Polite requests with 请
【一34】祈使句
Tone colorsā tone 1á tone 2ǎ tone 3à tone 4a neutral
请 + Verb (+ Object) / 请 + person + Verb
请 (qǐng) in front of a verb turns an order into a polite invitation, like “please”: 请进 (come in), 请坐 (have a seat), 请喝茶 (have some tea).
请问 (qǐngwèn) = “excuse me, may I ask…”: the opener before asking a stranger something. 请问，洗手间在哪儿？
请 + person + verb = “invite someone to” (often paying): 我请你吃饭 (dinner's on me).
Imperatives can also go without 请: 你认真写！ (write carefully!).
Examples
请进！
Qǐng jìn!Please come in!
请坐，请喝茶。
Qǐng zuò, qǐng hē chá.Please sit down and have some tea.
请问，洗手间在哪儿？
Qǐngwèn, xǐshǒujiān zài nǎr?Excuse me, where's the restroom?
今天我请你吃饭。
Jīntiān wǒ qǐng nǐ chī fàn.Today, dinner's on me.
Common mistakes
✗ 请，洗手间在哪儿？ → ✓ 请问，洗手间在哪儿？ (请 alone doesn't mean “excuse me”).
✗ 进请 → ✓ 请进 (请 always comes first).