Lesson L2N4N4 Listening and Conversation⏱ 20 min

Instructions and Requests Audio

Listen to instructions given in workplace, school, and public contexts. Understand what action to take next.

🎯 Goal: To accurately comprehend and respond to spoken instructions, requests, and directions in everyday Japanese contexts, enabling learners to follow multi-step tasks and recognize varying levels of politeness in audio conversations.

Introduction

Welcome to the "Instructions and Requests Audio" lesson, designed for N4 learners aiming to navigate daily life and workplace interactions in Japan. In this lesson, you will sharpen your listening skills by focusing on how Japanese speakers give directions, make requests, and offer instructions. You will hear a variety of natural dialogues featuring key grammatical structures such as ~てください, ~ないでください, and more polite variations like ~ていただけませんか. By training your ear to catch these subtle cues in spoken Japanese, you will gain the confidence needed to respond accurately and assist others effectively in real-world scenarios.

Lesson Content

Mastering Instructions & Requests in Japanese (N4)

In the JLPT N4 listening exam and real-life Japanese conversations, you will constantly hear people giving instructions, making requests, or asking for favors. To master these audio cues, you must learn to instantly distinguish who is supposed to perform the action and how polite the speaker is being.

This guide breaks down the essential grammar patterns for instructions and requests, complete with listening strategies to help you ace your next audio comprehension test.

1. Standard Requests: 〜てください & 〜ないでください

These are the most common formulas for polite requests. In audio tracks, listen for the Te-form (〜て) or the Nai-form + de (〜ないで) followed by ください (kudasai).

Affirmative: `[Verb て-form] + ください` (Please do...)

Meaning: A polite direct request.
Example:
- ここに住所を書いてください。
- Koko ni jūsho o kaite kudasai.
- Please write your address here.

Negative: `[Verb ない-form] + でください` (Please don't do...)

Meaning: A polite request to refrain from an action.
Example:
- 教室で写真を撮らないでください。
- Kyōshitsu de shashin o toranaide kudasai.
- Please do not take photos in the classroom.

2. Asking for Favors: 〜ていただけませんか vs. 〜てもらえませんか

When a speaker needs help, they will use these interrogative request patterns. In listening exams, these indicate that the speaker wants the listener to do something for them.

Pattern	Politeness Level	Usage Context
`〜していただけませんか`	High (Very Polite)	Speaking to superiors, teachers, or strangers.
`〜してもらえませんか`	Medium (Polite/Friendly)	Speaking to colleagues, peers, or family.

Examples:

Polite:
- 漢字の読み方を教えていただけませんか。
- Kanji no yomikata o oshiete itadakemasen ka?
- Could you please teach me how to read this kanji?
Casual-Polite:
- 窓を閉めてもらえませんか。
- Mado o shimete moraemasen ka?
- Can you close the window for me?

3. Direct Instructions: [Verb Stem] + なさい

You will often hear 〜なさい (nasai) in audio passages involving parents talking to children, teachers instructing students, or on announcement systems. It is a firm, authoritative command.

Rule: Remove ます from the polite form and add なさい.
Example:
- 早く起きなさい！ (From 起きます)
- Hayaku okinasai!
- Wake up quickly!
- 宿題をしなさい。 (From します)
- Shukudai o shinasai.
- Do your homework.

4. Critical Listening Strategy: Who Performs the Action?

N4 listening questions love to trick you by asking: "What will the listener do next?" You must distinguish between asking for permission (I do) and making a request (You do).

If you hear...	Who does the action?	Example
`〜てもいいですか`	The Speaker (I)	「辞書を使ってもいいですか」 (May I use the dictionary?)
`〜てください`	The Listener (You)	「辞書を使ってください」 (Please [you] use the dictionary.)
`〜てくれませんか`	The Listener (You)	「辞書を貸してくれませんか」 (Can you lend me the dictionary?)

Audio Drill Practice

Scenario: A doctor is speaking to a patient.

「今日は熱がありますね。お風呂に入らないでください。そして、この薬を飲んで、ゆっくり休んでください。」

Question: What should the patient not do today?
Answer: Take a bath (お風呂に入らないでください).
Key Cue: The negative request marker 〜ないでください tells you exactly what action is prohibited.

Exercises