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Lesson 5 of 240

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Please and thank you in French

Sam wants a coffee at Café des Tilleuls. Odile does not hand it over until she hears please.

Gaspard's café crème is already on the table, still untouched.

By the end, you'll ask for something politely, say thank you, and answer you're welcome two ways.

S'il vous plaît is for Odile at the counter. S'il te plaît is for a friend. De rien is everyday; Je vous en prie is the formal reply.

By the end of this lesson

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

  • ___, s'il vous plaît.___, please
  • S'il te plaît.Please (to a friend)
  • Merci.Thank you
  • Merci beaucoup.Thank you very much
  • De rien.You're welcome
  • Je vous en prie.You're most welcome

Scene — she still has the cup

Same café, later that first week. Sam is at the zinc counter. Odile has a cup in her hand and she is not handing it over yet.

Gaspard sits at the table next to the window table. His café crème is already there. He has not taken a sip.

A wide morning view of the café with Sam waiting at the zinc, Odile holding a cup back, and Gaspard at the next table with an untouched café crème.

Learn — please and thank you

Six short lines cover please for staff and for a friend, thank you, and two ways to say you're welcome.

You'll use them at the counter when Odile still has the cup.

  1. Sam leans forward at the zinc with an open polite hand while Odile still withholds the cup.

    ___, s'il vous plaît.

    ___, please

    When to use it: Add this after what you want at a counter.

    Learn it as one piece when you ask for something.

    Say it: The t at the end of plaît is silent.

  2. Gaspard turns from two chairs toward someone off-frame with an informal palm-up please, café crème still full.

    S'il te plaît.

    Please (to a friend)

    When to use it: Say this when you ask a friend for something.

    Learn it as one piece and keep it for friends.

  3. Sam receives the cup from Odile and dips in thanks.

    Merci.

    Thank you

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

    Learn it as one piece right after you get something.

  4. Over Odile's shoulder, Sam holds the cup in both hands and bows a deeper thanks.

    Merci beaucoup.

    Thank you very much

    When to use it: Say this when a simple thank you is not enough.

    Learn it as one piece for a bigger thank you.

    Say it: The p in beaucoup is silent.

  5. Gaspard by the window waves the thanks away, café crème still untouched.

    De rien.

    You're welcome

    When to use it: Say this after thanks with a friend or a regular.

    Learn it as one piece for an everyday reply.

    Say it: The vowel in rien is nasal; the n is not said on its own.

  6. From above, Odile offers an open-palm formal courtesy at the zinc with Sam's back in the foreground.

    Je vous en prie.

    You're most welcome

    When to use it: Say this after thanks when you want a polite reply.

    Learn it as one piece for a polite reply to thanks.

    Say it: The s in vous links into en.

Story — merci is not enough

Watch Sam ask for a cup the polite way. Odile waits for please before she lets go.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Odile holds a cup. The window table stays empty.
  2. OdileBonjour.Hello.
  3. SamBonjour.Hello.
  4. OdileAsseyez-vous.Please sit down.
  5. Sam sits. Odile still has the cup.
  6. SamUn café, s'il vous plaît.A coffee, please.
  7. She hands him the cup.
  8. SamMerci.Thank you.
  9. OdileJe vous en prie.You're most welcome.
  10. Gaspard's crème sits on the next table, still full.
  11. He looks at the sugar beside Sam.
  12. GaspardS'il te plaît.Please.
  13. Sam slides the sugar over.
  14. GaspardMerci beaucoup.Thank you very much.
  15. SamDe rien.You're welcome.

Practice — please at the counter

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

They stay tiny, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    You walk into Café des Tilleuls in the morning. Odile looks at you and waits.

  3. What does it mean?

    Merci.

  4. Fill the gap

    Please (to a friend)

    S'il ____ plaît.

  5. Pick the reply

    Gaspard says:

    Merci.

    Thank you.

    And you reply with:

  6. Build the line

    Thank you very much

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Swap the word

    A new guest just thanked you. Give the polite reply.

    Je vous en ____.

  8. Match the pairs

    French

    Merci.Drop the English here
    Merci beaucoup.Drop the English here
    De rien.Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its French, or tap one and then the other.

  9. Put the chat in order

    1. OdileWhat comes first?
    2. Sam…
    3. Odile…
    4. Sam…
    5. Odile…

    Tap the line that comes next, or drag it into the chat.

  10. True or false?

    This means thank you.

  11. What do you say?

    Odile still holds the cup. Ask for a coffee with the polite please.

Say it — ask and thank

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

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

  1. OdileBonjour.Hello.
  2. Sam (you)Say hello back. It is still morning.

    Bonjour.

    Hello

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

FrenchEnglish
___, s'il vous plaît.___, please
S'il te plaît.Please (to a friend)
Merci.Thank you
Merci beaucoup.Thank you very much
De rien.You're welcome
Je vous en prie.You're most welcome
Next: lesson 6Excuse me, sorry

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