Me puede dar el libro

Question

Hola Can a native Spanish speaker help me understand please if I translate this sentence correctly?

I want to say 'Can you give me the book'? Would I say in Spanish 'Me puede dar el libro?

Gracias.

Good question that led to a good answer. - heliotropeman, Apr 19, 2014

Answer 1

That's correct if you're speaking to an elderly person (usted form). Otherwise, you would say:

¿Me puedes dar el libro? (Tú form.)

There are lots of ways to say this. It all depends on context.

¿Me puedes dar el libro?

¿Me podrías dar el libro? (A little more polite).

Dame el libro, por favor. (Command form).

Que me des el libro, por favor. (Command form using the subjunctive. A little more polite, once again.)

Nice answer. - heliotropeman, Apr 19, 2014

Answer 2

¿Tu puedes darme el libro? Is what I would say como un estudiante de español

Or to be more polite you might say

¿Usted puede darme el libro por favor? Can you give me the book please.

I prefer to put the "me" after the infinitive verb, a mi es mas facial.