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How to Say ‘Please’ in French

S'il vous plaît

seel eel voo pleh

[seel eel voo pleh]

💬 Usage Tip: [S'il vous plaît] literally means something like "if it pleases you," but use it as plain [please]. With a friend or child, French often switches to [s'il te plaît].

Phrase Breakdown

S'

[seel]

if

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

Example

S'il vous plaît est une formule polie avec S'.

S'il vous plaît is a polite expression with S'.

il

[eel]

he / it

In this expression, il is part of the fixed phrase s'il vous plaît and is not translated word by word in normal English.

Example

Dans S'il vous plaît, il fait partie de l'expression.

In S'il vous plaît, il is part of the expression.

vous

[voo]

you

The polite or plural form of 'you' in French.

Example

Je dis vous pour être poli : S'il vous plaît.

I say vous to be polite: please.

plaît

[pleh]

please

Part of the polite expression s'il vous plaît, used to make a request courteous.

Example

Ajoutez plaît pour rendre la demande plus polie.

Add plaît to make the request more polite.

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