non, s'il vous plaît
To say no, please in French, use non, s'il vous plaît.
non, s'il vous plaît asks someone politely not to do something.
Which one should you use?
Use non, s'il vous plaît with strangers, older people or groups and non, s'il te plaît with friends or family.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use non, s'il vous plaît when they mean no, thank you. To refuse something you are offered, French follows no with the word for thanks instead of please.
Did you know?
- Using non, s'il vous plaît to decline a gift or a drink can sound like you are pleading with the person not to offer it, rather than simply refusing it.
- The phrase s'il vous plaît is essentially a conditional clause meaning 'if it pleases you', treating the request as a hypothetical favor rather than a direct command.
- The formal vous used in the phrase is a direct descendant of the Latin word vōs, which was used to address groups of people.
Examples in context
- J'aimerais bien, mais malheureusement je ne peux pas. J'ai un engagement prévu.I would love to, but unfortunately, I can't. I have a prior commitment.
Example conversation
A waiter offers Chloé more water.
- ChloéVoulez-vous encore de l'eau, Mademoiselle?Would you like more water, Miss?
- HugoNon, s'il vous plaît, c'est suffisant.No, please, it is enough.
- ChloéD'accord, je vous apporte l'addition.Alright, I will bring you the bill.
- HugoMerci beaucoup, Monsieur.Thank you very much, Sir.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries non, vous, CC BY-SA 4.0.
