please in Esperanto

Esperanto has no single word for “please”. Put bonvolu (bohn-VOH-loo) before a verb in the infinitive, as in Bonvolu atendi “Please wait”, or add mi petas (mee PEH-tahs, “I ask”) after what you want, as in Kafon, mi petas “Coffee, please”. Bonvolu comes from bonvoli “to be so kind as to” (bon- “good” + vol- “will”).

Other ways to say it

• Akvon, mi petas.Water, please.
• Sidiĝu, mi petas.Sit down, please.
• Pli malrapide, bonvolu.More slowly, please.
• Ĉu vi bonvolus doni al mi la salon?Would you please give me the salt? (more formal)

How to reply

• Jen!Here you are! (when handing something over)
• Dankon.Thank you.

Example sentences

• Bonvolu atendi.Please wait.
• Kafon, mi petas.Coffee, please.

Esperantopedia · Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR

Do not translate “please” with plaĉi: that verb means “to be pleasing”, as in Tiu libro plaĉas al mi “I like that book”. After bonvolu use the infinitive, not a second command: Bonvolu sidiĝi, not Bonvolu sidu (PMEG).

Learn more →