Practice, Please
“When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness.” – Joseph Campbell
練習して下さい! Please practice!
Let’s start off simply. I just want you to turn the following sentences into 下さい sentences. Be sure to say your answers out loud, too!
肉をたべる
a 肉をたべてください
私をでんわする
私をでんわして下さい
かんじ を ならう
a かんじ を ならって下さい
スターウオーズを見る
a スターウオーズ見てください
とうきょう に 行く
a とうきょう に 行って下さい
りんご を かう
a りんご を かって下さい
Once you get the hang of that, why don’t you try translating from English to Japanese.
Please look here
a ここを見てください
Please write this kanji
a この かんじ を かいて下さい
Please sit there
a そこ に すわって下さい
Eat that orange!
a その オレンジ を たべて
Did I trick you with the last one? Bwahaha. Once you’ve got the hang of basic 下さい, let’s move on to the negative form. Before you click the 前 button, though, do me a favor. How do you think negative 下さい will work? Try to figure it out even before continuing. When you’ve come up with a theory, see if you were right. It’ll help you to remember the correct version whether your idea was right or wrong.