Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| s'il vous plaît | /s‿il vu plɛ/ /s‿ju plɛ/ |
formal |
| s'il te plaît | /s‿il tə plɛ/ /s‿tə plɛ/ |
informal |
| prière de | /pʁi.jɛʁ də/ | with infinitive |
The primary way to say please is through the interjection s'il vous plaît or s'il te plaît. Related to this is the verb plaire, which means to make happy or satisfy. In very formal written contexts, you might see prière de used to mean please or even more elaborate expressions like Je vous prie de (I beg you to) and Auriez-vous l'amabilité de (Would you have the kindness to).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase s'il vous plaît literally translates to 'if it pleases you', while s'il te plaît literally translates to 'if it pleases thee'.
Which one should you use?
Use s'il vous plaît when addressing a stranger, a superior or a group of people. Use s'il te plaît when addressing a single person you know well, such as a friend, family member or child.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
S'il vous plaît is the formal version used in formal situations or when addressing someone you do not know well. S'il te plaît is the informal version used with people you have a close relationship with. For highly formal written correspondence or requests, prière de or Je vous prie de may be used.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The formal construction prière de must be followed by an infinitive verb.
How do you pronounce it?
/s‿il vu plɛ/
Did you know?
- The word prière in prière de comes from the same Latin root as 'prayer', making the formal request feel like a spiritual or solemn entreaty.
- Using s'il te plaît with a stranger or a superior can be perceived as a significant social slight or an assertion of dominance.
- While s'il vous plaît is used for requests, the root verb plaire is used in the expression ça me plaît to say 'I like this'.
Examples in context
- S'il te plaît !Please.This sentence shows the use of s'il te plaît.Tatoeba #1142721 by sacredceltic, translation #393357 by shanghainese
- S'il vous plaît !Please!This sentence shows the use of s'il vous plaît.Tatoeba #8304724 by Micsmithel, translation #7825834 by tane
- Vote s'il te plaît.Please vote.This sentence is useful for seeing s'il te plaît used in a request.Tatoeba #10105756 by Micsmithel, translation #10093654 by Nylez
- Pourriez-vous me passer le sel, s'il vous plaît?Could you please pass me the salt?
- Je vous prie de bien vouloir m'aider.I kindly request your assistance
- Auriez-vous l'amabilité de fermer la porte?Would you please close the door?
- Peux-tu me prêter ton stylo, s'il te plaît?Can you please lend me your pen?
- Je t'en prie, installe-toi.Please, have a seat
- 1745 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa is ordering a coffee from Hugo at a café.
- LéaUn café au lait, s'il vous plaît.A coffee with milk, please.
- HugoBien sûr. Autre chose, madame ?Of course. Anything else, ma'am?
- LéaNon, c'est tout, s'il vous plaît.No, that is all, please.
- HugoTrès bien. Ça fera deux euros.Very well. That will be two euros.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “please” translations and entries s'il vous plaît, s'il te plaît, prière de, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, prière, s'il vous plaît, te, vous, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
