confused about てください vs てくださいませんか

Question

my exchange partner corrected me when I said 見てください to a stranger, said it sounded rude?? isn't てください just "please"

Accepted Answer

てください is a real request/instruction, kind of like a teacher-to-student or parent-to-child tone. It's not rude exactly but it's direct. To strangers or people you don't know well, ～ていただけますか or ～ていただけませんか sounds much softer and more polite (that's an N4 pattern though, one step up)

Answer

ahh that makes sense, it's less "please" and more "do this". good to know before my trip!