Trying to figure out what someone wants can become an upheaval task to perform, this is because giving or bringing the wrong thing to the person may not be a way to go as it won’t please them anyway.
Hence why you should truly know what the person wants or desires, this would help you to make the right plan or know the right thing to give to the person.
To be sure or precise without inferring, it is okay to ask them directly what their likes and dislikes are. This allows you to know what they like and don’t like, allowing you to know what they want precisely and helping to ask them what they want politely.
Stay tuned or grab a cup of coffee as we delve into this article where I will be giving you twenty (20) ways to ask someone what they want politely, let’s read.
20 Polite Ways to Ask Someone What They Want
- ‘What would you like for dinner?’
- ‘I want to know what you have in mind so that I can know your preference’
- ‘Does this idea sound good to you, you should give your suggestions’
- ‘I will attend to any dietary concerns or preferences you may have’
- ‘Is there anything you’d particularly like to avoid’
- ‘Why exactly are you feeling like?’
- ‘Would you prefer silk to cotton’
- ‘Just making sure I understand what you were thinking’
- ‘I would give you a few ideas and see if anything sparks your interest’
- ‘I know you must be tired after office hours, what can I do to soothe you’
- ‘No worries if you’re not sure yet, let me know when you have a preference’
- ‘I want to make you happy, I would love you to be honest about what you’d like’
- ‘It is time to make a decision, what’s your vote choice’
- ‘I think you’ll have the perfect answer’
- ‘Let’s gather some ideas together,
- ‘It would be helpful to know your preferences,
- ‘I’m grateful that you took the time to discuss what you want with me’
- ‘Your opinion matters a lot to me, please don’t hesitate to share’
- ‘Maintain eye contact and a friendly smile’
- ‘I value your opinion, so please always share your thoughts’
1. What would you like for dinner?
A direct and precise question of what you would like or prefer. When you want to ask someone what they want, this could be because they are indecisive, don’t have the mental fortitude to do that or you want to be nice to them and help them out.
It is not a matter of asking what they want but how you ask them about it.
You should politely ask them what they want, carefully listening to what they say so that you can fulfill what they want to the best of your ability.
Example:
- ‘What would you like for dinner?’
2. I want to know what you have in mind so that I can know your preference
Inquiring to know your preference. I want to know what you have in mind to inquire about what keeps you thinking or what your mind wants.
When asking someone what they want, do well to know what the person wants from you as this helps you not to do something that would not be appreciated by them.
Example:
- ‘I want to know what you have in mind so that I can know your preference.’
3. Does this idea sound good to you, you should give your suggestions
Asking if an idea sits well with a person, urging them to give their suggestions. What someone wants and what you want or think for them may or might not be the right thing to do for them.
To know what they want, you should ask directly if your ideas or suggestions sound good to them thereby urging them to give their own opinions or suggestions. Their opinions or suggestions help you know what they want.
Example:
- ‘Does this idea sound good to you, you should give your suggestions.’
4. I will attend to any dietary concerns or preferences you may have
Attending to preference or dietary concerns
Sometimes what a person wants is not attainable because they don’t want you to stress or go an extra mile for them. In the case of dietary concerns, some people deal with health issues causing them to have dietary concerns.
You would only know about this if you ask them directly, telling them that you would attend to any dietary concerns or preferences that they may have is a polite way to go.
Example:
- It will attend to any dietary concerns or preferences you may have.’
5. Is there anything you’d particularly like to avoid
Inquiring if there is anything to particularly avoid. When asking someone what they want, you should ask them if there is anything they would like you to particularly avoid.
This allows you to know what they like and how they like it, avoiding what doesn’t suit their taste or likeness. It is a very polite way to go when trying to ask something.
Example:
- ‘Is there anything you’d particularly like to avoid.’
6. Why exactly are you feeling like this?
Questioning someone’s mood for clarification. Trying to be polite when asking a question of want or need can be tricky. Most people do not like to be asked publicly what they want because they are shy or don’t like to be asked in public.
Asking them what they are in the mood for would help you navigate their wants and choices without sounding rude or invasive.
Example:
- ‘Why exactly are you feeling like this?’
7. Would you prefer silk to cotton
Politely asking if they would prefer silk to cotton
You can use the above context when comparing materials for gifting, asking someone if the preferred silk to cotton allows a person to make their own choices.
This is a polite way to ask them what they want to expect when trying to get them gifts of clothing. Not everyone likes silk or cotton or any other materials but asking directly and politely does the job for you.
Example:
- ‘Would you prefer silk to cotton.’
8. Just making sure I understand what you were thinking
Making an effort to understand someone’s thoughts. It is imperative to know what someone wants and this all begins with how you ask them about it.
To sound polite, you have to make sure you are sensitive about what you need to not be careless about the way you ask or go about it. When asking someone what they want you have to understand what they are thinking about or where their head is at.
Example:
- ‘Just making sure I understand what you were thinking.’
9. I would give you a few ideas and see if anything sparks your interest
Giving ideas to spark interest. Giving a few ideas to someone helps them to know what they want or have an idea of something needed especially if they are indecisive.
When you give someone a few ideas it helps to broaden the mind on their wants or spark new creative ideas in the mind.
Example:
- ‘I would give you a few ideas and see if anything sparks your interest.’
10. I know you must be tired after office hours, what can I do to soothe you
Showing care and great concern. I know you must be tired after office hours, what can I do to soothe you is a polite way of asking someone what they want politely and straightforwardly.
You can use this statement with a person who goes to work, they would appreciate this question being asked as often as not they are exhausted and would love a little help or something to soothe.
Example:
- ‘I know you must be tired after office hours, what can I do to soothe you.’
11. No worries if you’re not sure yet, let me know when you have a preference
Unsure about preference. A person’s preference allows you to know what they want, tell them you would wait for them to choose what they want.
Example:
- ‘No worries if you’re not sure yet, let me know when you have a preference.’
12. I want to make you happy, and I would love you to be honest about what you’d like
Making an honest choice to create happiness. Inquiring about what a person would like saves you the stress of wasting an effort, the statement above is a polite way of asking them what truly makes them happy so you can fulfill it for them.
Example:
‘I want to make you happy, I would love you to be honest about what you’d like.’
13. It is time to make a decision, what’s your vote choice
Time to make a decision This statement is a polite way of telling someone to make up their mind on a decision, when someone’s mind is made up on a decision it allows you to know what to do.
Example:
- ‘It is time to make a decision, what’s your choice?’
14. I think you’ll have the perfect answer
Stating that they would have the perfect answer. Categorically stating that the person would be the best judge of what they want, is a bold and polite way of asking someone what they want instead of going on a wild goose chase.
Example:
- ‘I think you’ll have the perfect answer.’
15. Let’s gather some ideas together
Gathering ideas and opinions Coming together to brainstorm ideas is a good way of asking someone what they want without compromising it. Gathering ideas together is an inclusive way of getting them to say what they want before you ask.
Example:
- ‘Let’s gather some ideas together.’
16. It would be helpful to know your preferences
Asking for help to figure out someone’s preference. It would be helpful to know your preference is a perfect way to politely ask someone what they want, preference matters as not everyone’s the same, we all have what we like or fancy, this is why asking for help on their preference would help.
Example:
- ‘It would be helpful to know your preferences.’
17. I’m grateful that you took the time to discuss what you want with me
This is you showing appreciation for the time taken to discuss choices. Telling someone that you appreciate them taking the time to discuss what they want with you is a polite and forward way of asking them what they want. This way you get to see their reaction when they talk.
Example:
- ‘I’m grateful that you took the time to discuss what you want with me.’
18. Your opinion matters a lot to me, please don’t hesitate to share
Stating the importance of an opinion. What someone wants all lies in their opinions, opinions are born from who we are or what we want.
All our wants and needs are born from our differences as individuals, in trying to ask someone what they want, it is okay to politely tell them that their opinions matter and you would love to hear them.
Example:
- ‘Your opinion matters a lot to me, please don’t hesitate to share.’
19. Maintain eye contact and a friendly smile
Making friendly eye contact Anytime you find yourself about to ask someone what they want, you should maintain eye contact and a friendly smile. Eye contact helps you to tell someone’s mood if they light up at the point of your talk or their own opinion or interest.
Eye contact allows you to emotionally play to a person’s needs, with a friendly smile while maintaining eye contact. Smiling is psychological and would make them say their needs on a light note.
20. I value your opinion, so please always share your thoughts
Expressing genuine value for their ideas One polite way to ask a person what they want is by showing interest in their opinions.
You follow through with this by asking them to share their thoughts when they feel like it. While this statement sounds polite, it also shows your sincerity.
Example
- ‘I value your opinions so please always share your thoughts.’
Final Verdict
More often than not, we are left hanging when trying to ask someone about what they want.
There are many ways to ask someone what they want, the problem we face here is how to ask them, this is why we have come up with twenty ways to politely ask someone what they want without making them feel shy or little about it.