Learn Hardcore Chinese: nǐ kěyǐ gěi wǒ nà běn shū ma?

吗 (ma) turns a statement into a yes–no question. It sits at the very end of the sentence and doesn’t change word order.
Without 吗, this line is just a statement; rising intonation alone is not a reliable way to form a question in standard Mandarin.
Don’t confuse 吗 with 嘛 (softening/emphasis) or 么 (as in 什么). They are different words with different uses.

Can I use 能 (néng) instead of 可以 (kěyǐ)? Are they the same?

Both work in polite requests here:
- 你能给我那本书吗？
- 你可以给我那本书吗？
Nuance:
- 可以 leans toward permission: “Is it okay/allowed to…?”
- 能 leans toward ability/feasibility: “Are you able to…?”
In everyday requests, the difference is small; both are common and natural.
Very common pattern: 能不能… / 可不可以… (A-not-A question):
- 你能不能把那本书给我？
- 你可不可以把那本书给我？

Why do we need 本 (běn) before 书 (shū)? Could I say 那个书?

Chinese nouns generally need a measure word (classifier) after a demonstrative. For books, the standard classifier is 本.
So: 那本书 is correct; 那个书 is unnatural.
Other book-related classifiers exist (e.g., 册 in formal contexts), but 本 is the everyday default.

Is the word order with 给 correct? Could I say “give that book me”?

With 给 as the main verb “to give,” the common double-object order is:
- 给 + recipient + thing → 给我那本书 = “give me that book.”
Two natural full-sentence options:
- 你可以给我那本书吗？
- 你可以把那本书给我吗？ (using 把 to foreground the object)
Avoid: 你可以给那本书我吗？ (unnatural order)
Summary:
- V + recipient + thing: 给我那本书
- 或者 with 把: 把那本书给我

Do I have to keep the subject 你? Can I drop it?

You can drop it if it’s clear from context:
- 可以给我那本书吗？
Omitting 你 often sounds a bit less direct and is very common in spoken requests when it’s obvious who you’re talking to.

How can I sound more polite or softer?

Add 请 (please): 请把那本书给我。
Add 麻烦你 (could I trouble you): 麻烦你把那本书给我。
Use tag questions to soften: …好吗？ / …可以吗？ / …行吗？
- 把那本书给我，可以吗？
Use the suggestion particle 吧 for a gentle imperative:
- 把那本书给我吧。 (softer than a bare command)

Should I use 给, 借, 递, or 拿 here?

What’s going on with tones here? There are many third tones.

Base tones: 你(3) 可以(3-3) 给(3) 我(3) 那(4) 本(3) 书(1) 吗(neutral).
Third-tone sandhi: a third tone becomes a rising second tone when immediately followed by another third.
A safe, natural read is: ní kéyǐ géi wǒ nà běn shū ma
- 你(ní) because it’s before 可(3)
- 可以 usually pronounced kéyǐ
- 给我 often géi wǒ
吗 is neutral tone.
Don’t overthink it: aim for smooth, light “low-rising” shapes and you’ll sound fine.

Is it 那 (nà) or 哪 (nǎ) here? I mix them up.

那 (nà) = that (demonstrative). Correct here: 那本书 = “that book.”
哪 (nǎ) = which (interrogative). For a question like “Which book?” you’d say 哪本书.
In many accents, before a classifier you may hear 那 pronounced as nèi: 那本书 → nèi běn shū.

Can I replace 吗 with 吧 at the end?

Not directly. 吗 makes a yes–no question; 吧 softens a suggestion/command.
Compare:
- 你可以给我那本书吗？ (Can you…?)
- 把那本书给我吧。 (Go ahead and give me the book, okay?)

Is “你把那本书可以给我吗？” okay?

No. 可以/能 (the modal) should come before the verb phrase it modifies. Use:
- 你可以把那本书给我吗？
- or 你能把那本书给我吗？

Can I say 那一本书 instead of 那本书?

Yes, 那一本书 is fine and can add a slight emphasis on “that one (specific) volume.” In many contexts 那本书 is already specific enough and more neutral.

Do I need 了 anywhere in this request?

No. 了 marks change of state or completion; this is a request about a future/desired action. You’d only use aspect markers after the action happens (e.g., 给了 = “gave (already)”).

How else can I form this yes–no request without 吗?

Use the A-not-A pattern (very common and natural):
- 你能不能把那本书给我？
- 你可不可以把那本书给我？
Or use a tag:
- 把那本书给我，可以吗？ / 行吗？ / 好吗？

When should I use 对 instead of 给 with a person?

给 + person = to give to/for someone (transfer/benefit): 给我那本书 (give me the book).
对 + person = toward/with respect to (non-transfer relation):
- 对我很好 (be nice to me), 对我说 (speak to me).
So here you must use 给, not 对.