por favor lea
/poɾ faboɾ lea/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "please read" can be expressed as por favor lea.
This phrase is used to make a polite request for someone to read a piece of text. The term por favor is a universal way to say "please" and is used in every Spanish-speaking country.
Which one should you use?
Por favor lea uses the formal usted conjugation, making it appropriate for strangers, elders or professional settings. For an informal setting with someone you know well, you would use por favor lee. If you are addressing a group of people, use por favor lean.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes depending on who you are addressing. Use por favor lee when using the informal tú form with someone you know well. Use por favor lea for the singular formal usted form, and use por favor lean to address a plural group of people.
How do you pronounce it?
/poɾ faboɾ lea/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, using the formal lea with a stranger isn't just about politeness, but establishes a necessary social distance to avoid appearing overly aggressive or presumptuous.
- The word favor is a direct descendant of the Latin favōrem, meaning 'goodwill' or 'kindness'. This is why the phrase literally translates to asking someone to act out of 'goodwill' towards you.
- When using por favor lea, speakers often accompany the request with a slight nod or a softening of the voice to ensure the formal usted doesn't sound too direct.
Examples in context
- Señor García, por favor, lea este informe antes de la reunión.Mr. García, please read this report before the meeting.
- Le ruego que lea este documento tan pronto como sea posible.I beg you to read this document as soon as possible.
- María, por favor, lee el mensaje que te envié.Maria, please read the message I sent you.
- Oye, échale un vistazo a este artículo.Hey, please read this article.
- Por favor lea este documento.Please read this document.
- Por favor lea las instrucciones en voz alta.Please read the instructions aloud.
- Por favor lea el menú antes de pedir.Please read the menu before ordering.
Example conversation
Lucía gives a report to Alejandro at the office.
- LucíaAlejandro, por favor lea este informe.Alejandro, please read this report.
- AlejandroClaro, lo leo ahora mismo.Sure, I will read it right now.
- LucíaDígame si tiene alguna duda.Tell me if you have any doubts.
- AlejandroDe acuerdo, Lucía. Gracias.Alright, Lucía. Thank you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries favor, por, CC BY-SA 4.0.
