How to Say Please in French
Learn how to say please in French. 'S'il vous plaît' (formal) and 's'il te plaît' (informal) are the phrases. Pronunciation guide + how to make polite requests in French.
Published · 2 min read · Free · No sign-up
Quick answer
To say please in French, say 'S'il vous plaît' (seel voo PLEH) in formal situations, or 'S'il te plaît' (seel tuh PLEH) with friends and family. It literally means 'if it pleases you.' It's often abbreviated 'SVP' in writing. Place it at the end of a request: 'Un café, s'il vous plaît' (a coffee, please).
S'il vous plaît
/seel voo PLEH/ — French
How to Say Please in French
S’il vous plaît is the cornerstone of French courtesy — and it reveals the language’s elegant logic, literally meaning “if it pleases you.”
The Phrase
S’il vous plaît — pronounced seel voo PLEH (formal) S’il te plaît — pronounced seel tuh PLEH (informal)
Copy the Phrase
The French phrase for “please” is S’il vous plaît (seel voo PLEH) — or S’il te plaît (seel tuh PLEH) informally.
Formal vs. Informal
| French | Pronunciation | Use |
|---|---|---|
| S’il vous plaît | seel voo PLEH | Formal/plural (vous) — strangers, elders, work |
| S’il te plaît | seel tuh PLEH | Informal (tu) — friends, family, children |
The only difference is vous (formal) vs. te (informal) — matching whether you’d address the person formally or casually.
What It Literally Means
S’il vous plaît = “if it pleases you”:
- s’il = if it
- vous = you
- plaît = pleases
This is exactly the logic behind the English “please” (from “if you please”). French just kept the full, gracious phrase.
Pronunciation
| Part | Pronunciation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| S’il | seel | Rhymes with “eel” |
| vous | voo | Like “voo” |
| plaît | PLEH | Silent ‘t’; stress here |
SVP — The Abbreviation
In writing, s’il vous plaît is abbreviated SVP:
- Répondez SVP — please reply
- Signs and notices often use SVP
- The informal version abbreviates to STP (s’il te plaît)
Fun fact: RSVP comes from Répondez s’il vous plaît — “reply, please.”
Where to Place It
S’il vous plaît typically goes at the end of a request:
- Un café, s’il vous plaît — A coffee, please
- L’addition, s’il vous plaît — The check, please
- Pourriez-vous m’aider, s’il vous plaît ? — Could you help me, please?
Polite Requests Beyond Please
French uses the conditional to be polite:
| French | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Je voudrais… | I would like… (vs. blunt “je veux” = I want) |
| Pourriez-vous…? | Could you…? (formal) |
| Pourrais-tu…? | Could you…? (informal) |
| Est-ce que vous pourriez…? | Would you be able to…? |
| Auriez-vous…? | Would you have…? |
The model polite request: Je voudrais un café, s’il vous plaît (I’d like a coffee, please).
Courtesy Pairings
S’il vous plaît travels with these polite words:
- Merci — thank you
- De rien — you’re welcome
- Excusez-moi — excuse me
- Pardon — sorry / excuse me
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you pronounce S'il vous plaît?
'S'il vous plaît' is pronounced seel voo PLEH. 'S'il' = seel (rhymes with 'eel'). 'Vous' = voo. 'Plaît' = PLEH (the 't' is silent; rhymes with 'play' without the y-glide, more like 'pleh'). Stress is on the final 'PLEH'. It flows together smoothly: seel-voo-PLEH.
What is the difference between s'il vous plaît and s'il te plaît?
It's the formal/informal distinction. 'S'il vous plaît' (seel voo PLEH) uses the formal/plural 'vous' — for strangers, elders, professional settings, or addressing more than one person. 'S'il te plaît' (seel tuh PLEH) uses the informal 'tu' — for friends, family, children, and peers. When in doubt with someone you don't know, use 's'il vous plaît.'
What does S'il vous plaît literally mean?
It literally means 'if it pleases you' — 's'il' (if it), 'vous' (you), 'plaît' (pleases). So you're politely saying 'if it pleases you (to do this).' It's a lovely, courteous construction — the same logic as the old English 'if you please,' which is where 'please' itself comes from.
What does SVP mean in French?
'SVP' is the written abbreviation of 's'il vous plaît' (please) — commonly used in texts, emails, signs, and notes. You'll see it on forms ('Répondez SVP' = please reply, the origin of RSVP) and notices. 'STP' is the informal abbreviation for 's'il te plaît.' RSVP itself comes from 'Répondez s'il vous plaît' (reply, please).
How do you make a polite request in French?
Beyond 's'il vous plaît,' French uses the conditional for politeness: 'Je voudrais...' (I would like... — much politer than 'je veux' = I want), 'Pourriez-vous...?' (could you...? — formal), 'Pourrais-tu...?' (could you...? — informal), 'Est-ce que vous pourriez...?' (would you be able to...?). 'Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît' is the model polite request.