¿me da por favor?
The English phrase 'can I please get' is translated into Spanish as ¿me da por favor?
This phrase is a polite way to ask someone to give or sell you something. It is typically used when ordering food, buying items in a shop or requesting an object from someone.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'Will you give me please?' rather than 'Can I get?'
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form ¿me da por favor? is a polite way to address a shopkeeper or server. For a more formal approach, you can use ¿Es posible que pueda obtenerlo, por favor? Conversely, if you are speaking to a friend or someone you are familiar with, you can use the informal ¿Me lo puedes dar, por favor?
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb da is the third-person singular formal conjugation of dar (to give), which is used to express politeness in the phrase ¿me da…?
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the phrase ¿me pone…? is used instead of ¿me da…? when ordering food or drinks, which literally means 'will you put [this] for me'.
- In Spain, it is socially acceptable to use the informal ¿me das…? with a stranger in a casual bar, but doing so in many Latin American countries would be seen as rude.
- While ¿me da…? is standard, some speakers use the shortened porfa instead of por favor even when maintaining the polite formal verb form.
Examples in context
- Necesito un informe urgente. ¿Es posible que pueda obtenerlo, por favor?I need an urgent report. Is it possible that I can get it, please?
