l'addition, s'il vous plaît
To ask "Can we have the bill, please?" in French, say l'addition, s'il vous plaît.
In French restaurants it is much more common to simply say l'addition, s'il vous plaît than to build a full sentence.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Using s'il vous plaît keeps the request polite and is the standard way to address waiting staff. A fuller formal version is Pourrions-nous avoir l'addition, s'il vous plaît? and Seriez-vous aimable de nous apporter l'addition, s'il vous plaît? is very formal.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not ask for la facture in a restaurant. That word is used for commercial invoices and utility bills, while a restaurant bill is l'addition.
Did you know?
- In France, it is considered rude for a waiter to bring l'addition before you have specifically asked for it, as it implies they are rushing you out of the restaurant.
- The word vous in your request shares the same Proto-Italic root as the Russian word вы (vy), which also serves as the formal or plural version of 'you'.
- You can request l'addition using only a hand gesture of writing in the air, which is a widely understood and common non-verbal way to communicate with staff.
Examples in context
- Excusez-moi, pourrions-nous avoir l'addition, s'il vous plaît?Pardon me, could we have the bill, please?
- Garçon, l'addition, s'il vous plaît.Waiter, the bill, please.
- L'addition, s'il vous plaît.The bill, please.
- Est-ce qu'on peut avoir l'addition, s'il vous plaît ?Can we have the bill, please?
- Nous voudrions l'addition, s'il vous plaît.We would like the bill, please.
Example conversation
Nathan and Manon are finishing their meal at a bistro.
- NathanC'était un excellent repas.That was an excellent meal.
- ManonOui, je suis très contente.Yes, I am very happy.
- NathanGarçon, l'addition, s'il vous plaît !Waiter, the bill, please!
- ManonJe vais payer avec ma carte.I will pay with my card.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vous, CC BY-SA 4.0.
