Which one should you use?
While Chica, por favor is a direct translation of "girl, please", you might also use Amiga, por favor, which uses the term for friend to express disbelief. For a more formal tone, such as "please, young lady", you would use Por favor, señorita.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase Chica, por favor is informal. To be more formal, use Por favor, señorita. Note that while translating "girl, please" literally as niña, por favor might seem like a way to express disbelief, it actually sounds awkward and is not a standard way to use the idiom in Spanish.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, you may hear Mija, por favor used to address someone affectionately. In Spain, Niña, por favor is used to translate "girl, please".
How do you pronounce it?
/poɾ faˈboɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using niña, por favor to express disbelief. Although it is a literal translation of the English idiom, it sounds awkward in Spanish and is not a standard way to convey that meaning.
Did you know?
- The phrase Amiga, por favor can be used to express disbelief even when the speaker is talking to a total stranger or someone they dislike.
- In Mexico, the phrase Mija, por favor uses a word that literally means 'my daughter', yet it is used as a general term of affection for people who are not the speaker's children.
- The word por is a descendant of the Latin prō, making it a linguistic relative of the English prefix 'pro-'.
Example conversation
Elena is telling Alejandro an unbelievable story.
- AlejandroNo puedo creer que haya pasado todo eso.I can't believe all that happened.
- Elena¡Te juro que es verdad, Alejandro!I swear it's true, Alejandro!
- AlejandroAy, chica, por favor, no digas tonterías.Girl, please, don't say silly things.
- Elena¡Es en serio, no estoy bromeando!I'm serious, I'm not joking!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry por favor, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries favor, por, CC BY-SA 4.0.
