S'il vous plaît
formal
In Canadian French you say S'il vous plaît for "please" to strangers or older people. With friends and family use S'il te plaît.
Meaning: polite request (adverb)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| S'il vous plaît | formal |
| s'il te plaît | informal |
Put it at the end of a request, as in Un café, s'il vous plaît. In writing it is often shortened to SVP.
Which one should you use?
The choice between vous and te follows the same rule as in France. In Quebec tu is used sooner, so s'il te plaît turns up more often with people your age.
How do you pronounce it?
S'il vous plaît sounds like "seel voo PLEH".
Did you know?
- S'il vous plaît literally means "if it pleases you".
Examples in context
- Peux-tu m'aider, s'il te plaît?Can you help me, please?
- Votre nom, s'il vous plaît.Your name, please.
Example conversation
Paul orders at a café in Montreal and the server Nadia takes his order.
- PaulUn café, s'il vous plaît.A coffee, please.
- NadiaBien sûr. Autre chose?Of course. Anything else?
- PaulNon, c'est tout, merci.No, that is all, thanks.
