How to Say Please in Spanish in 7+ Different Ways

How do you say, “please” in Spanish? Quickly learn how to politely say please in Spanish with this guide.

If you’re planning to go to a Spanish-speaking country for any length of time, showing good manners by saying please in Spanish is something you need to know how to do.

I’ve been traveling to Spain for 20 years, and I even lived there for a while. I was a Spanish Teacher, too! I’ve found that there are many different ways to ask someone for something politely—whether chatting with friends, on the street when asking for directions, or when talking with shopkeepers or tour guides.

In this article, I’m going to give you more than 7 variations of please in Spanish to help you prepare for a polite conversation with a native Spanish speaker—in any context!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

How Do You Say Please in Spanish?

First things first, what is the Spanish meaning of please? Let’s start with the most basic direct translation.

1. Por favor – Please in Spanish

🗣 pour fah-vour

If you would like to say please in Spanish, you would generally say, por favor. This is the direct equivalent of please in English (inglés).

This is a very common word to use in Spanish, and you can use it in all contexts: both formal and informal—from asking a friend to please hand you a pen to asking a stranger for directions, please.

Typically, using the word please makes your requests more polite, especially when asking for help or a favor. Of course, it can also be used to emphasize a demand. (More on the usages of please, below.)

—¿Me podría ayudar, por favor? Estoy buscando el hotel. (formal)
—Could you help me, please? I’m looking for the hotel.

—Por favor no te preocupes. Te ayudaré a encontrarlo. (casual)
—Please don’t worry. I’ll help you find it.

—¡Silencio, por favor!
—Quiet, please.

How to Say Please in Spanish: More Ways

In addition to por favor which translates to please in English, you may wish to go a little deeper with your Spanish by learning alternatives to saying please in Spanish.

2. Porfa – Please in Spanish Slang

🗣 pour-fah

There’s a shorter, informal version of please in Spanish: porfa.

Now, the word porfa isn’t just like contracting the word cannot to can’t. Its meaning can change a little to sound more informal, slang-y, young, or even whiny.

But it also depends on the country or region where you plan to say porfa. In some places, it really is just a shorter form of por favor.

Overall, while it’s typically acceptable to use porfa among friends and family, avoid it in formal contexts like speaking with your boss or talking to strangers.

—Ven, porfa, ¡tenemos que apurarnos! (casual)
—Come on, please, we have to hurry!

—¿Me da una pluma, porfa? (formal)
—Could you give me a pen, please?

3. Porfi – Pretty Please in Spanish

🗣 pour-fee

To say pretty please in Spanish, you would say, porfi. Typically, this phrase is used to beg or cajole someone into doing something.

As you can imagine, saying porfi is a rather casual question. If you use it at all, be certain you know whoever you’re talking to well. You’ll also hear children use it towards their parents.

—Mamá, porfis, dame otro dulce. (casual)
—Mom, give me another candy pretty please.

—No se lo diga, porfi. (formal)
—Don’t tell her, pretty please.

You may also hear the variations porfis or por favorcito in place of porfa or porfi. It’s best to always pay attention to context clues or ask a trusted native speaker (in the place you’re visiting) before experimenting with new words—especially ones that could come off childish or rude!

4. Hacer el favor de – Do the favor of

🗣 ahs-mey el fah-vour dey

Rather than say please in Spanish, it sometimes makes more sense to ask for someone to you the favor of (doing something).

In Spanish, this is hacer el favor de.

Asking someone to “do you the favor of” doesn’t have quite the same connotation as in English. In English, doing someone a favor brings with it the feeling of having to pay someone back.

In Spanish, it’s much more akin to please when asking someone to act kindly or accommodate or perform something in a favorable way.

This phrase works well in formal situations, but equally as well in conversations with friends.

—Los estudantes que están en el pasillo ¿quieren hacer el favor de ir a sus clases?
—Would the students who are in the hallway please go to class?

—Hazme el favor de no fumar en mi casa. (informal)
—Please have the courtesy to not smoke in my house.

—¿Me haces el favor de recoger a los chicos? (informal)
—Would you pick up the kids for me?

—¿Hágame el favor de abrir la ventana? (formal)
—Would you be so kind as to open the window, please?

Cultural Note: Americans, in particular, are known for saying please and thank you more often than in Spanish. That’s not to say that Spanish-speakers aren’t polite! They show their politeness by using more formal language, their greetings, and verb tenses like the conditional (For example, Me podrías roughly translates to Could you please? or Would you be able to?).

5. Agradecer – To appreciate

🗣 ah-grah-des-koh

Agradecer means to appreciate in Spanish. You often use this word to show your gratitude after someone has done something nice for you.

However, you can say also say agradecer when politely requesting something. This softens your request a bit, emphasizing how much it would mean to you personally if someone would do a certain action.

Saying you’d appreciate someone’s (future) actions is appropriate in both casual and formal settings.

—Te agradecería que apagaras la música. (casual)
—I’d appreciate it if you would turn off the music.

—Estaría agradecida si me ayudas con la comida. (casual)
—I’d be appreciative if you’d help me with dinner.

—Agradecería su ayuda en este proyecto. (formal)
—I’d appreciate your help on this project.

6. Sería genial si – It would be great if in Spanish

🗣 seh-ree-ah he-knee-all see

Saying, it would be great if someone takes a certain action is another way to make a request or demand less direct in Spanish.

To say, It would be great if you (did something), you say, “Sería genial si (hicieras algo).”

This phrase is appropriate in both casual and formal settings.

—Sería genial si pudieras recoger la cena de esta noche. (casual)
—It would be great if you could pick up tonight’s dinner.

—Sería genial si imprimiera las copias antes de la reunión. (formal)
—It would be great if you printed the copies before the meeting.

7. Si no te importa – If you don’t mind in Spanish

🗣 see no tey eem-pour-tah

Saying si no te importa means if you don’t mind in Spanish. You can use this phrase similarly to how you’d use please in Spanish when asking someone to do something.

It simply softens your request and gives whoever is on the receiving end a sense that you care about their feelings toward said request.

Saying if you don’t mind is appropriate in both casual and formal settings. You can also say si no te molesta (if it doesn’t bother you) or te molestaería (do you mind).

—¿Si no te molesta la compañía, puedo ir contigo? (casual)
—If you don’t mind the company, can I go with you?

—¿Te molestaería pasarme ese cuenco? (casual)
—Do you mind handing me that bowl?

—¿Podemos hablar en mi oficina si no le importa? (formal)
—If you don’t mind, can we talk in my office?

How to Pronounce Please in Spanish

Quickly, the pronunciation of por favor, the Spanish word for please, is similar to saying “pour fah-bour.”

Phonetically, it’s poɾ faˈboɾ.

Here are some tips on how to pronounce please in Spanish (Did I mention I studied Spanish phonetics, and I love this stuff?!).

P — The “p” in Spanish sounds similar to the “p” in English, except that you shouldn’t let air escape when you pronounce it.
O —In both words, you pronounce the “o“ much like in the English word, “or.”
R — The “r” sound is soft, and not overly trilled.
F — The “f” sound is similar to English.
A — The “a” in Spanish sounds like the “a” in saw.
V — The “v” sound in favor sounds like a “b” in “butter” in English.

Give pronouncing por favor in Spanish a try! You can also watch this video to improve your pronunciation. ⤵

When is the Spanish phrase Por favor used?

Like ‘please’ in English, there are few typical uses for the Spanish por favor. You’ll find yourself in these situations daily whether chatting with friends, on the street when asking for directions, or when talking with shopkeepers or tour guides.

Here are three principal ways in which please is used in Spanish:

Polite request or command

—¿Podrías sostenerme esto por favor?
—Could you tie this for me please?

—Por favor, no olviden cerrar la puerta con llave antes de irse.
—Please don’t forget to lock the door before you leave.

Request or demand

—¡Estudiantes, por favor siéntense!
—Students, please sit down!

—Chicos, por favor dejad de tirar la pelota dentro de la casa.
—Boys, please stop throwing the ball in the house.

Polite or enthusiastic acceptance

—¿Puedo traer a mis hijos? Por favor.
—May I bring my kids? Please do.

—¿Te gustaría más pastel? Sí, por favor.
—Would you like some more cake? Yes, please.

Here are some more words that are often used in the same context as por favor, the Spanish for please.

✅ Gracias – Thank you

✅ De nada – You’re welcome

✅ Muchas gracias – Thank you very much

✅ No pasa nada – No problem

✅ Sin problema – No problem

✅ agradar – to please, to be pleasing to

✅ complacer – to please (satisfy)

✅ contentar – to please, to keep happy

✅ gustar – to like, to please

✅ satisfacer – to satisfy

✅ agradable – pleasing

✅ como quieras – as you please

✅ con mucho gusto – with much pleasure

✅ mucho gusto – pleased to meet you

Please in Spanish: FAQs

How do you say please in Spanish to a girl?

There is no special way to say please to a girl or woman in Spanish. You simply say, “Por favor” as you would when speaking to anyone else.

How do you say “Check, please!” in Spanish?

There are multiple ways to ask for the bill at the end of the meal in Spanish. The most common way is to say, “La cuenta, ¡por favor!” This literally translates to “Check, please!” in Spanish. However, although “La cuenta, ¡por favor!” is universally understood, it’s not necessarily the most natural way to ask for the check in Spanish. “¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor?” is a more authentic alternative, which is closer to, “Would you bring me the check, please?”

How do ask to buy “One ticket, please.” in Spanish?

To buy a train or bus ticket in Spanish, you could say, “Un billete, por favor”. Or, you can try a longer sentence with more detail like “Quisiera un billete de ida y vuelta a Barcelona, por favor.” This translates to, “I would like one round trip ticket to Barcelona, please.”

How to say “A beer, please” in Spanish?

To order a beer in Spanish by saying, “A beer, please” you just say, “Una cerveza, por favor.” Cerveza is the generic word for beer, but you can also change it up by ordering a certain type of beer or glass size.

How do you say, “Please help me” in Spanish?

“Please help me” in Spanish is “Por favor, ayúdeme.” This is rather informal and a bit urgent, however. If you’re approaching someone you don’t know to ask for help, it would be more appropriate to ask if they can help you “¿Podrías ayudarme por favor? This means, “Would you help me, please?” Once you have their attention, you can then ask your question.

How do you say, “Could you repeat that, please?” in Spanish?

When you are just learning Spanish, you’ll often find yourself needing people to repeat what they said so you can process it. To ask someone to repeat in Spanish (formally), you can say “¿Puede repetir, por favor?” or simple, “Repita, por favor.”

How do you say thank you in Spanish?

Thank you in Spanish is gracias. Say this any time you want to show your appreciation and gratitude towards someone in Spanish.

How do you say “Yes, please” in Spanish?

“Yes, please” in Spanish is “Sí, por favor”. Say this is in response to a question in Spanish.

How do you say “I’m sorry” in Spanish?

“I’m sorry” in Spanish is “Lo siento”. You may say Lo siento any time you want to apologize in the Spanish language.

How do you say “One moment, please” in Spanish?

“One moment, please” in Spanish is “Un momento, por favor”. Use this phrase when you need to ask someone for more time before you respond to their prompting.

How to Say Please in Spanish: Conclusion

If you came to this blog wondering, What is please in Spanish, I hope you found everything you needed and then some in this post.

As one of the most common words in Spanish (español), you’ll need to know how to say in Spanish please when visiting a Spanish-speaking country more times than you think.

Feel free to refer back to this post any time you need a refresher—and helpful context that you won’t find in a dictionary! Until then, ¡Buen viaje!

Spanish Language Guides

Want to practice or learn Spanish? Check out these additional Spanish resources! ⤵

How to Say Please in Spanish 7+ Different Ways