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Lesson 5 of 240

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Please and thank you in English

Ana is at the Blue Plate again. She wants coffee, and she tries a long, careful ask. Dee is already pouring.

You'll learn how to ask for something with please, and how to say Could I get.

You'll also say thank you and thanks. When someone thanks you, you can say you're welcome or no problem.

Please is the polite word after the thing you want. Could I get is a polite way to ask for something.

By the end of this lesson

Ask for something politely and say thank you and you're welcome.

  • ___, please.you name the thing and ask politely
  • Could I get ___?a polite way to ask for something
  • Thank you.you say this when someone helps you
  • Thanks.a short, casual thank you
  • You're welcome.you say this after someone thanks you
  • No problem.a casual way to say you're welcome

Scene — already pouring

Same morning at the Blue Plate. Ana stands at the counter with a long ask ready. Dee already has the coffee pot in her hand.

Murray sits on two stools at the end, with two eggs and a black coffee he has not finished. The jukebox by the door stays quiet.

Ana is ready to ask at the counter while Dee begins pouring coffee and Murray sits with his unfinished breakfast.

Learn — please and thank you

Six short lines cover please, a polite ask, thank you, and thanks.

You'll also get two answers: you're welcome and no problem.

  1. Ana makes a polite request to Dee, holding out an open hand beside an empty mug.

    ___, please.

    you name the thing and ask politely

    When to use it: Say this when you name a thing and ask for it.

    Learn it as one piece after the thing you want.

  2. Ana leans toward the counter and gestures to the empty cup as Dee listens with the coffee pot ready.

    Could I get ___?

    a polite way to ask for something

    When to use it: Use this to ask for something in a polite way.

    Learn it as one piece when you ask for something.

    Say it: Could and I can link.

  3. Ana accepts a filled mug from Dee with both hands in a grateful gesture.

    Thank you.

    you say this when someone helps you

    When to use it: Say this when someone helps you or gives you something.

    Learn it as one piece to thank someone.

    Say it: Thank starts with th.

  4. Dee turns to Murray and fills his coffee mug at the end of the counter.

    Thanks.

    a short, casual thank you

    When to use it: Say this as a short thank you with friends.

    Learn it as one piece, a short thank you.

  5. Murray lifts his freshly filled coffee mug toward Dee in a casual thank-you gesture.

    You're welcome.

    you say this after someone thanks you

    When to use it: Say this after someone thanks you.

    Learn it as one piece after a thank you.

    Say it: Stress is on wel in welcome.

  6. Dee responds to Murray's thanks with a casual, welcoming gesture.

    No problem.

    a casual way to say you're welcome

    When to use it: Say this as a casual answer after thanks.

    Learn it as one piece, a casual you're welcome.

Story — she tries a long ask

Watch Ana ask for coffee at the counter. Dee is already pouring, and she will not wait for a long ask.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Dee is already pouring. Ana still has her long ask ready.
  2. DeeGood morning, hon.hello before noon
  3. AnaCould I get coffee?a polite way to ask for something
  4. AnaCoffee, please.Ana asks again in a shorter way while Dee keeps pouring.
  5. DeeHere you go, hon.She gives Ana the coffee now.
  6. AnaThank you. The cup is full now.She thanks Dee, then talks about the cup.
  7. DeeJust say, "Thank you," hon.She wants a short thank you, not extra details.
  8. AnaThanks.a short, casual thank you
  9. DeeYou're welcome, hon.you say this after someone thanks you
  10. AnaWelcome?She uses the hello for when someone arrives.
  11. DeeYou're welcome. Not welcome, hon.She wants the answer after thanks, not the hello.
  12. Dee turns to Murray and fills his cup.
  13. MurrayWell, thanks.a short, casual thank you
  14. DeeNo problem.a casual way to say you're welcome

Practice — ask or thank

Eleven quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay short, so you can move fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    English

    Thank you.Drop the Simple English here
    Thanks.Drop the Simple English here
    You're welcome.Drop the Simple English here
    No problem.Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

    Drag a Simple English line onto its English, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    You want coffee at the Blue Plate. Ask in a polite way.

  4. What does it mean?

    Thanks.

  5. Fill the gap

    you say this when someone helps you

    Thank ____.

  6. Build the line

    a casual way to say you're welcome

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Murray says:

    Thank you.

    you say this when someone helps you

    And you reply with:

  8. Swap the word

    You ask for coffee in a polite way at the counter.

    Could I ____ ___?

  9. What do you say?

    You want coffee. Name it and ask politely.

  10. True or false?

    This is what you say after someone thanks you.

  11. What does it mean?

    Good morning.

Say it — say it at the counter

Now you're Ana at the counter. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. DeeHi, hon.a friendly hello
  2. Ana (you)Ask for coffee in a polite way.

    Could I get ___?

    a polite way to ask for something

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
___, please.you name the thing and ask politely
Could I get ___?a polite way to ask for something
Thank you.you say this when someone helps you
Thanks.a short, casual thank you
You're welcome.you say this after someone thanks you
No problem.a casual way to say you're welcome
Next: lesson 6Excuse me, sorry

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep please and thank you handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your thanks ready at the counter.

Open Yak Cards