French · Food & Drink
"A coffee, please" in French: un café, s'il vous plaît
un café, s'il vous plaît
A coffee please in French is un café, s'il vous plaît. Say it at the counter or terrace. Un café usually means an espresso unless you specify.
Bar counter
Bonjour — un café, s'il vous plaît.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce un café, s'il vous plaît
Say it
uhn kah-FAY seel voo PLEH
/œ̃ ka.fe sil vu plɛ/
Un café: uhn kah-FAY. S'il vous plaît: seel voo PLEH. Soft liaison feel on s'il.
"A coffee, please" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| un café, s'il vous plaît | a coffee, please Default polite order. | Default polite order. |
| un café allongé, s'il vous plaît | an americano-style coffee, please Longer espresso. | Longer espresso. |
| un café crème, s'il vous plaît | a coffee with cream/milk, please Milkier. | Milkier. |
| deux cafés, s'il vous plaît | two coffees, please Plural order. | Plural order. |
How to use un café, s'il vous plaît in real life
- 1Bar counter
Bonjour — un café, s'il vous plaît.
Hello—a coffee, please.
Full polite order.
- 2Terrace morning
Pour moi, un café, s'il vous plaît.
For me, a coffee, please.
Personal order.
- 3Quick station stop
Un café, s'il vous plaît, à emporter.
A coffee, please, to take away.
Plus takeaway.
Mistakes English speakers make with un café, s'il vous plaît
Incorrect: Un café, s'il te plaît (to a server).
Correct: Un café, s'il vous plaît.
Staff get vous: s'il vous plaît.
Incorrect: Un coffee, s'il vous plaît.
Correct: Un café, s'il vous plaît.
Use café, not English coffee.
Good to know
In France un café is typically a short espresso. If you want a big mug, ask for un café allongé or un crème. Standing at the bar is often cheaper than the terrace.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Ordering at a café
ChatPal
Tu prends quoi ?
What are you having?
You
Un café, s'il vous plaît.
A coffee, please.
ChatPal
Moi aussi — un café, s'il vous plaît.
Me too—a coffee, please.
You
On s'assoit dehors ?
Shall we sit outside?
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"A coffee, please" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "A coffee, please" in French
How do you order a coffee in French?
Un café, s'il vous plaît.
Is un café an espresso?
Usually yes, unless you specify otherwise.
Why vous?
You're speaking to staff.
How do you pronounce café?
kah-FAY.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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- Ordering Food in French: Essential Phrases for 2026Ordering food in french - Learn how to confidently order food in French with real-life phrases and tips for 2026 travelers
- 10 Best French Speaking Practice Apps for 2026Find the best French speaking practice app to build fluency. We review 10 top tools like ChatPal for conversation, travel prep, and building confidence in 2026.
