Language structures – requests

If you’d like to make a request i.e. ask somebody to do something for you, the following structures can be used:

Will you ………. ?

Can you …. …..?

Would you……….?

Could you………?

Would you mind………?

E.g.:

Will you give me that book? (Ideadod azt a könyvet?)

Can you give me that book? (Ide tudod adni azt a könyvet?)

Would you give me that book? (Ideadnád azt a könyvet?)

Could you give me that book? (Ide tudnád adni azt a könyvet?)

Would you mind giving me that book? (Nem bánnád, ha megkérnélek, hogy ideadd azt a könyvet?

Note: the first one is the least polite, the last one is the most polite (as in Hungarian).

Agreeing (saying yes)

Yes, of course.

Yes, no problem.

Certainly.

To ‘would you mind…?’ question: No, of course not.

(Nem bánnád? Helyeslő válasz: nem!)

Disagreeing (saying no)

I’m sorry, I can’t.

I'm afraid, I can't.

I'm sorry, I'm busy.

I would/could but..... (I have no arms:)