Asking for advice can be challenging at first. If you don’t know how to phrase the question, you might be left feeling a bit stumped. Luckily, this article is here to help. We’ll provide the best alternatives for asking for advice you could need!
What Are The Best Ways To Politely Ask For Advice?
There are many great ways to ask for advice politely. You should take a look at one of the following:
- I was wondering if you could give me some advice
- I was wondering if you might be able to give me some advice
- I was wondering if you could help
- Pardon me, but could I ask you for some advice
- Could you help me with
- Would you mind helping me with
- Would you mind telling me
- Do you have a moment to help me with
- I was wondering if I could pick your brain
- I was wondering if you could assist me
- I am in need of some assistance if that’s okay
- Could I borrow you for a second
The preferred version is “I was wondering if you could give me some advice.” We can use it to “wonder” whether someone is happy to help us with whatever the current situation is. That way, we stay polite, and we make sure to ask their permission first.
I Was Wondering If You Could Give Me Some Advice
This is the best question we can ask when trying to get advice from someone. It makes sure to ask for permission before taking someone’s knowledge for granted. However, we typically ask this when we know that someone can help us.
Here’s how it works:
- I was wondering if you could give me some advice on this if that’s okay?
- I was wondering if you could give me some advice on how to complete this question?
- I was wondering if you could give me some advice on what to do next!?
I Was Wondering If You Might Be Able To Give Me Some Advice
We can use this “I was wondering” question similar to the above one. This time, we use “might be able to” to show that we do not want to take their advice for granted. If they do not know how to help us, that’s okay.
Check out these examples to see how it works:
- I was wondering if you might be able to give me some advice on this matter!
- I was wondering if you might be able to give me some advice, but I appreciate it if you’re too busy!
- I was wondering if you might be able to give me some advice. I need you on this one!
I Was Wondering If You Could Help
“I was wondering if you could help” is the simpler way to use “I was wondering” of the two sections above this. “Could help” is still a polite way to ask for someone’s advice, which is why it still works well.
Here is how we can get it to make sense:
- I was wondering if you could help with this. Of course, only if you have the time!
- I was wondering if you could quickly help. I think you’re the person I was looking for.
- Sorry, I was wondering if you could help! It shouldn’t take long!
Pardon Me, But Could I Ask You For Some Advice
We can start a question with “pardon me” to be as polite as possible. It’s a great way to show someone that we need their assistance. The rest of the question is a simple way of checking whether someone can offer appropriate “advice.”
Here is how it works:
- Pardon me, but could I ask you for some advice about this matter?
- Pardon me, but could I ask you for some advice? You seem to know what you’re talking about.
- Pardon me, but could I ask you for some advice? Of everyone in this family, I think you can help me the best!
Could You Help Me With
“Could you help me” is a great way to ask whether someone has the time to help you. “Could” is a great method of asking for permission, which helps us to remain polite when we are asking for advice.
Check out these examples to see how it works:
- Could you help me with these questions? Then I won’t ask again!
- Could you help me with my homework? I need advice on how to write this essay.
- Could you help me with this, please? I’m so confused!
Would You Mind Helping Me With
“Would you mind helping me with” is a great way to ask for someone’s permission to help you. “Would you mind” clarifies that someone is okay to help us before we ask them for it. We then use “help me” to show them where we could use their advice.
Here are some great examples of how this one might look:
- Would you mind helping me with these problems quickly? I think you can solve them easier than I can!
- Would you mind helping me with this? I need all the help I can get.
- Would you mind helping me quickly? I’m a little stuck.
Would You Mind Telling Me
“Would you mind telling me” works well to find out some information from someone. If we’re almost certain that they have the information we seek, “telling me” works well to try and ask them for it while still being polite.
Here are a few ways we can make it work:
- Would you mind telling me where I went wrong so I can correct my mistakes next time?
- Would you mind telling me the same thing you told them because I think it would help!
- Would you mind telling me how to do this again? I was listening, but I’m still stuck!
Do You Have A Moment To Help Me With
“Do you have a moment” is a great way to check that someone has the time to advise you before anything else. “Help me” shows that you need their assistance, and that’s what they can expect to give you if they accept to help.
Here are a few ways we can get this one to work:
- Do you have a moment to help me with this equation? I simply cannot figure it out.
- Do you have a moment to help me with this choice? I think your advice will go a long way for me right now!
- Do you have a moment to help me with any of this? I am a little overwhelmed, and I think you are the one I need!
I Was Wondering If I Could Pick Your Brain
We can use this “wondering” question to be a little more informal. “Pick your brain” is an informal phrase we can use to try and find out how someone might use their brain to solve problems. It’s a great way to say that you need help when you know someone well.
Here are a few great examples of how it can work:
- I was wondering if I could pick your brain for a moment because I do not know how to answer this one on my own.
- I was wondering if I could pick your brain quickly. I’m a little stumped, and I think some advice from you is exactly what the doctor ordered.
- I was wondering if I could pick your brain if that’s okay? I think you know how to do this better than I do!
I Was Wondering If You Could Assist Me
We can use this question to “wonder” whether someone can “assist” us. It’s just another way of asking for help, which is useful when looking for advice in different areas.
Here are a few examples to show you how it can work:
- I was wondering if you could assist me briefly on these matters. I don’t know how to solve them myself.
- I was wondering if you could quickly assist me. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes of your time.
- I was wondering if you could assist me with this question because I’m really struggling to understand how to answer it!
I Am In Need Of Some Assistance If That’s Okay
We can use this phrase when we want to check whether it’s “okay” for someone to help us. This time, we refer to “assistance” as the method of “advice,” which means that we are asking someone whether they have the time to help us with our predicament.
Here are a few examples to show you how it works:
- I’m in need of some assistance, if that’s okay? It shouldn’t take too long!
- I am in need of some assistance to get this project completed on time if that’s okay with you?
- I am in need of some assistance to figure out the solution to this question, if that’s okay?
Could I Borrow You For A Second
“Could I borrow you for a second” is a great way to remain polite and works both formally and informally. We use “for a second” to show that the advice or help shouldn’t take too long. It’s great to build some rapport with someone you can trust.
Check out some of these examples to see how it works:
- Excuse me, but could I borrow you for a second? I need a little help with this device I’m working on.
- Could I borrow you for a second? I think you can help me to figure out this conundrum!
- Could I please borrow you for a second? I need some advice, and I think you’re the man to ask!
You may also like:
10 Better Ways To Say “Please Advice” In Professional Emails
Advice Or Advices? Correct Version Revealed (Interesting Facts)
“Please Be Advised”: Meaning & Alternatives (With Examples)
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.