Requesting You to Kindly — Is It Grammatically Correct? What to Say Instead

If you have ever typed — or received — an email that ended with "requesting you to kindly look into the matter and revert at the earliest," you already know exactly what this article is about.

The phrase "requesting you to kindly" is everywhere in Indian office email. It appears in project updates, support tickets, HR requests, and approval chains. It is used with genuine politeness. And yet it consistently reads as awkward to international colleagues — not rude, but not quite right either.

This guide breaks down exactly why the phrase reads the way it does — and gives you twelve direct replacements organised by situation, a tone ladder for matching phrasing to context, and three copy-paste email templates you can use today.

Quick Answer

"Requesting you to kindly" is not technically wrong English, but it is structurally awkward. The phrase stacks two politeness markers ("requesting" + "kindly") on top of each other and places "kindly" inside an infinitive, creating a split infinitive. The result is indirect, wordy, and — to most international readers — faintly old-fashioned. The cleanest replacement in almost every case is "Please [verb]" or "Could you [verb]" — equally polite, shorter, and universally clear.

You can also paste your email directly into the Email Improver to get an instant rewrite.

Where Does "Requesting You to Kindly" Come From?

The phrase belongs to a tradition of deferential, formal correspondence that developed in South Asian administrative and office culture — particularly in India's IT, banking, and government sectors. You will find it most often in:

• Project status requests — "Requesting you to kindly share the status at the earliest."
• Support ticket follow-ups — "Requesting you to kindly look into the issue and resolve the same."
• Approval emails — "Requesting you to kindly approve the leave application enclosed herewith."
• Payment or document requests — "Requesting you to kindly arrange for the payment and do the needful." See our guide on do the needful alternatives for similar rewrites.

The intent is always respectful. Saying "requesting you to kindly" instead of a bare "please send" adds distance between the speaker and the demand — a natural instinct in hierarchical, high-context workplaces where directness can be read as presumptuous.

Within those workplaces, the phrase is understood and expected. The problem arises when the same email goes to a global client, a Singapore counterpart, or a Western colleague — audiences who parse it differently.

Is "Requesting You to Kindly" Grammatically Correct?

The short answer: it is not wrong, but it is structurally awkward.

The grammatically complete form of the phrase is:

"I am requesting you to kindly submit the form."

In practice, "I am" is dropped, producing an elliptical sentence:

"Requesting you to kindly submit the form."

This elliptical construction is technically acceptable in English — subject-dropping appears in many formal registers. But it creates two problems that compound each other:

1. The split infinitive. Placing "kindly" between "to" and "submit" creates a split infinitive: "to kindly submit." Modern usage accepts many split infinitives, but this one reads clumsily because "kindly" is not modifying the action — it is modifying the request. Moving it outside the infinitive ("please submit" or "submit this kindly") clarifies the sentence.

2. Redundant politeness markers. "Requesting" already frames the utterance as a polite appeal. Adding "kindly" on top doubles the deference. In standard English, one politeness marker is sufficient — "please," "kindly," or "could you" — not two layered together. Using two creates the same effect as saying "please kindly" or "I humbly respectfully request": too much, so it paradoxically sounds less sincere.

Verdict: The phrase is understandable, but it will register as non-standard to international readers and native English speakers. It is one of those constructions that works within its home register but travels poorly.

Why It Sounds Awkward in International Emails

1. It is too wordy

"Requesting you to kindly send the document" uses seven words to do what "Please send the document" does in four. Global business writing favours economy — fewer words, same meaning, same politeness.

2. The indirectness reads as hesitation

International readers may interpret "requesting you to kindly" as passive or evasive — as if the writer is reluctant to make a clear ask. Direct requests ("Please send," "Could you confirm") project confidence and professional email tone. Indirect ones can make the sender look uncertain.

3. "Kindly" carries unexpected connotations outside South Asia

In Indian English, "kindly" is a standard, warm politeness marker — equivalent to "please" and completely neutral. Outside South Asia, particularly in the UK and US, "kindly" can read as slightly passive-aggressive: the corporate equivalent of "I would kindly ask you not to do that again." It is not offensive, but the connotation is different — and unexpected.

4. The missing subject

Dropping "I am" from "I am requesting you to" leaves the sentence without an explicit subject. Most readers fill in the gap automatically, but it adds a fractional cognitive load and gives the sentence a slightly unfinished quality.

Simple Rewrite Rule

One rule covers 80% of cases:

Replace "requesting you to kindly [verb]" with "Please [verb]" or "Could you [verb]."

To add formality or a deadline, extend after the verb:

• "Please send the report by Friday at 5 PM."
• "Could you approve the form before the Monday meeting?"

You do not need "requesting," "you to," or "kindly" to sound polite. "Please" carries the full weight of courtesy on its own.

12 Best Alternatives to "Requesting You to Kindly"

Polite + Soft

Use these when writing to senior colleagues, important clients, or for sensitive requests where tone matters most.

Neutral + Clear

Use these for most everyday professional emails — internal teams, vendors, cross-functional requests.

Firm + Deadline

Use these when the action is time-sensitive, when a polite first message has already been sent, or when you need to be unmistakably clear.

Common Scenarios — With Rewrites

Asking for an Update

❌ "Requesting you to kindly provide an update on the project status at the earliest."

✓ "Could you share a quick status update on [project name]?" ✓ "Please let me know where things stand — I need an update before the Friday call."

Asking Someone to Fix an Issue

❌ "Requesting you to kindly look into the matter and resolve the same at the earliest."

✓ "Could you investigate this issue and share an update by [date]?" ✓ "Please look into this and let me know the root cause so we can move forward."

Asking for Approval

❌ "Requesting you to kindly approve the leave application enclosed herewith."

✓ "Please review and approve the attached leave application." ✓ "Could you approve this request by [date]? I need to finalise my travel arrangements."

Asking for a Document or Payment

❌ "Requesting you to kindly arrange for the payment and do the needful."

✓ "Could you arrange the payment by [date]? Please find the invoice attached." ✓ "Please send the signed NDA so we can proceed to the next stage."

Tone Ladder

The most common mistake is defaulting to soft phrasing out of habit — even when the situation calls for neutral or firm. If a soft request has already been ignored, escalating to neutral (specifying a deadline) is appropriate and professional, not rude.

Match your phrasing to the relationship and urgency:

3 Copy-Paste Email Templates

Template 1: Asking for a Status Update

Subject: Status Update — [Project / Task Name]

Hi [Name],

Could you share a quick update on [project/task name]? It would be helpful to have a sense of where things stand before [meeting/deadline on date].

Please let me know if you need anything from my end in the meantime.

Thank you.

Best regards, [Your Name]

Template 2: Asking for Approval

Subject: Approval Needed — [Document / Request Name]

Dear [Name],

Please find the attached [document name] for your review.

Could you approve it by [date]? This will allow us to [next step — e.g., proceed with the contract / confirm the booking / submit the application].

Let me know if you have any questions or would like to discuss.

Thank you.

Best regards, [Your Name]

Template 3: Asking for a Document or Payment

Subject: [Document / Invoice Name] — Action Required by [Date]

Hi [Name],

Please find attached [document name / invoice number].

Could you arrange [signature / payment / submission] by [date]? This will help us [reason — e.g., close the project / meet the deadline / proceed to the next phase].

Thank you for your prompt attention.

Best regards, [Your Name]

Use Grammar Buddy to Rewrite Your Emails

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If this phrase comes up in your emails, you may also be using for your kind perusal — another common Indian English phrase this guide helps you replace.

Key Takeaways

• "Requesting you to kindly" is grammatically defensible but professionally damaging. It stacks two politeness markers, creates a split infinitive, and signals hesitation to every international reader. Stop using it.
• The fix is always "Please [verb]" or "Could you [verb]." These are shorter, clearer, and equally polite. You do not need three words to do what one word does.
• Specificity beats formality every time. "Please send the signed contract by Friday" is more professional than any combination of "kindly," "humbly," or "requesting you to." Name the document. Name the action. Name the deadline.
• Use AI Grammar Buddy to catch this before you hit send. Paste your email into the Email Improver — it flags indirect phrasing and suggests direct rewrites in seconds.