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por favor
/poɾ faˈβoɾ/
please
¿Me puedes pasar la sal, por favor?
Can you pass me the salt, please?
formalinformal
Used to make a polite request or ask for something in a courteous way.
Por favor, no hables tan alto.
Please, don't speak so loudly.
Un café, por favor.
A coffee, please.
Commonly used in both spoken and written Spanish to soften requests or orders. Can be omitted in very informal contexts, but it is essential in formal or polite situations.
Collocations
muchas gracias por favorthank you very much pleasegracias por favorthanks please
Synonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
When to use 'por favor'
Always use 'por favor' when asking for something, even if it's a simple question. In Spanish, politeness is often conveyed through such small phrases, and omitting them can make a request sound impolite.
Gold Rule
Politeness in Spanish
'Por favor' is non-negotiable in formal settings. In informal contexts, it can be softened to 'porfa' (e.g., 'Pásame eso, porfa'), but never omitted entirely.
Word Origin
The phrase combines 'por' (by/for) and 'favor' (favor), literally meaning 'for favor.' It evolved from the Latin 'pro' (for) and 'favor' (favor, kindness), reflecting the idea of asking for a kindness or favor.
Usage Notes
In Spain, 'por favor' is almost always used in its full form. In Latin America, 'porfa' (a colloquial contraction) is common in informal speech. Omitting 'por favor' can sound rude or abrupt.
Word Breakdown
por
by/for
prepositionfavor
favor/kindness
nounDiccionario Español-Inglés