I’d like a pizza please.
Can I please make a reservation for tonight?
Please call me a taxi.
Knowing how to say please in Italian is essential for making your way in Italy (and eating well!). Italians are very formal with their elders and people they don’t know. This means that buone maniere, or good manners, are important for avoiding a brutta figura, or faux pas (especially with your Italian mother-in-law).
Keep reading for how to use and pronounce per favore, the most common way to say please in Italian to ask for something, as well as per piacere and per cortesia. You’ll find how to say please in urgent situations with ti prego, and discover what si prega and siete pregati mean on all the signs everywhere.
Does prego mean please or you’re welcome? And when should I use grazie (thank you) instead of per favore to say please? How can I say please and be polite without actually saying please in Italian? We’ll explain these seemingly bizarre questions, as well as different verbs that mean please. On the way there will be plenty of examples of how to use them, and audio clips of how to pronounce the many ways to say please in Italian.
Siete pregati di continuare a leggere! Please read on!
Table of Contents
HOW TO SAY PLEASE IN ITALIAN WHEN ASKING FOR SOMETHING
PER FAVORE

If you just learn one phrase to say please in Italian, make it this one: per favore. The direct translation of per favore is for favor, and it means please when you are asking for something in Italian.
This is a great go-to phrase to say please because it can be used in almost all situations: to just one person, to groups of people, in casual situations and in formal settings.
Use it to order a gelato, ask someone for a favor or even a special request.
Un gelato al pistacchio, per favore. A pistacchio gelato, please.
Listen:
Per favore senza cipolla. No onion, please.
Listen:
The pronunciation of per favore is: pehr fah-VOH-reh
Listen to how to pronounce per favore here:
Attenzione: it’s easy to mix up per favore in Italian with por favor, which means please in Spanish: on paper, it’s almost identical. Just make sure to pronounce the right vowels and use the correct pronunciation, so you say please in Italian instead of please in Spanish!
The chorus in this song, Pastello Bianco by Pinguini Tattici Nucleari (2020), begins:
Per favore, non piangere E non ci rimanere malе | Please, don’t cry And don’t be upset |
PER PIACERE
Per piacere has the same meaning and is used the same way as per favore: the two are interchangeable. Per piacere is a great, versatile way to say please in Italian and ask for something politely. You can use it in both formal and informal settings, and to groups or just one person at a time.
The pronunciation of per piacere is: pehr pee-ah-CHEH–reh
Listen to how to pronounce per piacere here:
Here are some sentence examples where per favore and per piacere are used interchangeably:
One coffee please. | Un caffè per favore. | Un caffè per piacere. | Listen |
The bill/check please. | Il conto per favore. | Il conto per piacere | Listen |
Two beers, please. | Due birre, per favore. | Due birre, per piacere | Listen |
A glass of water, please. | Un bicchiere d’acqua per favore. | Un bicchiere d’acqua per piacere. | Listen |
Kids, please clean your room. | Bambini per favore riordinate la vostra camera. | Bambini per piacere riordinate la vostra camera. | Listen |
PER CORTESIA
Per cortesia is another useful way to say please in Italian. Cortesia in Italian means a courtesy or a favor, so the direct translation of per cortesia is for courtesy.
Per cortesia is almost interchangeable with per favore and per piacere, but is slightly more formal. It is less likely to hear people say per cortesia to their good friends or people in their family: instead you’d more likely hear per cortesia in a formal setting, to make a polite request.
Use per cortesia if you want to be extra respectful, for example when speaking to elderly people, strangers, people in the service industry like waitstaff and shopkeepers- and your boss.
Una focaccia ripiena di mozzarella per cortesia. One focaccia filled with mozzarella, please.
Listen:
Per cortesia vorrei un appuntamento con la direttrice. I would like an appointment with the Director, please.
Listen:
The pronunciation of per cortesia is: pehr cohr-teh-ZEE-ah
Listen to how to pronounce per cortesia here:
TI PREGO/LA PREGO/VI PREGO

Sometimes you need to say please and you’re past the point of just making a polite request. Maybe it’s an urgent situation, or you’re exasperated, or you’ve made the same request before with no results. It may even be an emergency.
In these cases, ti prego, la prego, or vi prego will do the trick. The direct translation is I beg you, or I implore you, so it has a more dramatic ring to it. (It uses the verb pregare, which means beg, implore and pray). Use:
Ti prego when speaking to a person you know well
La prego in formal relationships, or when speaking to someone you don’t know
Vi prego when speaking to more than one person
The pronunciation of ti prego, la prego, and vi prego is: tee PREH-go, lah PREH-go, and vee PREH-go
Listen to how to pronounce ti prego, la prego, and vi prego here:
Aiuto! Vi prego aiutatemi! Help! Please help me!
Listen:
Tesoro mio ti prego non mi lasciare! My treasure, please don’t leave me!
Listen:
Dai bambini vi prego, smettete di scaccolarvi! Come on kids, stop picking your noses!
Listen:
Babbo ti prego, fammi andare alla festa di compleanno! Dad please let me go to the birthday party!
Listen:
Laura Pausini’s hit La Solitudine won the San Remo Italian song competition in 1993 and launched her to international stardom. Listen carefully for the phrase ti prego aspettami (please wait).
LA PREGHIAMO
A similar phrase, la preghiamo di (+ infinitive verb) is used for formal requests. The direct translation is we beg you to, and it is like saying we kindly ask you to (+ verb). You will hear it in formal, official situations.
A classic, often infuriating example is when you are waiting on hold and a voice comes on the line every few minutes to say:
La preghiamo di attendere. Please hold (literally: Please wait).
The pronunciation of la preghiamo is: lah prehg-ee-AH-mo
Listen to how to pronounce la preghiamo here:
SAYING PLEASE IN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS: SI PREGA DI AND SIETE PREGATI DI
Another way to say please in Italian is si prega di (+ infinitive verb) and siete pregati di (+ infinitive verb). You will see these phrases on signs, invitations and in official announcements where people are being invited, or asked to do something.
Si prega di (+ infinitive verb) is the impersonal form of the verb pregare, which means to beg, implore and pray in Italian. Therefore, it is used in impersonal, and formal situations to ask people in general to do something.
Siete pregati di (+ infinitive verb) is the passive plural form of pregare, so it means You are implored to + verb. You will see this phrase used similarly to si prega di, because it is used to address groups of people.
For example, on the back of the seat in front of you on an airplane you may see the sign Si prega di allacciare la cintura, which means Please fasten your seat belt. You also may hear the flight crews use the phrase in an announcement.
Here are some other examples you will come across on signs and in public announcements (for example, on trains and airplanes):
Si prega di non fumare.
Please do not smoke.
Listen:
Si prega di non disturbare.
Please do not disturb.
Siete pregati di rimanere in linea.
Please stay on the line.
Listen:
Siete pregati di lasciare il bagno pulito.
Please leave the bathroom clean.


Bathroom sign: Siete pregati di centrare nel buco perché la mano che pulisce è la stessa che vi serve! Please hit the target because the hand that cleans it is the same one that serves you!
The pronunciation of si prega di and siete pregati di is: see PREH-gah dee, see-EH-teh preh-GAH-tee
CORTESEMENTE AND GENTILMENTE: CORRESPONDENCE AND WRITING PLEASE IN ITALIAN
Italians are much more formal when writing (but NOT necessarily when texting). Formal correspondence has its own code, and there are many spoken phrases that are rarely used in writing, and vice versa.
Instead of using per favore or per piacere to say please when asking for something or making a request in a formal letter, you can use cortesemente or gentilmente instead. These two words are not used as often when speaking.
Cortesemente means courteously, while gentilmente means kindly. When added to a request, it is like saying please in Italian. It is often used together with la prego, vi prego, si prega or siete pregati, and can be found on signs and announcements.
Può cortesemente dirmi che ore sono?
Can you please kindly tell me what time it is?
Listen:
Si prega cortesemente di rispondere entro il 31 dicembre.
Please kindly respond by December 31.
Siete pregati gentilmente di non dare cibo alla giraffa.
Please kindly do not feed the giraffe.
The pronunciation of cortesemente and gentilmente is: kohr-tehz-eh-MEHN-teh, jen-teel-MEHN-teh
Listen to how to pronounce cortesemente and gentilmente here:
USING PREGO TO SAY PLEASE IN ITALIAN
You may already be familiar with the word prego to say you’re welcome in Italian, as a response to grazie (thank you). And it makes most Americans automatically think of jarred pasta sauce. But prego is also a common way to say please in Italian when inviting someone to do something.
Here are some situations where you’ll hear prego used this way:
At an appointment, the person greeting you will say:
Prego, si accomodi.
Please, sit down/make yourself comfortable.
Listen:
At the store, when it is your turn at a store, the shopkeeper will say:
Prego, come le posso aiutare?
Please, how can I help you?
Listen:
When the waiter comes to take your order at a restaurant, they’ll say:
Prego! Mi dica (if you’re alone) or Ditemi (if you are in a group).
Please, tell me.
Listen:
The pronunciation of prego is: PREH-go
Listen to how to pronounce prego here:
HOW TO SAY PLEASE WITHOUT ACTUALLY SAYING PLEASE
Often, Italians will say things politely without per favore, per piacere or another phrase that means please. In fact, you may find yourself at a bar mobbed with Italians all around you asking for cappuccinos, and never hear them say per favore. They aren’t being rude, they’re just communicating politeness another way.
By using the formal conditional form of a verb, and using a polite tone of voice, Italians convey please without actually saying it. This translates to would you (implied: please) + verb.
While you’re just starting out learning Italian, per favore is your best bet. But when you’re more comfortable, you can try out this more colloquial way to ask for something politely.
Here are some examples:
Mi farebbe un caffè?
Would you make me a coffee?
Listen:
Mi passerebbe lo zucchero?
Would you pass the sugar? (implied: please)
Listen:
Ci porterebbe il conto?
Would you bring us the bill/check? (implied: please)
Listen:
HOW TO SAY YES, PLEASE: ACCEPTING AN OFFER IN ITALIAN
It may seem awkward at first, but to accept an offer and say yes please in Italian, use yes thank you (sì, grazie). This is true in all settings, from formal to informal, whether you’re talking to one person or a group. Let’s look at some examples:
A: Vuoi una mano? Want a hand?
B: Sì, grazie. Yes, please.
A: Ti diamo un passaggio alla festa? Shall we give you a ride to the party?
B: Sì, grazie. Yes, please.
At a restaurant:
A: Vi porto il secondo? Shall I bring your second course?
B: Sì, grazie. Yes, please.
A: Gradisce il parmigiano? Would you like parmesan cheese?
B: Sì, grazie. Yes, please.
The pronunciation of sì, grazie is: see, GRAH-tsee-eh
Listen to how to pronounce sì, grazie here:
VERBS THAT MEAN PLEASE IN ITALIAN
Here are some Italian verbs that express different meanings of the verb to please:
ITALIAN VERB | ENGLISH MEANING | EXAMPLE IN USE |
Soddisfare | To please, satisfy, accommodate | Il nostro scopo è di soddisfare i nostri clienti. Our goal is to please (satisfy) our clients. |
Piacere | To please, to like | Mi piace il tuo disegno! I like your drawing (Your drawing pleases me)! |
Compiacere | To please, to make happy, to appease | Abbiamo fatto di tutto per compiacere i figli. We did everything possible to please (appease) our children. |
Accontentare | To please, to give pleasure | Le regalo i fiori tutte le domeniche per accontentarla. I give her flowers every Sunday to please her. |
Contentare | To please, to make (sb) happy | I nonni provano ad accontentare i nipoti in tutti i modi. Grandparents try to please their grandkids in any way possible. |
OTHER IMPORTANT BASIC PHRASES IN ITALIAN
HOW TO SAY THANK YOU
Grazie is the most common way to say thank you in Italian. Stay tuned for more ways to say thank you in Italian.
HOW TO SAY YOU’RE WELCOME
Prego is the simplest way to say you’re welcome when someone says thank you in Italian. Read our article about You’re Welcome in Italian to learn more about prego and other ways to say you’re welcome.
HOW TO SAY HELLO
Ciao is the most famous way to say hello in Italian. But it is not appropriate in formal settings, when you should use buongiorno, buonasera, or salve instead.
Mamma mia! How do you choose which greeting to use? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! For more common greetings and how to use them, check out How to Say Hello in Italian.
HOW TO SAY GOODBYE
The best-known ways to say goodbye in Italian are ciao and arrivederci. However, depending on how formal the setting is, they may or may not be appropriate.
Non ti preoccupare! Don’t worry! For other ways to say goodbye and how to use them, read How to Say Goodbye in Italian.