French Phrase
Un verre d'eau, s'il te plaît.
Meaning
A polite way to ask for a glass of water in French. The phrase uses the informal ‘s’il te plaît’, so it’s appropriate when speaking to friends, family, or staff in a casual setting.
When to use
Use this sentence in cafés, restaurants, or at someone’s home when you want a glass of water and the relationship is informal. In a formal setting (e.g., speaking to a waiter you don’t know), switch to ‘s’il vous plaît’.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Unverred'eau,s'ilteplaît.
Indefinite article (Un)
‘Un’ is the masculine singular indefinite article used before a masculine noun.
Noun gender (verre)
‘Verre’ (glass) is a masculine noun, so it takes ‘un’.
Elision (d')
‘de’ + ‘eau’ contracts to ‘d’eau’; the apostrophe replaces the vowel of ‘de’.
Polite request (s'il te plaît)
Literally ‘if it pleases you’, this phrase is the informal way to say ‘please’. Use ‘s’il vous plaît’ for formal or plural address.
🗨In Conversation
Un verre d'eau, s'il te plaît.
A glass of water, please.
Bien sûr, je vous l'apporte tout de suite.
Of course, I’ll bring it right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Un verre d'eau, s'il vous plait.
Missing accent on ‘plaît’ and mixing formal ‘vous’ with informal context.
Un verre de eau, s'il te plaît.
Do not write ‘de eau’; the correct contraction is ‘d’eau’.
Un verre d'eau s'il te plaît.
A comma before the request helps the sentence sound natural and separates the request from the object.
↔Alternatives
Un verre d'eau, s'il vous plaît.
A glass of water, please. (formal)
Je voudrais un verre d'eau, s'il te plaît.
I would like a glass of water, please.
Un verre d'eau, s'il te plaît, merci.
A glass of water, please, thank you.
Cultural Tip
In many French restaurants water is served in a carafe (une carafe d'eau) rather than individual glasses. If you specifically want a glass, ask for ‘un verre d'eau’. Remember to match the level of politeness: ‘s’il te plaît’ for friends or staff you know, ‘s’il vous plaît’ for strangers or in formal contexts.