Requesting is an act of asking politely or formally for something or to be allowed to do something.
For example:
- a student requesting an extension for an assignment.
- a customer requesting a different colour to a shopkeeper.
- a customer requesting something from the waiter.
- a friend requesting to be picked up.
Minta
We use the word ‘minta‘ for request. Literally it means ‘ask or request’.
- Minta Coca-Cola. Can I/we have Coca Cola?
Informal Request
In informal situation we can use ‘ya‘ and ‘dong‘ to make our requests more informal and less abrupt.
- Minta Coca-Cola ya. Can I/we have Coca Cola?
- Minta Coca-Cola dong. Can I/we have Coca Cola?
Polite Request
To make it sound more polite we add the word ‘tolong‘ or the helper verb such as ‘boleh’ and ‘bisa’ before it to make it more polite. With or without additional words, in English the whole phrase translates into ‘Can I/we …?’ or ‘May I/we …?’
- Tolong minta Coca-Cola. Can I/we have Coca Cola?
- Bisa minta Coca-Cola? Can I/we have Coca Cola?
- Boleh minta Coca-Cola? Can I/we have Coca Cola?
Tolong
Tolong literally means ‘help’. When it’s used in requests, it means ‘please (do something)’. Tolong is polite and not overly formal, it can be used for a wide variety of situations and with almost everyone. Please note that, even though tolong can be translated as ‘please’, it cannot be used for offering (for example, ‘Please eat’) or for invitations (for example, ‘Please come to the wedding’).
Polite Yet Informal
If we combine tolong with ‘ya‘ and ‘dong‘, you will make your request polite but informal and friendly. Both ‘ya’ and ‘dong’ can be placed either after ‘tolong‘, to emphasise politeness, or at the end of the sentence, to emphasise the whole request.
- Tolong minta Coca-Cola ya. Can I/we have Coca Cola?
- Tolong ya minta Coca-Cola. Can I/we have Coca Cola?
- Tolong minta Coca-Cola dong. Can I/we have Coca Cola?
- Tolong dong minta Coca-Cola. Can I/we have Coca Cola?