てくれない — Won't you do (for me) / casual request
A casual request asking someone to do something for the speaker. Slightly softer than てください.
Structure
[Verb te-form] + くれない？
Examples
ちょっと手伝ってくれない？
Chotto tetsudatte kurenai?
Could you help me out a bit?
手伝って + くれない？ = casual request for help
これを運んでくれない？
Kore o hakonde kurenai?
Could you carry this?
運んで + くれない？ = casual request
駅までいっしょに来てくれない？
Eki made issho ni kite kurenai?
Could you come with me to the station?
来て + くれない？ = casual request to come along
• Key Concept: てくれない is a casual request (used with peers/close relations). • More polite: てくれませんか → ていただけませんか. • Summary: The negative くれない literally means "won't you give (me the favor)" — the negative question form makes it a softer request rather than a demand.
Commonly confused with
The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones てくれない is tested against.
vs てください
てください is a polite direct request/instruction; てくれない is casual and, as a negative question, feels softer and more like asking a favor between friends.
vs てもらえない？
てもらえない？ ("could I get you to...") frames the favor from the speaker's receiving side; てくれない？ frames it from the giver's side. Both are casual and close in nuance.
vs てくれる？
The affirmative てくれる？ is a lighter, more direct casual ask; the negative てくれない？ sounds a touch softer and more considerate.
More expressions
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