English language question

[Deleted]

(first of all apologies if this is in the wrong thread, wouldn't know where to put it besides general off-topic ^^')

So I have a question about the English language.
As someone who's native language isn't English, I would say I'm pretty good at it. (thank you tv and videogames)
Though recently I got into a discussion with someone who claimed to be a "translator" and I couldn't give any arguments to protect my statement as most of my English comes naturally and not from theory. The argument was about the word "please".

In English when you ask something you say "please". I think we can agree on that. In my language, Dutch, it's translated as "alsjeblieft" with the exact same meaning. Now our word "alsjeblieft" is also used when you give something to someone. For example when I give a cup of coffee to someone I would say "alsjeblieft" to which he/she would reply "dank je" or "thank you" in English.
Here's the question though, in English is the word "please" also used when you give something to someone?

I am pretty certain it is not, that "Here you go/there you go" is used. "Please" is only used when asking for something, right?
Anyone care to help me out on this because this really bothers me :P

Thanks in advance!

[Deleted]

Please is only used when you're asking someone for something in a polite way (or sarcastic I suppose), you're spot on with the "here/there you go" thing in English.

[rayvio]

you're correct. it's something I noticed when I was in Belgium and found quite interesting in my futile attempts to learn dutch/flemmish

[Icathian]

Other than asking for something "may i have that book please?" please can also be used in a nourishment sense, like, "she pleased him with fresh baked cookies"

Also, that coffee phrase of yours also makes sense in english.
I look at you while holding a cup of coffee, then I say "please." which will mean that I want you to take it, then you can say thank you.

[Zoaric]

You're very correct. 'Please' is a request, rather than a statement. (In this context,
at least. 'Please' can also be an action.)

[Balazaar]

Actually, in English, you could use please when giving something to someone. For example, if I hold out something for you to try and say please as a question .. please? Short for please try this. This is not done much and is only appropriate in the specific circumstance of asking someone to try something, usually food or beverage but not always.

[Mayhem]

you´re correct and in german it´s the same as it is in dutch, we use bitte not only for requests but also when giving something

[Theendgamelv3]

Please isn't used that way in English. The best you can do in your context would be like "Here let me please you with this coffee I am made for you."

[Mayhem]

Actually, in English, you could use please when giving something to someone. For example, if I hold out something for you to try and say please as a question .. please? Short for please try this. This is not done much and is only appropriate in the specific circumstance of asking someone to try something, usually food or beverage but not always.

'please try this' is a request, no?

- - - Updated - - -

Actually, in English, you could use please when giving something to someone. For example, if I hold out something for you to try and say please as a question .. please? Short for please try this. This is not done much and is only appropriate in the specific circumstance of asking someone to try something, usually food or beverage but not always.

'please try this' is a request, no?

[TEHPALLYTANK]

Indeed, please is only used as a request in English. They're probably mixing up please and pleased or pleases. I know with other languages a literal translation to English can end up as "The car drove" when you're meaning "I drove the car", this seems to be like that with the word alsjeblieft; the context is what tells you the meaning of the word while in English we tend to have different variations to tell you the context.

[Zoaric]

'please try this' is a request, no?

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'please try this' is a request, no?

It is it is.

[Angella]

(first of all apologies if this is in the wrong thread, wouldn't know where to put it besides general off-topic ^^')

So I have a question about the English language.
As someone who's native language isn't English, I would say I'm pretty good at it. (thank you tv and videogames)
Though recently I got into a discussion with someone who claimed to be a "translator" and I couldn't give any arguments to protect my statement as most of my English comes naturally and not from theory. The argument was about the word "please".

In English when you ask something you say "please". I think we can agree on that. In my language, Dutch, it's translated as "alsjeblieft" with the exact same meaning. Now our word "alsjeblieft" is also used when you give something to someone. For example when I give a cup of coffee to someone I would say "alsjeblieft" to which he/she would reply "dank je" or "thank you" in English.
Here's the question though, in English is the word "please" also used when you give something to someone?

I am pretty certain it is not, that "Here you go/there you go" is used. "Please" is only used when asking for something, right?
Anyone care to help me out on this because this really bothers me :P

Thanks in advance!

Only way saying please to someone while giving them something would make sense is if you were asking the person to take the thing you were giving. So yes you're right.

[Deleted]

Thank you guys for the quick responses, you're awesome!
I knew I was right about this, the only unfortunate thing is my only argument now will be "I asked some MMO-champ community members and they said I was right..." Oh well, at least now I won't have to lose sleep over it anymore ^^ (litteraly -_-)

I understand what you mean Thepallytank but my guess is they mix up Dutch and English rather than mixing it up with "pleased". Considering we do use that word in the context they are talking about but that's just our funny language

Rayvio: I understand what you mean completely my friend. Dutch isn't an easy language to learn, it's like they abandoned all common sense when they made the language or however that works. And I haven't even taken into account all the different accents spread across Belgium/the Netherlands alike

Thanks again guys, I knew I would find it here

[GKLeatherCraft]

Well I came into this thread wondering if I would be of any use, being a native English speaker, my English is worse than most people here that learnt it as a second language lol, But that's what happens when you leave school at 8:<

But I was surprised that I knew the answer, and I could be of help! But then loads of other posters ruined my moment of glory, thanks guys! and on my birthday aswell! Q_Q

[Zandalis]

There are certainly situations where you could use 'please' when offering someone something.

"Please, have a seat."
Or simply pointing at the chair and saying "please".
If someone asks you for something, you can also reply with "please". In that case I suppose it would mean "please, help yourself". For example if someone asks for more tea.

If your translator friend claimed it should always be used, he is wrong, it's not a rule. If he claimed it could be used, he is right, it can be.

[TEHPALLYTANK]

There are certainly situations where you could use 'please' when offering someone something.

"Please, have a seat."
Or simply pointing at the chair and saying "please".
If someone asks you for something, you can also reply with "please". In that case I suppose it would mean "please, help yourself". For example if someone asks for more tea.

If your translator friend claimed it should always be used, he is wrong, it's not a rule. If he claimed it could be used, he is right, it can be.

In all of those situations you are using it as a request.

[GKLeatherCraft]

There are certainly situations where you could use 'please' when offering someone something.

"Please, have a seat."
Or simply pointing at the chair and saying "please".
If someone asks you for something, you can also reply with "please". In that case I suppose it would mean "please, help yourself". For example if someone asks for more tea.

If your translator friend claimed it should always be used, he is wrong, it's not a rule. If he claimed it could be used, he is right, it can be.

None of that is offering, it's requesting:P "Would you like a seat"? is offering, Please, implies you want them to do it, and as such, are requesting^^

[ComputerNerd]

It is generally used in a request, but also as as satisfying something.
You please someone with positive actions, or displease them with negative.
I do not recall ever having heard it used in the other way you describe.

[Zandalis]

None of that is offering, it's requesting:P "Would you like a seat"? is offering, Please, implies you want them to do it, and as such, are requesting^^

A request is an act of asking politely or formally for something.
I am not requesting them to sit, but offering them to sit. There is a difference in those two.

[GKLeatherCraft]

A request is an act of asking politely or formally for something.
I am not requesting them to sit, but offering them to sit. There is a difference in those two.

Asking them to sit, is "would like to sit" you're adding the word please, which changes it meaning you would like them to do said action, it's a request.