How to say please in Italian

Learn common ways of saying please in Italian. 

1. Per Favore and it’s a synonym of 2. per piacere and 3. er Cortesia

Download the lesson in PDF format here! 

You will use these to say please in formal or informal situations. It literally translates to “as a favor” or for pleasure… so you it’s a pleasure for you to help somebody..… so you know you will be asking for something in a nice way

Examples: 

• Mi passi il sale per favore Could you pass me the salt please?
• Mi puoi dare un passaggio a casa per piacere? Can you give me a ride home please?
• Mi dai una mano con i compiti per piacere? Can you help me with my homework please?

Examples: 

• Ci può portare il conto per cortesia? Could you please bring us the bill please? 
• Mi può portare una forchetta pulita per cortesia?Could you please bring me a clean fork?

4. Cortesemente is a super formal way of saying please. I would say that you can translate it with the english words “please kindly”. 

• Cortesemente potrebbe darmi il suo numero di telefono? (Could you please kindly give me your phone number?) 
• Siete pregati cortesemente di fare silenzio in aula. (Please kindly be silent in the classroom.) 

5. Gentilmente is probably one of my favorite ones. it translates to “kindly, politely” it’s a less formal term compared to cortesemente. 

Examples: 

• Puoi gentilmente parcheggiare vicino al negozio? Così non camminiamo troppo!(Could you please park close to the store so that we don’t have to walk too much!
• Gentilmente mi sa dove posso trovare la farmacia? (Would you please tell me where I can find the pharmacy?

6. Ti Prego / La Prego / Vi Prego 

If your please turns into a plea… so you are literally begging or praying somebody to do something you can use ti prego (in all the different subjects) you will need to use the Italian verb pregare with the Italian direct object pronoun.

Remember that ti prego is informal and that you will use it with people that you know and with which you have a close relationship with. Vi prego is for the plural form and LA prego is the formal form that you will use with people that you do not know or with people which you are showing your respect to… older people, teachers, you boss…

• Mamma, ti prego, posso andare a giocare da Mario? (Mom, please, can I go play at Mario’s house?)
• Signora Rossi, La prego di seguirmi! (Mrs. Rossi, please follow me!)

On noticeboards and signs you will see the impersonal form of the verb pregare and you will see sentences like: Si Prega Di / Siete Pregati Di 

These are expressions used for very polite requests that don’t refer to specific individuals but rather the public in general. 

Examples: 

• Si prega di indossare la mascherina (Please wear a mask!)
• Siete pregati di non fumare! (Please do not smoke!)

7. prego!

You will use “prego” when you are replying to an invitation to do something.

• Posso entrare? Prego accomodati
• Posso rubarle 5 minuti di tempo? Prego

8. Last but not least you can also say sì grazie to mean yes please,

• Vuoi una fetta di torta? – Sì, grazie! (Would you like piece of cake – Yes, please!)
• Vuoi un caffè? sì grazie! (Would you like a coffee?- yes, please!)
• Ti va di accomodarti un secondo? Sì, grazie! (Do you want to come in a second? - yes, please!) 

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