Making polite requests without overcomplicating them

Use kan du, kunne du and jeg vil gjerne in everyday situations, with specific, understandable requests.

Make the request clear first

Begin with the action you need: explain, repeat or send. Do not bury the request in a long introduction. Kan du is useful in many everyday contexts; tone and the relationship also matter.

Kunne du for a softer request

Kunne du can soften a request, although kunne has past-related uses elsewhere. Here it functions as a polite request rather than a literal question about the past.

Gjerne when stating a preference

Jeg vil gjerne helps when arranging an appointment or requesting information. Add a brief reason when useful. Vær så snill may suit some requests, but politeness does not require it in every message.

Try it yourself

Turn a direct instruction into a polite request and specify whether you need a repeated sentence, a word explanation or a new appointment.

Reference for further reading