てくれと言う details
write + (and…) + said to do it — a request relayed in the blunt words it was made in
kaite kure to iu
(someone) said to do it — a request relayed in the blunt words it was made in
兄に、部屋を片付けてくれって言われた。
ani ni, heya o katazukete kurette iwareta.
My brother told me to tidy up the room. casual
友達に、このことは誰にも言わないでくれって頼まれた。
tomodachi ni, kono koto wa dare ni mo iwanaide kurette tanomareta.
A friend begged me not to tell anyone about it. casual
- alternant
- contraction
- alternant
- past
- polite
- said to the speaker
Examples
(someone) said to do it — relaying a request in the words it was actually made in
兄に、部屋を片付けてくれって言われた。
ani ni, heya o katazukete kurette iwareta.
My brother told me to tidy up the room. casual
課長に、この資料を今日中にまとめてくれと頼まれた。
kachou ni, kono shiryou o kyoujuu ni matomete kure to tanomareta.
The section chief asked me to pull these materials together by the end of today. neutral
取引先から、納期を早めてくれと強く言われております。
torihikisaki kara, nouki o hayamete kure to tsuyoku iwarete orimasu.
The client has been pressing us hard to bring the delivery date forward. formal
(someone) said not to do it — the same relay with the request negated
友達に、このことは誰にも言わないでくれって頼まれた。
tomodachi ni, kono koto wa dare ni mo iwanaide kurette tanomareta.
A friend begged me not to tell anyone about it. casual
この件はまだ公表しないでくれと言われています。
kono ken wa mada kouhyou shinaide kure to iwarete imasu.
We've been asked not to make this public yet. neutral
Formation
{V-te}くれと言うattaches to て-form{V-nai}でくれと言うattaches to ない-form
Variant notes
- てくれと頼まれる — 頼む names the act as a request outright, where 言う only reports words — and the passive 頼まれた is the everyday shape of both.
- てくれって — と relaxes to って and the 言う often falls away entirely — 手伝ってくれって。
- ないでくれと言われる — the negative relay — the ない side joins with で, never て (×なくてくれ).
Notes
reports 手伝ってくれと言われた in polite speech without softening the
quotation, and the rudeness stays inside it.
Related patterns
Similar
と言われた relays whatever was said, statement or order alike; てくれと言われた marks the words as a request made for the reporter's own benefit — the くれ is what shows the favor was aimed at the person now telling you about it.
手伝ってくれと言われた reports an order that also claimed a favor from the speaker; 手伝えと言われた reports the order alone, which is why the てくれ version can carry a plea and the bare one cannot.
てくれと頼まれた keeps the asker's own くれ and marks the favor as theirs to receive; ように頼まれた reports only what was asked for, so it carries no benefit direction and reaches instructions no one gains from (静かにするように).
Lookalikes
くれ is くれる's bare imperative, ください's blunt twin — 手伝ってくれ to a stranger lands as an order, which is why the plain form survives mostly inside quotations, in men's speech, and between people who are already close.