Learn Hardcore Chinese: nǐ néng bǎ nà běn shū ná lái ma?

把 lets you move the object in front of the verb and highlight what happens to it. Pattern: Subject + 把 + object + verb (+ complement).
Here, 把那本书 foregrounds the book, and 拿来 expresses the result/direction (“bring it here”).
Without 把 is also fine: 你能拿那本书来吗？ The 把-version sounds a bit more focused on the object and the outcome.

Why do we say 那本书 and not 那个书?

Chinese requires a measure word with demonstratives (这/那) and numbers. For books, the correct measure word is 本.
So you say 那本书 (that book). 那个书 is ungrammatical in standard Mandarin.

Why use 能 here? Could I use 可以 or 会 instead?

能 emphasizes ability/possibility and is common in polite requests: 你能把那本书拿来吗？
可以 asks about permission or feasibility: 你可以把那本书拿来吗？ (Is it okay for you to bring it?)
会 is “will”/“know how to.” 你会把那本书拿来吗？ tends to mean “Will you bring it?” rather than a polite “can you,” so it’s less typical as a request.

What exactly does 拿来 add compared to just 拿?

When should I use 来 vs 去 (拿来 vs 拿去)?

Is 呢 or 吗 better here? Is 吗 necessary?

吗 is the standard yes/no question particle and is natural here.
Alternatives:
- A-not-A: 你能不能把那本书拿来？
- Using 可以吗/行吗/好不好: 把那本书拿来，可以吗？
呢 is not used alone for yes/no here; it works in patterns like 能不能…呢？ for a softer tone.

Can I drop 把?

Yes: 你能拿那本书来吗？ is perfectly acceptable.
把 is more common when you want to stress the result/direction or when the verb has a clear outcome (here, “brought here”).

Where do I put 给我 if I want to say “to me”?

Natural options:
- 你能把那本书拿给我吗？ (hand/bring it to me)
- 你能把那本书拿来给我吗？ (bring it here for me)
Avoid splitting awkwardly; keep 给我 close to the verb phrase.

How do I make this more polite or softer?

Add 请/麻烦你: 麻烦你把那本书拿来，可以吗？
Add a softener like 一下 or 一下儿:
- 你可以把那本书拿过来一下吗？
- Avoid 拿一下来; prefer 拿过来一下 or simply 拿一下 (if “hold it a moment” is intended).

How would I answer this question?

What is the word order, exactly?

Pattern: 你(Subject) + 能(Modal) + 把(Object) + 那本书 + 拿(Verb) + 来(Direction) + 吗(Question particle).
In a 把-sentence, the object comes right after 把, and the verb phrase often includes a result/directional complement.

Any pronunciation or tone pitfalls?

那 nà (4th) vs 拿 ná (2nd) — don’t mix them.
吗 ma is neutral tone.
把 bǎ and 你 nǐ are 3rd tone, but in this sentence 能 néng (2nd) sits between them, so you won’t get two adjacent third tones. If you ever say 你把…, the first third tone becomes a half/second-like tone due to sandhi.

Is 将 a possible alternative to 把?

What’s the difference between 拿来 and 拿过来?

Both indicate movement toward the speaker.
拿过来 often adds a sense of “bring it over (from there to here),” sometimes feeling a bit more explicit about covering distance or crossing space. In many contexts, they’re interchangeable: 你能把那本书拿过来吗？

How is this different from 带来?

拿来 is to physically pick up/bring something here now.
带来 suggests “bring along (with you) here,” often over a longer distance or as part of another trip/occasion:
- Immediate handover: 把那本书拿来。
- Future/occasion-based: 明天把那本书带来。 (Bring it tomorrow.)

How do I negate or make a negative command?

Can I topicalize the object?