bitte
/ˈbɪtə/
The German word for "please" is bitte.
bitte is primarily used as an interjection to make a polite request. You can also use bitte as a standalone interjection to mean "Pardon?" or "What was that?" if you did not hear someone. While 'bitte' is used for requests, it is distinct from the verb bitten, which means "to request" or "to ask for".
Meaning: interjection to make a polite request (intj)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In northern regions of Germany, such as Hamburg and Bremen, locals may use a more relaxed pronunciation like Bidde when speaking informally. In southern regions including Bavaria and Austria, the term Bittschön is a common informal regional variation of "Bitteschön." In southern regions including Bavaria and Austria, the term Biddschee is a common informal regional variation of "Bitteschön."
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbɪtə/
Did you know?
- The word bitte is a shortened version of the phrase ich bitte, which means 'I beg'.
- The word bitte is so versatile that it can actually function as a way to say 'You are welcome' when responding to someone saying 'Danke'.
- In many German-speaking service settings, you might hear the phrase Bitte sehr! when someone hands you a coffee or a bill. While it contains the word for 'please', it functions more like 'Here you go'.
Examples in context
- Bitte ruf ihn an.Please ring him up.This sentence shows how to use bitte in a request to call someone.Tatoeba #651899 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #38458 by mcq
- Bitte sag es mir.Please, tell me.This sentence shows how to use bitte in a request to tell something.Tatoeba #1314661 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #38579 by CK
- Gib es mir bitte!Give it to me, please.This sentence shows how to use bitte at the end of a request to give something.Tatoeba #2045585 by Tamy, translation #41825 by CK
- Bitte helfen Sie mir.Please help me.
- Könnten Sie mir bitte sagen, wie spät es ist?Could you please tell me the time?
- Danke für Ihre Hilfe. – Bitte schön.Thank you for your help. – You're welcome.
- Vielen Dank für Ihre Unterstützung. – Bitte sehr.Thank you very much for your support. – You're welcome.
- Kannst du mir bitte das Salz geben? – Bitteschön.Can you please pass me the salt? – Here you go.
- Danke für das Geschenk! – Bitte sehr, es war mir eine Freude.Thank you for the gift! – You're welcome, it was my pleasure.
- 5458 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah asks Maximilian for a glass of water.
- SarahKannst du mir bitte ein Glas Wasser geben?Can you please give me a glass of water?
- MaximilianJa, natürlich, Sarah.Yes, of course, Sarah.
- SarahDanke, Maximilian!Thanks, Maximilian!
- MaximilianGern geschehen.You're welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “please” translations and entries bitte, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bitte, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
