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How to Say ‘Can I get him back, please?’ in French

Je peux le récupérer, s'il vous plaît ?

zhuh puh luh ray-kew-pay-RAY seel eel voo pleh

[zhuh puh luh ray-kew-pay-RAY seel eel voo pleh]

🇫🇷 In France: With a neighbour you don't know, vous and s'il vous plaît are the default. It keeps a slightly tense exchange civil.

Phrase Breakdown

Je peux le récupérer,

zhuh puh luh ray-kew-pay-RAY

Can I get him/it back,

'Pouvoir' plus an infinitive makes a request. Say 'jeu peu leu ré-ku-pé-ré'.

Example

Je peux le récupérer demain.

I can pick it up tomorrow.

Words in this phrase

[zhuh]

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

peux

[puh]

can / may

From the verb pouvoir; used to ask permission or say what you are able to do.

Example

Est-ce que je peux vous parler après le cours ?

May I speak to you after class?

[luh]

it / him (direct object, masculine)

Direct object pronoun. Refers to a masculine noun like “l’anime” or “l’épisode” (masculine).

Example

On pourrait le regarder en VO.

We could watch it in the original version.

récupérer

[ray-kew-pay-RAY]

get back / retrieve

Verb meaning to recover something that was yours.

Example

Je dois récupérer mes clés.

I have to get my keys back.

s'il vous plaît ?

seel eel voo pleh

please?

The polite 'please' for 'vous'. Say 'sil vou plè'.

Example

Un café, s'il vous plaît.

A coffee, please.

Words in this phrase

[seel]

Part of the fixed polite expression s'il vous plaît, literally if it pleases you.

Example

S'il vous plaît, confirmez la réservation.

Please confirm the reservation.

[eel]

Impersonal subject used for weather expressions.

Example

Aujourd'hui, il fait beau.

Today, the weather is nice.

vous

[voo]

to you

Indirect object pronoun: the person receiving something.

Example

Je vous donne la monnaie.

I give you the change.

plaît

[pleh]

pleases

From plaire; means is pleasing to or is liked by someone.

Example

J'espère que ce cadeau vous plaît.

I hope you like this gift.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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