[General] Please give me a ketchup

[Silverobama]

I was at a McDonald and I ordered some takeout food. The waiter forgot giving me bags of ketchup. I said "Please give me a ketchup".

Is the italic sentence natural?

 

[jutfrank]

Can I have some ketchup, please?

 

[GoesStation]

I'd prefer a package of ketchup, but in this context — where it only comes in packages — I find a ketchup natural. I have a feeling that Americans who work at McDonald's (note the spelling) commonly use the word that way.

 

[emsr2d2]

I was at a McDonalds and I ordered some takeout food. The waiter forgot [STRIKE]giving[/STRIKE] to give me any [STRIKE]bags[/STRIKE] sachets of ketchup. I said "Please give me [STRIKE]a[/STRIKE] some ketchup".

Is the italic sentence natural?

Note my corrections above.

 

[SoothingDave]

I would call it a "packet," but would ask for "some ketchup." Of course, in the US we get it for free. If being charged for it, you may find the need to use the singular.

 

[canadalynx]

I am not a teacher.

Remember this structure : "Can I have some + uncountable noun ?"
I might also use 'please' just to sound polite.

Mc Donald's , Macca's, Maccy D's, Mc Do... They all refer to the same fastfood chain.

Hope this helps.

 

[jutfrank]

I'm very surprised to see (post #4) that any native speaker would consider Please give me some ketchup a natural way to make a request!

 

[emsr2d2]

I'm very surprised to see (post #4) that any native speaker would consider Please give me some ketchup a natural way to make a request!

Why? I know it's not as polite as "Please can/may I have some ketchup?" but otherwise I have no idea what's wrong with it!

 

[Silverobama]

Much appreciated, jutfrank and emsr2d2. This reply is for you.

Sorry I can't "like" or "thank" anyone now. I guess it's because my new browser isn't compatible with the our forum system (because I can like and thank on WR).

This time I agree with emsr2d2 that her corrections of my sentence in #4 is okay to my non-native ears. Yes, as a non-native speaker, I sometimes hear native speakers use "Please give me......". I think it's polite enough because we use "please". Consider "Give me....", this would sound rude and brusque. And also, it has a lot to do with the tone when you're using the phrase.

But I'll pay attention to it when I take the IELTS tests in the future though. :-D

 

[jutfrank]

We just don't use imperative give me to politely ask people to hand us things, not even prefaced with please. Start the phrase with Could you give me or Can you give me, or better still, say Could I have or Can I have. If you use please, put it at the end.

You don't need to make requests for the IELTS exam, by the way.

 

[canadalynx]

Sometimes what is natural isn’t always grammatical.

It is important to stay polite and be nice.

Remember to use the magic word in your sentence when asking for sauce even if you are annoyed and are paying for it.

P.S. I have worked at McDonald’s haha.

Not a teacher.

 

[Glizdka]

Remember to use the magic word in your sentence when asking for sauce even if you are annoyed and are paying for it.

I assume "Abracadabra, give me some ketchup" doesn't work.

 

[canadalynx]

I like your sense of humour. Haha.

 

[Rover_KE]

canadalynx, please stop writing 'haha'.

You can insert ':-D' or ':loling:' if you must, though the latter will soon become tiresome if overused.

 

[Glizdka]

Not a teacher
------

canadalynx, please stop writing 'haha'.

Here, the figure of authority, Rover_KE, has masterfully demonstrated how to use magical invocations—in this case, a simple please rather than a more advanced abracadabra—to effectively invoke a sense of politeness into the addressee's mind, even though this imperative sentence is not asking a favor but a command, which only proves that a magic word could be used to make an imperative more polite. Remember, however, that this practice should be reserved only for the most distinguished weavers of the black arts.

A simple muggle might want to use something simpler, like "Could you bring me some ketchup?" or "Can I have some ketchup?", or even a slightly over-the-top "Excuse me, good sir, but it has come to my attention that you seem to have forgotten to bring me the sachet of ketchup that was meant to be part of my order, which I have already paid for and was expecting to get without the need to ask for. Would you kindly rectify that mistake?"

I'll be crawling back to my hovel now...

 

[emsr2d2]

I think it's time for everyone to see one of my favourite clips/quotes from the utterly brilliant Homicide: Life on the Street.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFK7NjhvuMo

 

[canadalynx]

Not a teacher
------



Here, the figure of authority, Rover_KE, has masterfully demonstrated how to use magical invocations—in this case, a simple please rather than a more advanced abracadabra—to effectively invoke a sense of politeness into the addressee's mind, even though this imperative sentence is not asking a favor but a command, which only proves that a magic word could be used to make an imperative more polite. Remember, however, that this practice should be reserved only for the most distinguished weavers of the black arts.

A simple muggle might want to use something simpler, like "Could you bring me some ketchup?" or "Can I have some ketchup?", or even a slightly over-the-top "Excuse me, good sir, but it has come to my attention that you seem to have forgotten to bring me the sachet of ketchup that was meant to be part of my order, which I have already paid for and was expecting to get without the need to ask for. Would you kindly rectify that mistake?"

I'll be crawling back to my hovel now...

I would keep it simple. It’s just a McDonald’s.

 

[emsr2d2]

I would keep it simple. It’s just a McDonald’s.

There's no space after "Mc" in the company name.

 

[Glizdka]

I would keep it simple. It’s just a McDonald’s.

That was rather my point.