Polite Request (Could You Please)
6 related grammar points that express the same core idea - compared below so you can tell which one to reach for.
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- Verb ていただきたい JLPT N4
- Verb て いただけませんか JLPT N4
- Verb て くださいませんか JLPT N4
- Verb てくれませんか JLPT N4
- Verb てもらいたい JLPT N4
- Verb てもらえませんか JLPT N4
てくれませんか / ていただけませんか
Asking a favour of a client, or of someone you have no standing to ask.
Verb て いただけませんか vs Verb てくれませんか: Use ていただけませんか. The humble verb plus the negative potential question makes the request as tentative as Japanese gets, which is what a large or awkward ask needs. てくれませんか is the everyday version and sounds under-dressed for it.
Leaving the decision genuinely with them, rather than stating what you want.
Verb て いただけませんか vs Verb ていただきたい: ていただけませんか asks whether they are able to, so the answer is theirs. ていただきたい states your wish and puts the weight on you: polite, but firmer, and it suits instructions from a position of authority more than it suits a favour.