Difference in nuance between 頂ければと思います, 頂けませんか, and 頂きたいんですけども I've recently started using the expression , but I'm not 100% sure about its precise nuance. Is there any difference in nuance between * * * ? To my non-native ear, the first feels formal, the second very standard and the third a tad more casual. Apart for the difference in usage that would ensue, is there any difference in directness (in the sense that ~ is more direct than ~)?

* comes from something like -te itadakereba (saiwai) to omoimasu (as far as I know). It's most certainly polite, but it does have an ellipsis in the middle, and that's not good, usually, in terms of politeness. It means "If you could just do (I would be glad/you would save me/etc.)"... so you're asking for a favor, but you don't really think the listener will say "no" as a reply.
* is (the most) polite and formal. It's still a real question, and this is really important, specially in terms of politeness.
* isn't a question and you have "n-desu kedo", explicative form, plus a contraction (that I really don't like because of gaaru's way of speaking... but this is a matter of personal preference). At least I would use ...keredomo.



I'd use the first one with a coworker, the second one even with my boss, the third one in different occasions (when I want to be polite, but not particularly formal). At least this is the way I've always looked at these expressions. I hope it helps.