Should one ask "can you please" or "could you please" do this?
3
votes
does one ask for a favor or passive command by saying "can you please"? or should they ask "could you please"?
1898 views
updated Feb 9, 2012
posted by gmacray
In English either is fine and very polite. - annierats, Feb 9, 2012
"Could" sounds politer to me, but both are fine. - Goldie_Miel, Feb 9, 2012
2 Answers
1
vote
To me 'can' would imply that you are questioning their ability to do what ever the task is. Therefore if it is something they are clearly able to do, but you are asking them to do it for you, I would use 'could'.
updated Feb 9, 2012
posted by MaryMcc
0
votes
gma, I would probably use a form of "podrías" or "podría" to ask that question.
Por favor, ¿podrías .....?
updated Feb 9, 2012
posted by 0066c384
