Papiere, bitte
The German phrase for "papers, please" is Papiere, bitte.
This phrase is used to demand identification documents from an individual.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the plural noun Papiere (papers) and the polite particle bitte (please).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Papiere, bitte is used in a formal, authoritative context, typically by officials such as police officers or border control agents. For more polite, formal requests, you might use Könnten Sie bitte Ihre Unterlagen vorzeigen?, while more informal versions include Zeig mal deine Papiere! or Kann ich bitte mal deine Unterlagen sehen?
Did you know?
- In many German-speaking regions, using the command-like structure of Papiere, bitte is a trope used in literature and film to immediately signal a dystopian or totalitarian setting. It evokes a sense of heavy-handed state control.
- The word bitte is actually a shortened form of a full sentence, 'Ich bitte Sie' (I beg you/request of you). What sounds like a simple polite particle is grammatically a condensed verb-based request.
- While Papiere means 'papers', it is a cognate of the English word 'paper', both of which trace back to the Greek word papyrus.
Examples in context
- Zeig mal deine Papiere! Du hast sie wohl vergessen, oder?Show me your papers! Looks like you forgot them, huh?
- Entschuldigen Sie, aber Ihre Papiere bitte. Wir müssen Ihre Identität überprüfen.Excuse me, but your papers, please. We need to verify your identity.
- Papiere, bitte.Papers, please.
- Der Polizist sagte: „Papiere, bitte!“The police officer said, "Papers, please!"
- An der Grenze hieß es: „Papiere, bitte.“At the border, it was: "Papers, please."
Example conversation
A police officer stops a driver during a routine check.
- LukasGuten Tag. Papiere, bitte.Good day. Papers, please.
- JuliaHier sind sie, Herr Officer.Here they are, officer.
- LukasVielen Dank für Ihre Mithilfe.Thank you for your cooperation.
- JuliaGern geschehen.You're welcome.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bitte, CC BY-SA 4.0.
