Learning how to be polite in Russian
Learn how to ask for a favour by funny example
Привет!
Today we focus on joke-telling and learn how to ask somebody for a favor.
The direct way to ask is to use the imperative form.
- Купи мне, пожалуйста, барабаны!
- Please, buy me drums!
The more polite way is to use the question “Could you..?”, like in the situation in the pictures.
- Можешь купить мне барабаны?
- Could you buy me drums?
The most polite way is to use a negative question. Although that's mostly a Russian thing: in English, you substitute for it by adding the word "kindly".
- Не мог бы ты, пожалуйста, купить мне барабаны?
- Literally: Couldn’t you, please, buy me drums? In reality: Would you, kindly, buy me drums?
Note! When addressing someone whom you're not close to, or a stranger - use the pronoun "Вы" and the plural form of the verb in all the phrases. For example: “Не могли бы вы..?”
Check out more lessons in our Telegram channel, using the tag #russianclasses!
