Cool MatePlease please vs Request
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Please please
InformalTop 5,000 (fairly common)
Request
Top 1,000 (very common)A2noun
Most formal: RequestMost common: Request
| Please please | Request | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //pliːz pliːz//🇺🇸 //pliz pliz// | 🇬🇧 /["/rɪˈkwest/"]/🇺🇸 /["/rɪˈkwest/"]/ |
| Meaning | A polite way to ask for something, repeated for emphasis. | to ask for something |
| Example | Can you pass the salt, please please? | I would like to make a request for a day off next week. |
| Register | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | please call, please come, please help | special, legitimate, reasonable, make, put in, send, at somebody’s request, by request, on request, available on request, available upon request, by popular request, special, legitimate, reasonable, make, put in, send, at somebody’s request, by request, on request, available on request, available upon request, by popular request |
| Antonyms | - | refuse, decline |
| Common mistakes | Too formal when used in serious contexts., Using with serious requests instead of light-hearted ones., Confusing with polite tone versus urgency. | Using 'request' with a different preposition, such as 'request for'., Confusing 'request' with 'require'., Not using it in the correct form, like 'requested' instead of 'requesting'. |
| Usage notes | Used in casual conversations, often to stress the importance of the request. Avoid in formal writing. | Used in polite or formal contexts. It may sound too formal for casual conversations, where simpler words like 'ask' are preferred. |
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Frequently asked questions: Please please vs Request
What's the difference between Please please and Request?
Please please: A polite way to ask for something, repeated for emphasis. Request: to ask for something
Which is more formal: Please please and Request?
Request is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Please please and Request?
Request is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Please please: Can you pass the salt, please please? Request: I would like to make a request for a day off next week.
Can I use Please please and Request interchangeably?
Not always. Please please and Request are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.