How to Say ‘Please’ in French
S'il vous plaît
seel eel voo pleh
[seel eel voo pleh]
💬 Usage Tip: [S'il] is shortened from [si il], so it always stays attached like this before a vowel. Learn the whole chunk [s'il vous plaît] as one fixed expression.
Phrase Breakdown
S'
[seel]
if
Part of the fixed polite expression s'il vous plaît, literally starting with 'if'.
S' est dans l'expression polie S'il vous plaît.
S' is in the polite expression please.
il
[eel]
he / it
In this expression, il is part of the set phrase s'il vous plaît and is not translated literally in everyday use.
Dans S'il vous plaît, il fait partie d'une formule polie.
In please, il is part of a polite formula.
vous
[voo]
you
A formal or plural 'you'; here it makes the expression polite.
Je dis vous pour rester poli avec le serveur.
I say you to stay polite with the server.
plaît
[pleh]
pleases
From plaire, 'to please'; in this phrase it helps form the meaning 'please'.
Plaît apparaît dans S'il vous plaît pour être poli.
Plaît appears in please to be polite.
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