French Phrase
De l'eau plate, s'il te plaît.
Meaning
A courteous way to ask for still (non‑sparkling) water, typically in a café, restaurant, or at someone's home. The phrase combines a request for a specific type of water with the polite formula "s'il te plaît".
When to use
Use this sentence when you want a glass of still water in an informal setting (friends, family, casual cafés). Switch to "s'il vous plaît" for formal contexts such as business lunches or when speaking to strangers.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Del'eauplate,s'ilteplaît.
Partitive article "de l'"
Used before a non-count noun to mean "some"; it contracts "de" + "le"/"la" before a vowel.
"eau plate"
"Plate" is an adjective meaning "still" (non‑carbonated) and follows the noun "eau".
"s'il te plaît"
A polite request meaning "please"; informal (use "s'il vous plaît" in formal situations).
Verb "plaît" from "plaire"
Third‑person singular present of "plaire"; literally "it pleases him/her" → "please".
🗨In Conversation
De l'eau plate, s'il te plaît.
Still water, please.
Bien sûr, voici votre verre.
Of course, here's your glass.
✕Common Mistakes
De l'eau gazeuse, s'il te plaît.
Use "gazeuse" only if you want sparkling water; "plate" means still.
S'il vous plaît, de l'eau plate.
Mixing formal "vous" with the informal word order sounds odd; keep the request first, then the polite formula.
De l'eau plate s'il te plaît
Missing the comma can make the sentence sound rushed; the pause after "plate" is natural in spoken French.
↔Alternatives
Un verre d'eau plate, s'il vous plaît.
A glass of still water, please.
De l'eau, s'il te plaît.
Some water, please.
Je voudrais de l'eau plate, s'il vous plaît.
I would like still water, please.
Cultural Tip
In France, water is usually served still by default; you only need to specify "eau gazeuse" if you want sparkling. "S'il te plaît" is informal—use "s'il vous plaît" with waitstaff you don't know well. Also, French tables often have a carafe of water already; asking for "de l'eau plate" signals you prefer a fresh glass.