How to Say ‘I'd like a coffee, please.’ in French
Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît.
zhuh voo-DRAY uhn ka-fay seel eel voo pleh
[zhuh voo-DRAY uhn ka-fay seel eel voo pleh]
💬 Usage Tip: [Je voudrais] makes the request polite without sounding stiff. It's a useful café pattern: [Je voudrais un café], [Je voudrais un lait d'avoine], [Je voudrais un décaféiné].
Phrase Breakdown
Je voudrais
zhuh voo-DRAY
I would like
Polite form used to make a request or order in a courteous way.
Je voudrais un thé.
I would like a tea.
Words in this phrase
Je
[zhuh]
I
The subject pronoun for talking about yourself.
Je dis Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît. au comptoir.
I say I would like a coffee, please at the counter.
voudrais
[voo-DRAY]
would like
A polite way to ask for something when ordering.
Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît. est une commande polie.
I would like a coffee, please is a polite order.
Un café
uhn ka-fay
A coffee
A simple noun phrase referring to one coffee.
Un café, s'il vous plaît.
A coffee, please.
Words in this phrase
un
[uhn]
a
An indefinite article before a masculine singular noun.
Dans Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît., un introduit café.
In I would like a coffee, please, a introduces coffee.
café
[ka-fay]
coffee
The drink being ordered.
Dans Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît., café est la boisson demandée.
In I would like a coffee, please, coffee is the drink requested.
S'il vous plaît
seel eel voo pleh
Please
Standard polite expression used when asking for something.
Un verre d'eau, s'il vous plaît.
A glass of water, please.
Words in this phrase
s'
[seel]
if
Part of the polite expression s'il vous plaît.
Dans Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît., s' commence la formule de politesse.
In I would like a coffee, please, s' starts the polite expression.
il
[eel]
he / it
Part of the fixed phrase s'il vous plaît, not usually translated word for word.
Dans Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît., il fait partie de la formule.
In I would like a coffee, please, il is part of the expression.
vous
[voo]
you
Formal 'you', used in polite requests.
Dans Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît., vous rend la phrase polie.
In I would like a coffee, please, you makes the sentence polite.
plaît
[pleh]
pleases
Part of the phrase meaning 'please'.
Dans Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît., plaît complète la formule polie.
In I would like a coffee, please, plaît completes the polite expression.
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