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Does it make sense to have an i-adjective (in て-form) immediately before
「ください」?

For example, when asked to choose between hot and cold coffee, can I use
「温かくてください」, or must I turn it into nominal phrase (温かいのをください)?

Another example, is it fine to say 「優しくてください」, or must I insert a て-verb
before ください (優しくしてください)?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-09-20T23:50:55.690
3212
2011-09-21T01:03:30.613
112
question
syntax i-adjectives
An i-adjective immediately before 「ください」?
In Japanese, you always need a main verb to complete a sentence. If you
directly attach an i-adjective to an auxiliary `ください` via `て`, then you will
not have a main verb anywhere. You need at least one main verb in between:

> 温かくしてください  
>  優しくしてください

In sentences with i-adjectives or copula, it may not be obvious that you are
using a verb, but underlyingly, you do have a verb. For example, the ordinary
ending of an i-adjective is `い`:

> 寒い

This `い` includes a hidden verb `ある`, which is not obvious because the
sequence `くある` is contracted to `い`. If you place something that interrupts
the whole hidden sequence, thereby preventing the contraction, then you can
see that there is indeed a hidden `ある`:

> 部屋は暗いだけでなく、寒くもある。  
>  × 部屋は暗いだけでなく、寒くもい。  
>  × 部屋は暗いだけでなく、寒いも。

With nouns or na-adjectives, you may end a sentence with `だ`, but that is a
contracted form of `である`, which includes the verb `ある`. Again, it may not be
obvious that `だ` is the contracted form of `である`, but if you place something
that interrupts the whole hidden sequence and prevents the contraction, you
can see that there is indeed a hidden `ある`:

> 彼は生徒でもある  
>  × 彼は生徒もだ  
>  × 彼は生徒だも
CC BY-SA 3.0
2011-09-21T00:00:59.847
3213
2011-09-21T01:03:30.613
2011-09-21T01:03:30.613
3212
answer