Да, пожалуйста
Da, pozhaluysta[ˈda pɐˈʐaɫʊstə]word by word
The English phrase "yes, please" is translated into Russian as Да, пожалуйста (Da, pozhaluysta).
This phrase is used to accept an offer, such as when someone offers you tea or a seat.
What does it mean word for word?
пожалуйста (pozhaluysta) literally means "please" or "if you please".
Which one should you use?
While Да, пожалуйста accepts an offer, Да, спасибо is often used in a way that can be confusing to English speakers. In Russian, Да, спасибо is a common way to say "Yes, thank you" when accepting something, whereas пожалуйста is more strictly the functional "please".
How do you pronounce it?
Da, pozhaluysta
Did you know?
- If a Russian speaker says пожалуйста while handing you an object, it doesn't mean 'please' at all. In this context, it is a polite gesture similar to saying 'here you go'.
- In Russian, the word пожалуйста is a linguistic 'Swiss Army knife'. Beyond 'yes, please', it is the primary way to say 'you're welcome' after someone says 'thank you'.
- The word пожалуйста is actually a fossilized phrase. It began as a combination of a verb meaning 'please' or 'be so kind' and an obsolete particle used for social softening.
Examples in context
- Да, пожалуйста, принесите меню.Da, pozhaluysta, prinesite menyu.Yes, please, bring the menu.
- Да, пожалуйста, объясните еще раз.Da, pozhaluysta, ob'yasnite eshche raz.Yes, please, explain it one more time.
Example conversation
Andrey offers Anastasia a cup of tea.
- Андрей AndreyХочешь чаю, Анастасия?Khochesh chayu, Anastasiya?Do you want some tea, Anastasia?
- Анастасия AnastasiaДа, пожалуйста.Da, pozhaluysta.Yes, please.
- Андрей AndreyС лимоном или без?S limonom ili bez?With lemon or without?
- Анастасия AnastasiaС лимоном, спасибо.S limonom, spasibo.With lemon, thank you.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (да, пожалуйста) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries да, пожалуйста, CC BY-SA 4.0.
