Alstublieft en dank u
formal
In Flanders the polite pair is Alstublieft en dank u, with alstublieft for "please" and dank u for "thank you". With friends it becomes alsjeblieft and dank je, and merci is very common in daily talk. It is also called Alsjeblieft en dank je.
Meaning: polite words (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Dutch | Note |
|---|---|
| Alstublieft en dank u | formal |
| Alsjeblieft en dank je | informal |
| Merci | casual, Flanders |
Alstublieft also means "here you are" when you hand something over. The polite pair is Alstublieft en dank u.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
U is polite and je is informal. Flemish speakers use merci in almost every shop, café and street conversation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The French borrowing merci is much more everyday in Flanders than in the Netherlands, where bedankt and dank je wel are more usual.
Did you know?
- Alstublieft is a shortened form of als het u belieft, which literally means "if it pleases you".
Examples in context
- Een koffie, alstublieft.A coffee, please.
- Dank u wel voor uw hulp.Thank you for your help.
- Alsjeblieft, merci!Here you go, thanks!
Example conversation
Karen orders at a bakery in Ghent and the baker, Luc, serves her.
- KarenEen brood, alstublieft.A loaf of bread, please.
- LucAlstublieft, mevrouw.Here you are, madam.
- KarenDank u. Merci!Thank you. Thanks!
