SpeeekDownload on the App Store
Back to Making Complaints

French Phrase

Tu peux m'expliquer le problème, s'il te plaît?

/ty pø m‿ɛksplikɛʁ lə pʁɔblɛm sil tə plɛ/
Meaning"Can you explain the problem to me, please?"
💡

Meaning

This sentence is a polite request asking someone to clarify or describe a problem. The speaker uses the informal ‘tu’ and adds ‘s’il te plaît’ to keep the tone courteous.

🎯

When to use

Use this phrase when you need a clearer explanation of an issue—whether in a classroom, at work, or during a casual conversation with a friend. It works best when you already have a rapport with the listener.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Tupeuxm'expliquerleproblèmes'ilteplaît

1

Subject pronoun (Tu)

‘Tu’ is the informal singular ‘you’, used with friends, family, or peers.

2

Modal verb (peux)

‘Peux’ is the present tense of ‘pouvoir’ (to be able to) and agrees with the subject ‘tu’.

3

Pronoun + infinitive (m'expliquer)

The object pronoun ‘me’ contracts to ‘m’ before a vowel, forming ‘m'expliquer’ (to explain to me).

4

Definite article + noun (le problème)

‘Le’ marks the noun ‘problème’ as a specific, known problem.

5

Polite formula (s'il te plaît)

Literally ‘if it pleases you’, this phrase softens a request; use ‘s’il vous plaît’ for formal situations.

🗨In Conversation

A

Tu peux m'expliquer le problème, s'il te plaît?

Can you explain the problem to me, please?

Bien sûr, le problème vient du serveur qui ne répond plus.

Sure, the problem is that the server stopped responding.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Tu peux vous expliquer le problème, s'il te plaît?

    Mixing informal ‘tu’ with formal ‘vous’ creates a mismatch; use either ‘tu peux’ or ‘vous pouvez’.

  • Tu peux m'expliquer le problème s'il te plaît?

    Missing the comma before ‘s’il te plaît’ can make the sentence sound rushed.

  • Tu peux m'expliquer le problème, s'il vous plaît?

    When speaking informally with ‘tu’, use ‘s’il te plaît’, not the formal ‘s’il vous plaît’.

  • Tu peux m'expliquer problème, s'il te plaît?

    Dropping the article ‘le’ makes the phrase sound incomplete.

↔Alternatives

  • Pouvez-vous m'expliquer le problème, s'il vous plaît?

    Could you explain the problem to me, please? (formal)

  • Peux‑tu m'expliquer le problème, s'il te plaît?

    Can you explain the problem to me, please? (informal, slightly more direct)

  • Pourrais‑tu m'expliquer le problème, s'il te plaît?

    Could you explain the problem to me, please? (more polite)

fr

Cultural Tip

In French, adding ‘s’il te plaît’ (or ‘s’il vous plaît’ in formal contexts) is essential for politeness. Even with friends, the phrase softens a request and avoids sounding demanding. Remember to match the level of formality of the pronoun ‘tu’ vs. ‘vous’ throughout the sentence.