - [ませんか](/blog/n5-masen-ka/) — contrasts with this pattern from the desire, invitation, plan, and intention grammar group. - [ましょうか](/blog/n5-mashouka/) — contrasts with this pattern from the desire, invitation, plan, and intention grammar group. ## Learn をください with Hane If you want to review **をください** together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions. Browse more lessons here: - [All grammar lessons](/blog/) - [JLPT N5 grammar lessons](/blog/n5/)