Word
please
US/ˈpɫiz/
UK/plˈiːz/
Definitions
01to satisfy or make happy
B1 · Intermediate
v. to make someone feel happy or satisfied.
v. to give pleasure to or satisfy the desires of another person.
“He worked hard to please his parents by getting good grades.”
“The chef went to great lengths to please the critics, knowing a single negative review could damage the restaurant's reputation.”
Usage
Often used in the passive form 'to be pleased with'.
Antonyms
02to wish or choose
C1 · Advanced Formal · Literary
v. to choose to do something or to do what you want.
v. to have the will or desire to do something; often used in formal or literary contexts.
“You may come and go as you please during the conference.”
“The guests were informed they could wander the estate as they pleased, provided they did not disturb the private gardens.”
Usage
Commonly follows 'as', 'what', or 'where'.
03polite request
A1 · Beginner
adv. a word you use to be polite when you ask for something.
adv. a politeness marker used to soften a request or command.
“Could I have a glass of water, please?”
“Please ensure that all electronic devices are switched to silent mode before the performance begins.”
Pitfall
Give me the salt, please?
Could you pass the salt, please?
While 'please' is polite, using it with a direct command can sometimes sound demanding; using a question is softer.
Synonyms
04accepting an offer
A1 · Beginner
interj. a polite way to say 'yes' when someone offers you something.
interj. used as a polite affirmative response to an offer or invitation.
“"Would you like some more tea?" "Yes, please."”
“"Would you care for a lift to the station?" "Yes, please, that would be most helpful."”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English plesen, plaisen, borrowed from Old French plaise, conjugated form of plaisir or plaire, from Latin placeō (“to please, to seem good”), from the Proto-Indo-European *pleHk- (“pleasingness, permission”). In this sense, displaced native Old English līcian, whence Modern English like.
Short for if you please, an intransitive, ergative form taken from if it please you which is a calque of French s'il vous plaît, which replaced pray. If it please you is a present subjunctive form, but most current uses of please are not parsed that way.
Semantic loan from German bitte (“please; excuse me”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
Idioms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
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