Crossing

Courtesy

How to say “Please” in 16 languages

Here is “Please” in all 16 languages Crossing covers, with each language's regional variants side by side. Every version shows the native script, a romanization where the script isn't Latin, and a pronunciation guide written for English speakers, with notes on formality and other forms.

EnglishPlease

Spanish Español

French Français

  • France

    S'il vous plaît

    seel voo PLEH

    Formal

    With friends: "s'il te plaît" (seel tuh PLEH).

    French travel phrases

German Deutsch

Italian Italiano

Portuguese Português

Greek Ελληνικά

  • Greece

    Παρακαλώ

    Parakaló

    pah-rah-kah-LOH

    Also means "you're welcome", and staff use it to mean "can I help you".

    Greek travel phrases

Turkish Türkçe

Russian Русский

  • Russia

    Пожалуйста

    Pozhaluysta

    pah-ZHAHL-stah

    Also the reply to "спасибо" (spasibo), like "you're welcome".

    Russian travel phrases

Hindi हिन्दी

  • India

    कृपया

    Kripayā

    KRIP-uh-yaa

    Slightly formal; everyday requests often soften the verb instead.

    Hindi travel phrases

Bengali বাংলা

Gujarati ગુજરાતી

  • India

    મહેરબાની કરીને

    Meherbānī karīne

    meh-her-BAA-nee kuh-REE-nay

    Gujarati travel phrases

Mandarin Chinese 中文

  • China

    请

    Qǐng

    ching

    Put "请" (qǐng) before a verb, as in "请进" (qǐng jìn), "please come in". To ask a favor, start with "麻烦您" (máfan nín).

    Mandarin Chinese travel phrases

Japanese 日本語

Korean 한국어

  • South Korea

    부탁합니다

    Butakamnida

    boo-tah-kahm-nee-dah

    Formal

    To ask for a thing, say the item plus "주세요" (juseyo), as in "물 주세요" (mul juseyo).

    Korean travel phrases

Arabic العربية

  • Egypt

    من فضلك

    Min fadlak

    min FAHD-lak

    To a man. To a woman: "من فضلِك" (min fadlik).

    More ways to say this

    • من فضلِك

      Min fadlik

      min FAHD-lik

      To a woman. To a man: "من فضلك" (min fadlak).

    Arabic phrases for Egypt

Hebrew עברית

  • Israel

    בבקשה

    Bevakasha

    beh-vah-kah-SHAH

    Also means "you're welcome" and "here you are".

    Hebrew travel phrases

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