por favor
standard, Mexico
In Mexican Spanish "please" is por favor. Friends often shorten it to porfa. On signs and in written instructions you will also see favor de followed by a verb.
Meaning: polite request word (adverb)
Ways to say it
| Mexican | Note |
|---|---|
| por favor | standard, Mexico |
| porfa | casual |
| favor de | formal, signs |
Por favor can go at the start or end of a request: Por favor, un café or Un café, por favor. Mexicans use it very often when ordering or asking for help.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a formal request people add por favor to a polite verb form, as in ¿Me podría ayudar, por favor? Porfa is for family and friends.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Favor de no fumar is typical in Mexico. It reads as "please do not smoke" even though it literally says "favor to not smoke".
Did you know?
- The reply to gracias is often de nada and the reply to a request is often con gusto in Mexico.
Examples in context
- Un café, por favor.A coffee, please.
- ¿Me ayudas, porfa?Can you help me, please?
- Favor de no tirar basura.Please do not litter.
Example conversation
Nora orders breakfast from a waiter named Chuy in a cafe in Mérida.
- NoraBuenos días, un café con leche, por favor.Good morning, a coffee with milk, please.
- ChuyCon gusto. ¿Algo más?With pleasure. Anything else?
- NoraUnos chilaquiles, por favor.Some chilaquiles, please.
