🙏Politeness
Please, thank you, sorry — and how formal to be.
12 concepts
Columns follow the languages switched on at the top. Gender after the word (m/f/n); IPA beneath; notes, alternatives and origins underneath — nothing is hidden.
| Concept | English | Français | Español |
|---|---|---|---|
please phrase | please pliːz Used far more often than its equivalents — leaving it out sounds rude in English. | s'il vous plaît sil vu plɛ also: s'il te plaît (informal) 'If it pleases you.' Abbreviation SVP / STP. | por favor poɾ faˈβoɾ Spanish uses it less; politeness lives in the verb form (¿me pones…?) and tone. |
thank you phrase | thank you ˈθæŋk juː also: thanks, cheers (UK), ta (UK) | merci mɛʁsi also: merci beaucoup, merci bien From Latin merces 'reward/mercy'. Non merci = no thanks. | gracias ˈɡɾaθjas also: muchas gracias, mil gracias |
you're welcome phrase | you're welcome jɔː ˈwɛlkəm also: no problem, not at all, no worries (AU/UK), my pleasure | de rien də ʁjɛ̃ also: je vous en prie (formal), je t'en prie, avec plaisir 'Of nothing.' Je vous en prie is the polite default in shops. | de nada de ˈnaða also: no hay de qué, a ti / a usted 'Of nothing.' |
sorry (apology) phrase | sorry ˈsɒɹi also: I'm sorry, I apologise, my bad (informal) The British say it for apologies, for 'excuse me', for 'pardon?', and when someone else bumps into them. | pardon paʁdɔ̃ also: désolé(e), je suis désolé(e), excusez-moi Pardon for small bumps; désolé for real apologies. | perdón peɾˈðon also: lo siento ('I feel it' — real regret), disculpa / disculpe Perdón for bumps; lo siento for bad news and real apologies. |
excuse me (attention / passing) phrase | excuse me ɪkˈskjuːz miː To get attention or pass by. 'Sorry?' or 'Pardon?' to ask for a repeat. | excusez-moi ɛkskyze mwa also: pardon, s'il vous plaît (to call a waiter) Pardon? = could you repeat? 'Excuse-moi' to someone you tutoie. | perdone peɾˈðone also: disculpe, oiga ('hear!' — to call someone), con permiso (to pass) ¿Cómo? / ¿Perdón? to ask for a repeat. |
hello interjection | hello həˈləʊ also: hi, hey, good morning / afternoon / evening | bonjour bɔ̃ʒuʁ also: bonsoir (from ~6pm), salut (informal — also 'bye'), coucou (very informal) Say it before ANY interaction — skipping bonjour in a shop is the classic foreigner's offence. | hola ˈola also: buenos días, buenas tardes, buenas noches, buenas (informal) Silent h. Buenos días until lunch, buenas tardes until dark. |
goodbye interjection | goodbye ɡʊdˈbaɪ also: bye, see you, take care, cheers (UK) Contraction of 'God be with you'. | au revoir ɔ ʁəvwaʁ also: salut (informal), à plus (tard), à bientôt, bonne journée 'Until the re-seeing.' Adieu is for forever. | hasta luego ˈasta ˈlweɣo also: adiós, chao / chau, hasta mañana, nos vemos Adiós is fine but a touch final; hasta luego is the everyday one. |
the formal 'you' pronoun | you juː English lost the distinction (thou fell out of use ~1700). Politeness lives in modals and hedges: would you mind, could you possibly… | vous vu also: tu (informal) Vouvoyer / tutoyer are verbs. Vous to strangers, elders, at work (until told otherwise). Takes the plural verb form. | usted usˈteð also: tú (informal), vos (Argentina etc.) Contraction of vuestra merced, 'your grace'. Takes the 3rd-person verb. Latin America uses it more; Spain tutea freely. |
cheers (toast) interjection | cheers t͡ʃɪəz also: bottoms up In the UK also = thanks, and bye. | santé sɑ̃te also: à votre santé, à la tienne, tchin-tchin Look people in the eye as you clink — or seven years of bad sex, says the superstition. | salud saˈluð also: chinchín, ¡arriba, abajo, al centro, pa' dentro! |
bless you (after a sneeze) interjection | bless you ˈblɛs juː also: gesundheit (US, borrowed) | à tes souhaits a te swɛ also: à vos souhaits (formal) 'To your wishes.' Second sneeze: à tes amours. | salud saˈluð also: Jesús (Spain, older) Same word as the toast. |
enjoy your meal phrase | enjoy your meal ɪnˈd͡ʒɔɪ jɔː miːl also: bon appétit (borrowed), dig in, tuck in (UK) English has no native phrase — which is why it borrowed the French one. | bon appétit bɔn apeti Said by everyone at the table, and by waiters. | que aproveche ke apɾoˈβet͡ʃe also: buen provecho, ¡a comer! 'May it benefit (you).' Said even to strangers eating nearby. |
nice to meet you phrase | nice to meet you naɪs tə ˈmiːt juː also: pleased to meet you, how do you do (very formal, old) | enchanté(e) ɑ̃ʃɑ̃te 'Enchanted.' Agrees with the speaker: enchantée if you're a woman. | encantado/a eŋkanˈtaðo also: mucho gusto, un placer Agrees with the speaker. Mucho gusto is the Latin American default. |