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How to Say ‘I would like a coffee, please’ in French

Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît

zhuh voo-dray uhn kah-fay seel eel voo pleh

[zhuh voo-dray uhn kah-fay seel eel voo pleh]

Phrase Breakdown

Je voudrais

zhuh voo-dray

I would like

A polite request form. Say 'zhuh voo-dreh' and keep the final 's' silent.

Example

Je voudrais de l'eau.

I would like some water.

Words in this phrase

[zhuh]

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

voudrais

[voo-dray]

would like

A polite conditional form of vouloir, used to say would like.

Example

Je voudrais une table près de la fenêtre.

I would like a table near the window.

un café,

uhn kah-fay

a coffee,

The thing you are ordering, usually an espresso. Make a short pause after it, at the comma.

Example

Un café, merci.

A coffee, thank you.

Words in this phrase

[uhn]

a / an

An indefinite article used before a masculine singular noun.

Example

Un casque est important pour le roller.

A helmet is important for inline skating.

café

[kah-fay]

coffee

A coffee; in networking, it often suggests an informal conversation over coffee.

Example

Un café après le salon permet de continuer l'échange.

A coffee after the fair allows the conversation to continue.

s'il vous plaît

seel eel voo pleh

please

This is the formal or polite 'please'. Say it smoothly as 'seel voo pleh'.

Example

Un verre, s'il vous plaît.

A glass, 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]

In il y a, il does not refer to a person; it is part of the expression meaning “there is/there are.”

Example

Est-ce qu'il y a un parking sur place ?

Is there parking on site?

vous

[voo]

you

Used to refer to the person or people being addressed.

Example

Vous aimez le film?

Do you like the movie?

plaît

[pleh]

pleases

From plaire, to please; part of the expression meaning please.

Example

S'il vous plaît, cela me plaît beaucoup.

Please, I like that very much.

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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