höfliche Bitte
The English phrase 'humble request' is expressed in German as höfliche Bitte.
In German, höfliche Bitte is used to describe the nature of a request. While English speakers might use the word 'humble', using the German equivalent for humble (demütig) would sound overly dramatic or submissive in most standard contexts. To enhance politeness in various sentences, you can also use the word bitte, which means 'please'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase höfliche Bitte literally translates to 'polite request'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the phrase is höfliche Bitten.
Did you know?
- While höflich means 'polite', it shares a root with the word Hof, meaning 'court'. It originally described the specialized behavior required when speaking to royalty.
- The word Bitte is a cognate of the English word 'bead', as both originally referred to a prayer or a petition.
- If a German speaker says Bitte sehr! while handing you something, they are not making a request, but saying 'Here you go'.
Examples in context
- Könntest du bitte meine Katze füttern, während ich im Urlaub bin? Ich wäre dir wirklich dankbar dafür. Vielen lieben Dank im Voraus!Could you please feed my cat while I am on vacation? I would be really grateful to you for that. Many thanks in advance!
- Er hat eine höfliche Bitte geäußert.He expressed a polite request.
- Das ist nur eine höfliche Bitte.That is only a polite request.
Example conversation
Lukas asks Sarah for help with a document at work.
- LukasHallo Sarah, ich habe eine höfliche Bitte.Hello Sarah, I have a humble request.
- SarahJa, Lukas, was kann ich für dich tun?Yes, Lukas, what can I do for you?
- LukasKannst du kurz über diesen Text schauen?Could you take a quick look at this text?
- SarahKlar, ich helfe dir gerne dabei.Sure, I'd be happy to help you with that.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Bitte, bitte, CC BY-SA 4.0.
