What is the difference between prego and per favore

The phrase showcases a certain level of enthusiasm to be of assistance to anyone and at any time. It can be used for formal conversations and informal ones. This shows an openness to be helpful whenever there is a need. It is not ideal for formal settings since it comes off as vague. Now you know how to say please in Italian, and of course, go ahead and have a real conversation with a native!

By the way, do you know how to say hello in Italian? How are you in Italian? Happy birthday in Italian? Goodbye in Italian? And thank you in Italian? You must be logged in to post a comment. Beginner Italian tips. Best apps to learn Italian. Free Italian lessons. How to learn Italian. How to learn languages. How to say in Italian. Italian conversations. Italian course reviews. Italian culture.

Italian grammar lessons. Italian history. Italian learning resources. Italian lifestyle. Italian lifestyle and culture. Italian quotes with translation. Italian short stories. Italian songs. Italian songs with lyrics and translation. Italian vocabulary. Living in Italy. News in slow Italian. Per piacere, non fate troppo rumore. Per piacere, puoi venirmi a prendere alla stazione dei treni? Meaning: Could you please pick me up at the train station?

Compared to the previous two expressions, per cortesia is a more formal and slightly more old-fashioned way of saying please in Italian. However, this difference is not too striking. Meaning: May I have a coffee, please? A customer at a bar or a coffee shop can ask for their drink with a per favore or per piacere , as well, without any significant difference. But by choosing per cortesia one can show a deeper sense of respect towards the barman or the barista and appreciation for their work.

When asked for something with a per cortesia , the listener might feel more motivated to give you what you ask for or provide you with an excellent service, as this expression implies a greater thankfulness towards the person giving you what you are asking for.

Per cortesia, potrebbe portarmi il conto? Meaning: Could you bring me the bill, please? For extra emphasis, it can be combined with phrases like si prega and La prego. Interestingly, adding cortesemente makes a sentence that would otherwise sound rather rude in English sound very polite in Italian.

Cortesemente, mi servirebbe il fascicolo del signor Rossi. Meaning: Courteously, I need Mr. Cortesemente can, of course, also be used in polite interrogative sentences, as in the following example:.

Potresti cortesemente passarmi il sale? Meaning: Could you please pass me the salt? As you have seen in the example above, per favore can be used in the same context. This request, however, is much more formal. Using cortesemente brings the conversation to a very formal written or spoken level. And on this note, we can safely say that it is mostly used in written communication rather than spoken one, such as in public signs and warnings, such as:.

Cortesemente, chiudere il cancello. Meaning: Kindly close the gate. This is a generic request to whoever is using the gate, say, in a large apartment block; however, it is very polite and quite formal. Gentilmente is a close synonym of cortesemente , just a bit less formal and more friendly, possibly used in family situations or with people we know, when we want to be extra kind. It is rarely seen in a written form. It is often used in affirmative sentences, expressing a need that we want to be fulfilled.

La prego gentilmente di spegnere il microfono. Meaning: I kindly ask you to turn your microphone off. Potrebbe cortesemente spegnere il microfono? Meaning: Could you please turn your microphone off? Prego is the first person singular conjugation of the Italian verb pregare to ask, pray, beg , and by using one of these expressions, we are practically begging for something. Ti prego I beg you [informal] , La prego I beg you [formal] , or Vi prego I beg you [plural] expresses a deep need for something as if we were asking for something our life literally depends on or something we strongly desire — it can sound quite dramatic, so make sure not to overuse it.

Quite often, choosing this expression reflects our feeling that the person we are begging for something is not keen on doing us a favour: like, for instance, a teenager begging their parents for a night out, or someone begging for mercy in a desperate situation — which means it is probably not the best phrase to use in a cafe or any other typical every-day situation.

Ti prego, fammi usare la tua auto! Rather than a simpler and less urgent: Please, let me use your car. Which, in Italian, would be: Per favore, fammi usare la tua auto. The request made with the use of per favore is definitely less urgent and desperate. Judging by the choice of words alone, we can sometimes see the whole situation quite clearly. Mamma, ti prego, fammi andare al concerto! However, they still really really want to go, and all of their friends are going too.

Marco, ti prego, finisci i compiti! We immediately know that Marco has been putting off doing his homework for quite some time and he probably does it regularly — his mom or dad is not just annoyed, but exasperated. If you choose ti , you are talking to someone you know quite well, like a friend, a coworker, or a family member. La indicates distance and respect, it is chosen when addressing older people, teachers, our superiors, strangers, especially in a formal or professional context.

Vi can also demonstrate a higher level of distance and politeness than La , however, this is rarely seen nowadays. It is mostly used in the Southern regions of the country, to show an extreme form of respect.

The expressions Si prega di… and Siete pregati di… use the same verb pregare to beg as in the previous section but in its impersonal form. It is very rarely used in speech, you will mostly come across it in written form and in a rather formal context. Si prega di… is a rather ceremonious, official and polite way of requesting something. It is not directed at any specific person, but at the public in general — that is why it is most commonly used for various instructions, rules, and prohibitions.

The second version of this expression, Siete pregati di… , is a little more direct as it addresses a generic second plural person, sounding slightly less formal and more straightforward, but still fairly impersonal and official. Meaning: We invite our kind customers to approach the exit. In Italian, this sounds extremely polite and well-mannered while it is still asking you to quickly finish doing your shopping and leave the place as soon as possible.

On a train or a bus, for instance, a sign might warn you that you are not allowed to smoke, in a polite way, such as:. As you may remember, politeness is extremely important in Italian culture — even when imposing strict rules. It becomes the Italian equivalent of please when the speaker is making an invitation or giving someone permission to do or take something. Later on, when gathering in the dining room, the hosts might invite us to sit down at a specific spot with a polite:.

The owner of it will not be notified. Only the user who asked this question will see who disagreed with this answer. Featured answer. While "per favore" is very versatile and can be used in both formal and informal context as "please", "ti prego" is more like something I would say jokingly with my friends.

In other contexts it would sound a bit too much, unless it's some kind of serious situation and you are really begging someone. See a translation. Highly-rated answerer.