s'il te plaît
/s‿il tə plɛ/
The English phrase "please (informal)" is translated into French as s'il te plaît.
s'il te plaît is a polite word used to ask for something when addressing one person in informal situations.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of si (if), il (it), te (you – object pronoun) and plaît (pleases). It literally translates to "if it pleases you".
Which one should you use?
Use s'il te plaît for friends and family, but switch to s'il vous plaît when speaking to strangers, superiors or a group of people.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Québec, the informal expression s'te plaît is commonly used instead of s'il te plaît.
How do you pronounce it?
/s‿il tə plɛ/
Did you know?
- If a French speaker says s'il te plaît with a rising, sarcastic tone, it can actually function as a way to tell someone to stop being annoying.
- In France, failing to use s'il te plaît or s'il vous plaît when making a request is often viewed as giving a command rather than asking a favor.
- The word plaît comes from the verb plaire, which is a linguistic relative of the English word 'placid' through their shared Latin root for pleasing.
Examples in context
- Peux-tu me passer le sel, s'il te plaît ?Can you pass me the salt, please?
- Est-ce que tu peux me rendre un petit service, s'il te plaît ?Can you do me a favor, please?
- S'il te plaît, arrête de faire du bruit.Please, stop making noise.
- Passe-moi le sel, s'il te plaît.Pass me the salt, please.
- Aide-moi avec ça, s'il te plaît.Help me with this, please.
- Attends-moi un instant, s'il te plaît.Wait for me a moment, please.
Example conversation
Nathan and Manon are at home in the kitchen.
- NathanManon, donne-moi l'eau, s'il te plaît.Manon, give me the water, please.
- ManonTiens, la voilà.Here, there it is.
- NathanMerci beaucoup.Thank you very much.
- ManonDe rien, Nathan.You're welcome, Nathan.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry s'il te plaît, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
