[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":513},["ShallowReactive",2],{"i-lucide:chevron-down":3,"i-lucide:type":8,"i-lucide:layers":10,"i-lucide:menu":12,"i-lucide:house":14,"i-lucide:chevron-right":16,"i-lucide:list-ordered":18,"i-lucide:book-open":20,"i-lucide:library-big":22,"i-lucide:book-open-text":24,"i-lucide:graduation-cap":26,"i-lucide:languages":28,"i-lucide:gamepad-2":30,"i-simple-icons:mastodon":32,"i-simple-icons:bluesky":34,"i-simple-icons:x":36,"i-simple-icons:linkedin":38,"grammar-mandarin-requests-and-imperatives":41,"grammar-verbs-mandarin-requests-and-imperatives":504,"i-lucide:download":505,"i-lucide:pencil-line":507,"i-lucide:image":509,"i-lucide:file-text":511},{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":7},0,24,false,"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m6 9l6 6l6-6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":9},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 4v16M4 7V5a1 1 0 0 1 1-1h14a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v2M9 20h6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":11},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M12.83 2.18a2 2 0 0 0-1.66 0L2.6 6.08a1 1 0 0 0 0 1.83l8.58 3.91a2 2 0 0 0 1.66 0l8.58-3.9a1 1 0 0 0 0-1.83z\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M2 12a1 1 0 0 0 .58.91l8.6 3.91a2 2 0 0 0 1.65 0l8.58-3.9A1 1 0 0 0 22 12\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M2 17a1 1 0 0 0 .58.91l8.6 3.91a2 2 0 0 0 1.65 0l8.58-3.9A1 1 0 0 0 22 17\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":13},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M4 5h16M4 12h16M4 19h16\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":15},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M15 21v-8a1 1 0 0 0-1-1h-4a1 1 0 0 0-1 1v8\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M3 10a2 2 0 0 1 .709-1.528l7-6a2 2 0 0 1 2.582 0l7 6A2 2 0 0 1 21 10v9a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H5a2 2 0 0 1-2-2z\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":17},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m9 18l6-6l-6-6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":19},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M11 5h10m-10 7h10m-10 7h10M4 4h1v5M4 9h2m.5 11H3.4c0-1 2.6-1.925 2.6-3.5a1.5 1.5 0 0 0-2.6-1.02\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":21},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 7v14m-9-3a1 1 0 0 1-1-1V4a1 1 0 0 1 1-1h5a4 4 0 0 1 4 4a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h5a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v13a1 1 0 0 1-1 1h-6a3 3 0 0 0-3 3a3 3 0 0 0-3-3z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":23},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Crect width=\"8\" height=\"18\" x=\"3\" y=\"3\" rx=\"1\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M7 3v18m13.4-2.1c.2.5-.1 1.1-.6 1.3l-1.9.7c-.5.2-1.1-.1-1.3-.6L11.1 5.1c-.2-.5.1-1.1.6-1.3l1.9-.7c.5-.2 1.1.1 1.3.6Z\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":25},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 7v14m4-9h2m-2-4h2M3 18a1 1 0 0 1-1-1V4a1 1 0 0 1 1-1h5a4 4 0 0 1 4 4a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h5a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v13a1 1 0 0 1-1 1h-6a3 3 0 0 0-3 3a3 3 0 0 0-3-3zm3-6h2M6 8h2\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":27},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M21.42 10.922a1 1 0 0 0-.019-1.838L12.83 5.18a2 2 0 0 0-1.66 0L2.6 9.08a1 1 0 0 0 0 1.832l8.57 3.908a2 2 0 0 0 1.66 0zM22 10v6\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M6 12.5V16a6 3 0 0 0 12 0v-3.5\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":29},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"m5 8l6 6m-7 0l6-6l2-3M2 5h12M7 2h1m14 20l-5-10l-5 10m2-4h6\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":31},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M6 11h4M8 9v4m7-1h.01M18 10h.01m-.69-5H6.68a4 4 0 0 0-3.978 3.59l-.017.152C2.604 9.416 2 14.456 2 16a3 3 0 0 0 3 3c1 0 1.5-.5 2-1l1.414-1.414A2 2 0 0 1 9.828 16h4.344a2 2 0 0 1 1.414.586L17 18c.5.5 1 1 2 1a3 3 0 0 0 3-3c0-1.545-.604-6.584-.685-7.258q-.01-.075-.017-.151A4 4 0 0 0 17.32 5\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":33},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M23.268 5.313c-.35-2.578-2.617-4.61-5.304-5.004C17.51.242 15.792 0 11.813 0h-.03c-3.98 0-4.835.242-5.288.309C3.882.692 1.496 2.518.917 5.127C.64 6.412.61 7.837.661 9.143c.074 1.874.088 3.745.26 5.611c.118 1.24.325 2.47.62 3.68c.55 2.237 2.777 4.098 4.96 4.857c2.336.792 4.849.923 7.256.38q.398-.092.786-.213c.585-.184 1.27-.39 1.774-.753a.06.06 0 0 0 .023-.043v-1.809a.05.05 0 0 0-.02-.041a.05.05 0 0 0-.046-.01a20.3 20.3 0 0 1-4.709.545c-2.73 0-3.463-1.284-3.674-1.818a5.6 5.6 0 0 1-.319-1.433a.053.053 0 0 1 .066-.054c1.517.363 3.072.546 4.632.546c.376 0 .75 0 1.125-.01c1.57-.044 3.224-.124 4.768-.422q.059-.011.11-.024c2.435-.464 4.753-1.92 4.989-5.604c.008-.145.03-1.52.03-1.67c.002-.512.167-3.63-.024-5.545m-3.748 9.195h-2.561V8.29c0-1.309-.55-1.976-1.67-1.976c-1.23 0-1.846.79-1.846 2.35v3.403h-2.546V8.663c0-1.56-.617-2.35-1.848-2.35c-1.112 0-1.668.668-1.67 1.977v6.218H4.822V8.102q0-1.965 1.011-3.12c.696-.77 1.608-1.164 2.74-1.164c1.311 0 2.302.5 2.962 1.498l.638 1.06l.638-1.06c.66-.999 1.65-1.498 2.96-1.498c1.13 0 2.043.395 2.74 1.164q1.012 1.155 1.012 3.12z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":35},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M5.202 2.857C7.954 4.922 10.913 9.11 12 11.358c1.087-2.247 4.046-6.436 6.798-8.501C20.783 1.366 24 .213 24 3.883c0 .732-.42 6.156-.667 7.037c-.856 3.061-3.978 3.842-6.755 3.37c4.854.826 6.089 3.562 3.422 6.299c-5.065 5.196-7.28-1.304-7.847-2.97c-.104-.305-.152-.448-.153-.327c0-.121-.05.022-.153.327c-.568 1.666-2.782 8.166-7.847 2.97c-2.667-2.737-1.432-5.473 3.422-6.3c-2.777.473-5.899-.308-6.755-3.369C.42 10.04 0 4.615 0 3.883c0-3.67 3.217-2.517 5.202-1.026\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":37},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M14.234 10.162L22.977 0h-2.072l-7.591 8.824L7.251 0H.258l9.168 13.343L.258 24H2.33l8.016-9.318L16.749 24h6.993zm-2.837 3.299l-.929-1.329L3.076 1.56h3.182l5.965 8.532l.929 1.329l7.754 11.09h-3.182z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":39,"hidden":40},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M20.447 20.452h-3.554v-5.569c0-1.328-.027-3.037-1.852-3.037c-1.853 0-2.136 1.445-2.136 2.939v5.667H9.351V9h3.414v1.561h.046c.477-.9 1.637-1.85 3.37-1.85c3.601 0 4.267 2.37 4.267 5.455v6.286zM5.337 7.433a2.06 2.06 0 0 1-2.063-2.065a2.064 2.064 0 1 1 2.063 2.065m1.782 13.019H3.555V9h3.564zM22.225 0H1.771C.792 0 0 .774 0 1.729v20.542C0 23.227.792 24 1.771 24h20.451C23.2 24 24 23.227 24 22.271V1.729C24 .774 23.2 0 22.222 0z\"\u002F>",true,{"id":42,"title":43,"author":44,"body":45,"cefrLevel":493,"date":44,"description":494,"extension":495,"faqs":44,"gcseTier":496,"intro":497,"language":498,"lastUpdated":44,"meta":499,"navigation":40,"path":500,"seo":501,"stem":502,"verbSlugs":44,"__hash__":503},"pages\u002Fmandarin\u002Fgrammar\u002Frequests-and-imperatives.md","Mandarin Requests and Imperatives: 请, 别, 不要, the Softening Particles 吧\u002F啊, and Verb Reduplication",null,{"type":46,"value":47,"toc":477},"minimark",[48,53,57,76,79,83,86,115,118,121,125,128,157,160,164,167,172,199,202,206,227,230,234,237,326,329,332,361,364,367,371,374,404,407,411,414,428,431,435,468],[49,50,52],"h2",{"id":51},"plain-imperatives","Plain imperatives",[54,55,56],"p",{},"The plainest imperative in Mandarin is just a verb. No subject, no marker.",[58,59,60,64,67,70,73],"ul",{},[61,62,63],"li",{},"坐！ (Zuò!) - Sit!",[61,65,66],{},"看！ (Kàn!) - Look!",[61,68,69],{},"走！ (Zǒu!) - Go! \u002F Move!",[61,71,72],{},"起来！ (Qǐ lái!) - Get up!",[61,74,75],{},"听我说。 (Tīng wǒ shuō.) - Listen to me.",[54,77,78],{},"This is direct. Acceptable between close family, friends, or in genuinely urgent situations. Used on a stranger or a colleague, it lands as rude.",[49,80,82],{"id":81},"polite-request-请-verb","Polite request: 请 + verb",[54,84,85],{},"请 (qǐng) literally means 'invite' \u002F 'request'. Stick it in front of any imperative to make it polite.",[58,87,88,95,100,105,110],{},[61,89,90,94],{},[91,92,93],"strong",{},"请","坐。 (Qǐng zuò.) - Please sit down.",[61,96,97,99],{},[91,98,93],{},"进。 (Qǐng jìn.) - Please come in.",[61,101,102,104],{},[91,103,93],{},"等一下。 (Qǐng děng yí xià.) - Please wait a moment.",[61,106,107,109],{},[91,108,93],{},"给我那本书。 (Qǐng gěi wǒ nà běn shū.) - Please give me that book.",[61,111,112,114],{},[91,113,93],{},"问，洗手间在哪儿？ (Qǐng wèn, xǐ shǒu jiān zài nǎr?) - Excuse me, where's the toilet?",[54,116,117],{},"请 is the most-reached-for politeness marker in everyday Mandarin. Asking a waiter, addressing a stranger, or making a request of someone you don't know well - 请 first.",[54,119,120],{},"请问 (lit. 'please ask') is the standard 'excuse me' for asking a stranger something. Use it whenever you'd say 'excuse me' in English to flag a question to a stranger.",[49,122,124],{"id":123},"negative-imperatives-别-and-不要","Negative imperatives: 别 and 不要",[54,126,127],{},"For 'don't do X', you have two options: 别 (bié) and 不要 (bú yào). They mean the same thing.",[58,129,130,136,142,147,152],{},[61,131,132,135],{},[91,133,134],{},"别","走！ (Bié zǒu!) - Don't go!",[61,137,138,141],{},[91,139,140],{},"不要","说话。 (Bú yào shuō huà.) - Don't talk.",[61,143,144,146],{},[91,145,134],{},"生气。 (Bié shēng qì.) - Don't be angry.",[61,148,149,151],{},[91,150,140],{},"忘了。 (Bú yào wàng le.) - Don't forget.",[61,153,154,156],{},[91,155,134],{},"这样。 (Bié zhè yàng.) - Don't be like that.",[54,158,159],{},"别 is slightly shorter and more colloquial; 不要 is slightly more formal. Both are everyday. For 'please don't', stick 请 in front: 请别说话 (please don't talk).",[49,161,163],{"id":162},"softening-particles-吧-and-啊","Softening particles: 吧 and 啊",[54,165,166],{},"Two sentence-final particles that soften the tone. The difference between a command and a suggestion often comes down to a single particle.",[168,169,171],"h3",{"id":170},"吧-ba-suggestion-lets","吧 (ba): suggestion \u002F let's",[58,173,174,181,187,193],{},[61,175,176,177,180],{},"我们走",[91,178,179],{},"吧","。 (Wǒ men zǒu ba.) - Let's go.",[61,182,183,184,186],{},"你坐",[91,185,179],{},"。 (Nǐ zuò ba.) - Sit down. (Inviting, not commanding.)",[61,188,189,190,192],{},"你试试",[91,191,179],{},"。 (Nǐ shì shi ba.) - Give it a try.",[61,194,195,196,198],{},"好",[91,197,179],{},"。 (Hǎo ba.) - Alright then. (Reluctant agreement.)",[54,200,201],{},"吧 turns a command into a suggestion. 你坐 (sit down, command) becomes 你坐吧 (have a seat, invitation). One particle changes the whole register.",[168,203,205],{"id":204},"啊-a-casual-softener-emphatic","啊 (a): casual softener \u002F emphatic",[58,207,208,215,221],{},[61,209,210,211,214],{},"来",[91,212,213],{},"啊","！ (Lái a!) - Come on!",[61,216,217,218,220],{},"你说",[91,219,213],{},"！ (Nǐ shuō a!) - Speak up! \u002F Go on, say it!",[61,222,223,224,226],{},"别担心",[91,225,213],{},"。 (Bié dān xīn a.) - Don't worry, mate.",[54,228,229],{},"啊 is more emphatic and casual than 吧. It can soften a command between friends but it can also amp up a request to 'come on, just do it'. Use carefully.",[49,231,233],{"id":232},"verb-reduplication-have-a-quick-x","Verb reduplication: 'have a quick X'",[54,235,236],{},"Reduplicating a verb (saying it twice) softens it into 'have a brief X' \u002F 'do X a bit' \u002F 'give X a try'. This is one of the most underused tools by learners and one of the most-used by natives.",[238,239,240,256],"table",{},[241,242,243],"thead",{},[244,245,246,250,253],"tr",{},[247,248,249],"th",{},"Plain verb",[247,251,252],{},"Reduplicated",[247,254,255],{},"Meaning",[257,258,259,271,282,293,304,315],"tbody",{},[244,260,261,265,268],{},[262,263,264],"td",{},"看 (kàn)",[262,266,267],{},"看看 (kàn kan)",[262,269,270],{},"have a look",[244,272,273,276,279],{},[262,274,275],{},"听 (tīng)",[262,277,278],{},"听听 (tīng ting)",[262,280,281],{},"give it a listen",[244,283,284,287,290],{},[262,285,286],{},"试 (shì)",[262,288,289],{},"试试 (shì shi)",[262,291,292],{},"give it a try",[244,294,295,298,301],{},[262,296,297],{},"想 (xiǎng)",[262,299,300],{},"想想 (xiǎng xiang)",[262,302,303],{},"think it over",[244,305,306,309,312],{},[262,307,308],{},"等 (děng)",[262,310,311],{},"等等 (děng deng)",[262,313,314],{},"wait a moment",[244,316,317,320,323],{},[262,318,319],{},"说 (shuō)",[262,321,322],{},"说说 (shuō shuo)",[262,324,325],{},"say a bit",[54,327,328],{},"For one-syllable verbs, just repeat: 看看, 听听. The second instance is often pronounced lighter (neutral tone). For two-syllable verbs, the pattern is ABAB: 学习 (study) → 学习学习, 休息 (rest) → 休息休息.",[54,330,331],{},"Reduplicated verbs work brilliantly in soft requests:",[58,333,334,341,347,354],{},[61,335,336,337,340],{},"你",[91,338,339],{},"看看","这个。 (Nǐ kàn kan zhè ge.) - Have a look at this.",[61,342,336,343,346],{},[91,344,345],{},"试试","吧。 (Nǐ shì shi ba.) - Give it a try.",[61,348,349,350,353],{},"让我",[91,351,352],{},"想想","。 (Ràng wǒ xiǎng xiang.) - Let me think about it.",[61,355,356,357,360],{},"我们",[91,358,359],{},"等等","他。 (Wǒ men děng deng tā.) - Let's wait a bit for him.",[54,362,363],{},"The reduplicated form is to imperatives what 'a quick look' \u002F 'a brief try' is in English. It defuses the directness.",[54,365,366],{},"You can also insert 一 between the two: 看一看 = 看看. Same meaning, slightly more formal.",[49,368,370],{"id":369},"stacking-politeness","Stacking politeness",[54,372,373],{},"The tools combine. A maximally polite request might stack 请 + reduplicated verb + 吧:",[58,375,376,386,393],{},[61,377,378,336,380,382,383,385],{},[91,379,93],{},[91,381,339],{},"这个",[91,384,179],{},"。 (Qǐng nǐ kàn kan zhè ge ba.) - Please have a look at this.",[61,387,388,359,390,392],{},[91,389,93],{},[91,391,213],{},"。 (Qǐng děng deng a.) - Please wait a moment.",[61,394,395,397,398,400,401,403],{},[91,396,93],{},"说说",[91,399,336],{},"的意见",[91,402,179],{},"。 (Qǐng shuō shuo nǐ de yì jiàn ba.) - Please share your view.",[54,405,406],{},"Three layers of softening on one sentence. Native speakers do this routinely when they want to be deferential. The opening 请 marks the politeness; the reduplicated verb suggests 'a quick X'; the 吧 turns it into an invitation rather than a command.",[49,408,410],{"id":409},"a-note-on-register","A note on register",[54,412,413],{},"Mandarin's politeness system is less codified than the Japanese or Korean ones - there's no honorific verb forms, no register-locked vocabulary at the everyday level. The register is set by:",[58,415,416,419,422,425],{},[61,417,418],{},"The opening particle (请 or its absence)",[61,420,421],{},"Whether the verb is reduplicated",[61,423,424],{},"The sentence-final particle (吧, 啊, or neither)",[61,426,427],{},"Tone of voice (more important than character choice in many cases)",[54,429,430],{},"Get these four moves right and your requests will land politely. Skip them and you'll sound like a textbook command-form, which can read as brusque even when you didn't mean it.",[49,432,434],{"id":433},"what-to-internalise","What to internalise",[436,437,438,444,450,456,462],"ol",{},[61,439,440,443],{},[91,441,442],{},"请 + verb is the default polite request."," Use it on strangers, in shops, with anyone you don't know well.",[61,445,446,449],{},[91,447,448],{},"别 and 不要 are interchangeable for negative commands."," 别 is shorter and more colloquial.",[61,451,452,455],{},[91,453,454],{},"吧 softens commands into suggestions."," 你坐 → 你坐吧 is the textbook example.",[61,457,458,461],{},[91,459,460],{},"Reduplicate verbs for 'have a quick X'."," 看看, 听听, 试试. The single most natural-sounding politeness move.",[61,463,464,467],{},[91,465,466],{},"Stack the tools for maximum politeness."," 请 + reduplicated verb + 吧.",[54,469,470,471,476],{},"For the wider grammar inventory, see the ",[472,473,475],"a",{"href":474},"\u002Fmandarin\u002Fgrammar\u002Fcheatsheet","Mandarin grammar cheatsheet",".",{"title":478,"searchDepth":479,"depth":479,"links":480},"",2,[481,482,483,484,489,490,491,492],{"id":51,"depth":479,"text":52},{"id":81,"depth":479,"text":82},{"id":123,"depth":479,"text":124},{"id":162,"depth":479,"text":163,"children":485},[486,488],{"id":170,"depth":487,"text":171},3,{"id":204,"depth":487,"text":205},{"id":232,"depth":479,"text":233},{"id":369,"depth":479,"text":370},{"id":409,"depth":479,"text":410},{"id":433,"depth":479,"text":434},"A1-A2","How to make polite requests and give commands in Mandarin. 请 + verb for polite asks, 别\u002F不要 for negative commands, sentence-softening 吧\u002F啊, and verb reduplication (看看, 试试) as a politeness device.","md","foundation","Mandarin imperatives are blunter than English ones by default. There's no 'please' wrapper that softens every request as a matter of course - you have to mark politeness deliberately. Three main tools do the job: 请 (qǐng, please) at the front, sentence-final 吧 or 啊 to soften the tone, and reduplicated verbs (看看, 试试) to suggest 'have a quick look' \u002F 'give it a try' rather than an order. For negative commands, 别 and 不要 are interchangeable. This page covers all of it.","mandarin",{},"\u002Fmandarin\u002Fgrammar\u002Frequests-and-imperatives",{"title":43,"description":494},"mandarin\u002Fgrammar\u002Frequests-and-imperatives","Xv8xWeV-aEdnXvG4DiRYk-cCJ3JDbfc09TTwNQg7fcc",[],{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":506},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M12 15V3m9 12v4a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H5a2 2 0 0 1-2-2v-4\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"m7 10l5 5l5-5\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":508},"\u003Cpath fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M13 21h8M15 5l4 4m2.174-2.188a1 1 0 0 0-3.986-3.987L3.842 16.174a2 2 0 0 0-.5.83l-1.321 4.352a.5.5 0 0 0 .623.622l4.353-1.32a2 2 0 0 0 .83-.497z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":510},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Crect width=\"18\" height=\"18\" x=\"3\" y=\"3\" rx=\"2\" ry=\"2\"\u002F>\u003Ccircle cx=\"9\" cy=\"9\" r=\"2\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"m21 15l-3.086-3.086a2 2 0 0 0-2.828 0L6 21\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":512},"\u003Cg fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\">\u003Cpath d=\"M6 22a2 2 0 0 1-2-2V4a2 2 0 0 1 2-2h8a2.4 2.4 0 0 1 1.704.706l3.588 3.588A2.4 2.4 0 0 1 20 8v12a2 2 0 0 1-2 2z\"\u002F>\u003Cpath d=\"M14 2v5a1 1 0 0 0 1 1h5M10 9H8m8 4H8m8 4H8\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",1]