no, por favor
/ˈno poɾ faˈboɾ/word by word
The English phrase "no, please" is translated into Spanish as no, por favor.
no, por favor is used to decline an offer (like more food) or a request (like a suggestion) while maintaining politeness.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈno poɾ faˈboɾ/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, saying no, por favor may be seen as overly formal. People often simply use no, gracias to decline an offer politely.
- While no, por favor declines an offer, saying por favor on its own can sometimes be used to beg someone to stop doing something annoying.
- The word por in this phrase comes from the Latin 'pro', meaning 'for' or 'on behalf of', which is why the phrase literally translates to 'no, for favour'.
Examples in context
- No, por favor, no me despiertes.No, please, do not wake me up.
Example conversation
María is offering Javier a piece of cake.
- María¿Quieres un trozo de pastel, Javier?Do you want a piece of cake, Javier?
- JavierNo, por favor, estoy muy lleno.No, please, I am very full.
- María¿Estás seguro? Está muy rico.Are you sure? It is very tasty.
- JavierSí, gracias, María.Yes, thank you, María.
