How to ask to "correct me if I'm wrong"


I've been learning Japanese for a while but I'm truly investing my time
recently into really learning Japanese. I have private lessons once a week and
I'm trying to use Japanese as much as I can.

I'm trying to tell my friend that I'm cooking Beef Tataki tonight by saying:

> 僕は今夜牛たたき料理しています。

But I'd like to add to the end of my message:

> "Correct me if I'm wrong"

or any similar saying in Japanese.

How can I say that?

Thank you very much in Advance




If you like to be nicer, these sentences can be what you are looking for, I
think.

>
> もしおかしな[日本語]{にほんご}に[聞]{き}こえたら、[自然]{しぜん}な[言]{い}い[方]{かた}を[教]{おし}えてもらえると[嬉]{うれ}しいです。

> もし[不自然]{ふしぜん}な日本語に聞こえたら、自然な言い方を教えてもらえると[助]{たす}かります。

> もしおかしな日本語に[思]{おも}えたところがあれば、[簡単]{かんたん}でいいので、[正]{ただ}しい[表現]{ひょうげん}を教えてもらえませんか？

> もし[僕]{ぼく}の日本語が[変]{へん}に思えたら、教えてもらえませんか？ 自然な表現を[知]{し}りたいです。

These are all polite but not too formal, so can be used in a friendly way to
say, and sound natural to native Japanese speakers (including me).

* * *

### 「〜てください」 Tips

In your case, I recommend to avoid using 「〜てください」.

「〜てください」 is a straightforward expression and does not imply that there are
other choices, so it may make the listener feel uncomfortable because most
people don't like to be said what to do without other choices.

In general, 「〜ください」 is used in a situation where the listener **needs to
know** exactly what to do and the speaker **needs to tell/ask** it.

For example, a customer(the speaker) may say this to the waiter(the listener)
when ordering a drink at a restaurant.

> [烏龍茶]{うーろんちゃ} **ください** 。

When giving a direction to a taxi driver(the listener), someone(the speaker)
would ask it like this.

> [次]{つぎ}の[角]{かど}を[右]{みぎ}に[曲]{ま}がっ **てください** 。

「〜てください」 is also used usually in a situation where someone needs to warn
others **very clearly** in a nice way, like this.

> これは[毒]{どく}きのこです。[食]{た}べないで **ください** 。

In your case, using 「〜てください」 is too clear or too firm for the nuance you
actually want to express, I guess.

* * *

### 「教えて」

「教えて」 in the sentences above means "tell me" or "let me know." It's a very
common way to ask someone something you don't know. This is an example of
「[教]{おし}えて」 used in a casual conversation.

> Ａ「たったの[一晩]{ひとばん}で[漢字]{かんじ}[千]{せん}[個]{こ}を[暗記]{あんき}する[方法]{ほうほう}、[知]{し}ってる？」
>
> Ｂ「知らない。 **教えて** ！」
>
> Ａ「わたしも知りたい。」

「教えて」 can imply various needs if there is enough context for it. In your case,
if you use 「教えて」, 「教えて」 means "tell me that it's wrong" and implies "tell me
the correct one." So, you can simply say

> もしおかしな日本語になってたら、教えてもらいたいです。

or

> もし変な日本語になってたら、教えてほしいです。

or

> もし日本語[間違]{まちが}ってたら、教えてほしいです。




If you like to be nicer, these sentences can be what you are looking for, I
think.

>
> もしおかしな[日本語]{にほんご}に[聞]{き}こえたら、[自然]{しぜん}な[言]{い}い[方]{かた}を[教]{おし}えてもらえると[嬉]{うれ}しいです。

> もし[不自然]{ふしぜん}な日本語に聞こえたら、自然な言い方を教えてもらえると[助]{たす}かります。

> もしおかしな日本語に[思]{おも}えたところがあれば、[簡単]{かんたん}でいいので、[正]{ただ}しい[表現]{ひょうげん}を教えてもらえませんか？

> もし[僕]{ぼく}の日本語が[変]{へん}に思えたら、教えてもらえませんか？ 自然な表現を[知]{し}りたいです。

These are all polite but not too formal, so can be used in a friendly way to
say, and sound natural to native Japanese speakers (including me).

* * *

### 「〜てください」 Tips

In your case, I recommend to avoid using 「〜てください」.

「〜てください」 is a straightforward expression and does not imply that there are
other choices, so it may make the listener feel uncomfortable because most
people don't like to be said what to do without other choices.

In general, 「〜ください」 is used in a situation where the listener **needs to
know** exactly what to do and the speaker **needs to tell/ask** it.

For example, a customer(the speaker) may say this to the waiter(the listener)
when ordering a drink at a restaurant.

> [烏龍茶]{うーろんちゃ} **ください** 。

When giving a direction to a taxi driver(the listener), someone(the speaker)
would ask it like this.

> [次]{つぎ}の[角]{かど}を[右]{みぎ}に[曲]{ま}がっ **てください** 。

「〜てください」 is also used usually in a situation where someone needs to warn
others **very clearly** in a nice way, like this.

> これは[毒]{どく}きのこです。[食]{た}べないで **ください** 。

In your case, using 「〜てください」 is too clear or too firm for the nuance you
actually want to express, I guess.

* * *

### 「教えて」

「教えて」 in the sentences above means "tell me" or "let me know." It's a very
common way to ask someone something you don't know. This is an example of
「[教]{おし}えて」 used in a casual conversation.

> Ａ「たったの[一晩]{ひとばん}で[漢字]{かんじ}[千]{せん}[個]{こ}を[暗記]{あんき}する[方法]{ほうほう}、[知]{し}ってる？」
>
> Ｂ「知らない。 **教えて** ！」
>
> Ａ「わたしも知りたい。」

「教えて」 can imply various needs if there is enough context for it. In your case,
if you use 「教えて」, 「教えて」 means "tell me that it's wrong" and implies "tell me
the correct one." So, you can simply say

> もしおかしな日本語になってたら、教えてもらいたいです。

or

> もし変な日本語になってたら、教えてほしいです。

or

> もし日本語[間違]{まちが}ってたら、教えてほしいです。

