English Politeness & Please/Thank-You

Level: A1. English can feel blunt if you translate word-for-word from your own language. The fix is a small kit of polite phrases: please, thank you, excuse me, sorry, and the gentle request forms Could you…? and Would you mind…? This page gives you all of them, with a note on when each one fits.

By the end of this page you can…

…ask for things politely, thank people and reply to thanks, apologise, and turn a blunt order into a friendly request.

Why English wraps its requests

In English, a direct command (Open the window) can sound rude to a stranger, even if you don’t mean it to. Speakers soften requests by turning them into questions and adding words like please. The more you want from someone, the more softening you add. This isn’t about being fake — it’s how respect is shown in the language.

Please and thank you

Excuse me and sorry

These two are easy to mix up. The simple rule: Excuse me comes before (you’re about to interrupt, pass, or ask); Sorry comes after (you made a mistake or bumped someone).

Making polite requests

Order these from lighter to bigger asks. The bigger the favour, the more softening you use.

Softeners that smooth everything

Small words make a request feel lighter without changing it.

Example sentences

Play each line and say it along with the audio.

1. Could you help me, please?
   The all-purpose polite request.
   The magic frame: Could you …, please?
2. Can I have a coffee, please?
   A simple everyday request.
   Add please to soften it.
3. Could I have the menu, please?
   A touch more polite than 'can'.
   Could is softer than can.
4. Would you mind closing the door?
   A gentle request; note the -ing form.
   Answer 'No' or 'Not at all' to agree.
5. Do you think you could give me a hand?
   For a slightly bigger favour.
   Softer than a direct ask.
6. I was wondering if you could help me.
   A soft, formal lead-in to a request.
   Common in email and at work.
7. Excuse me, could I ask you something?
   Politely getting someone's attention.
   Excuse me comes before the question.
8. Sorry to bother you, but is this seat free?
   Softens an interruption.
   A very natural opener.
9. I'm so sorry, that was my fault.
   A sincere apology after a mistake.
   Stronger than a plain 'sorry'.
10. Thank you very much, that's really kind.
    Warm, emphatic thanks.
    Good for a real favour.
11. Thanks so much for your help.
    Friendly, emphatic thanks.
    Casual and warm.
12. I really appreciate it.
    Sincere thanks for a favour.
    Shows you mean it.
13. You're welcome.
    The standard reply to thanks.
    Never leave 'thank you' hanging.
14. No problem at all.
    A relaxed reply to thanks.
    Casual and friendly.
15. My pleasure.
    A warm, slightly formal reply.
    Common in service settings.
16. Could you speak a little slower, please?
    A softened request using 'a little'.
    Gentler than a bare request.
17. Could I just ask one quick question?
    'Just' makes the ask sound small.
    A handy softener.
18. Is it okay if I open the window?
    Asking permission politely.
    Leaves room to say no.
19. I'd like a table for two, please.
    Stating a wish politely.
    Softer than 'I want'.
20. Thanks anyway, that's very kind of you.
    Polite even when you decline help.
    Keeps things warm.

Quick recap before you practise.

Common mistakes

• ❌ Give me the salt. → ✅ Could you pass the salt, please? — turn an order into a question and add please.
• ❌ I want a coffee. → ✅ I’d like a coffee, please. — I’d like is far warmer than I want.
• ❌ Saying Excuse me after you bump someone → ✅ Say Sorry; Excuse me is for before you pass or interrupt.
• ❌ Would you mind to open the window? → ✅ Would you mind opening the window? — use the -ing form after would you mind.
• ❌ Answering Would you mind…? with Yes to agree → ✅ Say No / Not at all / Sure to agree to do it.

Practice

Practice

Politeness phrases practice

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

1 You want someone to pass the salt. The most polite option is…

Give me the salt. Salt. Could you pass the salt, please? I want salt.

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Could you pass the salt, please? — A request framed as a question with 'please' is the polite form.

2 You bump into someone on the bus. You say…

Excuse me. Sorry! Please. You're welcome.

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Sorry! — 'Sorry' comes after a bump or mistake; 'Excuse me' comes before you pass.

3 Fill the gap: 'Would you mind ____ the door?' (use the -ing form of close)

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Hint: verb + -ing

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closing — After 'would you mind', use the -ing form: 'closing'.

4 Reply to 'Thank you!' politely: 'You're ____.'

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Hint: the standard reply to thanks

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welcome — 'You're welcome' is the standard reply to 'thank you'.

5 Put the words in order to make a polite request.

helpCouldplease?youme,

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Could you help me, please? — The polite frame is 'Could you help me, please?'

6 Match each phrase to its job.

• Excuse me Match for Excuse me — choose — a gentle requesta warm reply to thanksafter a mistakebefore you interrupt or pass
• Sorry Match for Sorry — choose — a gentle requesta warm reply to thanksafter a mistakebefore you interrupt or pass
• My pleasure Match for My pleasure — choose — a gentle requesta warm reply to thanksafter a mistakebefore you interrupt or pass
• Would you mind…? Match for Would you mind…? — choose — a gentle requesta warm reply to thanksafter a mistakebefore you interrupt or pass

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• Excuse me → before you interrupt or pass
• Sorry → after a mistake
• My pleasure → a warm reply to thanks
• Would you mind…? → a gentle request

Each polite phrase has one typical moment.

How to say it

Polite phrases rely on a gentle, rising tone as much as the words.

• Please at the end of a request usually rises a little — it sounds softer than a flat, falling please.
• Could you blurs into “куд-you” / “cudja” in fast speech; the d and y join.
• Thank you often sounds like “thankyou” as one word; the th is soft, not a t.
• A request said with a flat, falling tone can sound like an order — let the voice lift slightly to stay polite.

Quiz

Check yourself

Politeness phrases quiz

12 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.

0/12 0 answered

1. 1Which word softens almost any request?

   A Now B Please C Give D Fast
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   Please — 'Please' is the core softener in English requests.

2. 2You're about to squeeze past someone. You say…

   A Sorry. B Excuse me. C Thanks. D My pleasure.
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   Excuse me. — 'Excuse me' comes before you pass or interrupt.

3. 3After stepping on someone's foot, you say…

   A Excuse me. B I'm so sorry. C You're welcome. D Please.
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   I'm so sorry. — 'Sorry' (here stronger, 'I'm so sorry') follows a mistake.

4. 4Which is the most polite way to order?

   A I want a tea. B Tea. C I'd like a tea, please. D Give me tea.
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   I'd like a tea, please. — 'I'd like …, please' is warm and polite.

5. 5'Would you mind ___ the window?' — choose the correct form.

   A open B to open C opening D opened
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   opening — Use the -ing form after 'would you mind'.

6. 6Someone asks 'Would you mind helping me?'. To agree, you say…

   A Yes, I would. B No, not at all. C Please. D Excuse me.
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   No, not at all. — 'No, not at all' means 'it's no problem' — you'll help.

7. 7The standard reply to 'Thank you' is…

   A No, thanks. B You're welcome. C Excuse me. D Sorry.
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   You're welcome. — 'You're welcome' answers thanks warmly.

8. 8A warm, slightly formal reply to thanks is…

   A No worries. B My pleasure. C Whatever. D Fine.
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   My pleasure. — 'My pleasure' is warm and a little formal.

9. 9Which softens a big favour the most?

   A Do it. B Could you possibly help me? C Help. D You help now.
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   Could you possibly help me? — 'Could you possibly…?' adds extra softening for a bigger ask.

10. 10'Cheers' as 'thanks' is…

    A formal American English B casual British English C an apology D a greeting only
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    casual British English — 'Cheers' means 'thanks' informally in British English.

11. 11Which turns an order into a polite request?

    A Adding 'now' B Making it a question with 'Could you…?' C Saying it louder D Dropping 'please'
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    Making it a question with 'Could you…?' — Framing it as a question softens a command.

12. 12To ask permission politely, you say…

    A I open the window. B Open window. C Is it okay if I open the window? D Window open now.
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    Is it okay if I open the window? — 'Is it okay if I…?' politely asks permission.

Recap cheat-sheet

Next

• Previous: English Greetings & Goodbyes
• Next: English Travel Phrases
• Grammar behind it: Polite requests with could and ‘would like’
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