Which one should you use?
While veuillez imprimer is highly formal and often used in written instructions, imprimez, s'il vous plaît is a more standard way to make the same request in spoken conversation. For informal situations with peers or people you know well, you should use imprime, s'il te plaît.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Veuillez imprimer is a formal and polite way to make a request, suitable for professional environments or instructions. In formal settings, you may also use S'il vous plaît, imprimez or the more indirect question Pourriez-vous imprimer, s'il vous plaît? Conversely, S'il te plaît, imprime is the informal way to say it.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The colloquial variation S'teuplé, imprime is used in some parts of France, particularly in the Parisian suburbs.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase veuillez imprimer, the verb imprimer remains in its infinitive form because it follows the conjugated imperative veuillez.
Did you know?
- If you use veuillez imprimer in a modern office, you might sound like an automated instruction manual. This specific construction is so formal that it is more common in written wayfinding or official notices than in a natural verbal request between colleagues.
- The formal veuillez is derived from the verb vouloir meaning 'to want', effectively turning the request 'please print' into 'be so kind as to want to print'.
- In French, the noun impression serves a double purpose. It refers to both the physical act of printing a page and the psychological feeling a person leaves on others.
Examples in context
- S'il vous plaît, imprimez votre devoir avant demain.Please print your homework before tomorrow.
- Pourriez-vous imprimer les documents de la réunion, s'il vous plaît?Could you please print the meeting documents?
- S'il te plaît, imprime les photos pour la fête.Please print the pictures for the party.
- Peux-tu imprimer ces billets pour moi, s'il te plaît?Can you print these tickets for me, please?
- Veuillez imprimer les billets pour le concert.Please print the tickets for the concert.
- Veuillez imprimer le rapport avant la réunion.Please print the report before the meeting.
Example conversation
Gabriel is asking Emma for help in the office.
- GabrielEmma, veuillez imprimer mon rapport.Emma, please print my report.
- EmmaBien sûr, Gabriel. Je le fais tout de suite.Of course, Gabriel. I will do it right away.
- GabrielMerci beaucoup pour ton aide.Thank you very much for your help.
- EmmaDe rien, c'est terminé !You're welcome, it's finished!
