So I've been digging around some more and found this image from a PDF here. Basically, it said that the Imperative form (such as 見ろ｛みろ｝ or 飛べ｛とべ｝) is usually considered ruder than the ～て form (such as 見て{みて｝ or 飛｛と｝んで). Does anyone know why?
2 Answers
Japanese uses honorifics that English doesn't. For example, there are different suffixes, particles, endings that you should use when you say to your friends (or juniors), seniors and very high officials. They are very complicated and not easy to master.
The imperative forms such as [見]{み}ろ is not considered rude when you use them to your friends or juniors. But you can never say it to your elders or seniors unless you want to offend them intentionally. That's the way the Japanese language works.
'～ください' is a polite way to make requests for example, "[見]{み}てください." You can omit 'ください' as in "[見]{み}て." in casual speech which sounds less polite.
You can also use "[見]{み}てくれ." when you want to sound commanding and manly.
As commented by @Eirikr Utlendi, you can consider "[見]{み}ろ." as the bare imperative in English which doesn't sound polite.
You can visit the linked Making Requests at www.guidetojapanese.org and read more about it.
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Is that really the feeling that using ~てくれ gives? To me, it seemed more like a casual/informal way of making a request, like a less polite version of ください. Commented Aug 18, 2016 at 4:19
We have been taught that the imperative form is considered rude unless saying it in a joking matter to one’s friends or when commanding those younger than you
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