Spanish Phrase
¿Me das un poco más de agua, por favor?
Meaning
A polite way to ask someone to give you a little more water. The phrasing is informal but courteous, suitable for most everyday situations.
When to use
Use this sentence at a restaurant, at a friend's house, or any casual setting where you need a refill of water. It works well when you’re already seated and the server or host is within earshot.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Medasunpocomásdeagua,porfavor?
Me (indirect object pronoun)
‘Me’ replaces ‘to me’ and is placed before the verb. It indicates who receives the action.
Das (present of dar)
‘Das’ is the second‑person singular informal present of ‘dar’ (to give). Use it with friends, family, or in casual settings.
Un poco más (quantity expression)
‘Un poco más’ means ‘a little more’. It softens the request and makes it sound polite.
De agua (partitive construction)
‘De’ links the quantity to the noun, literally ‘more of water’. This structure is common after expressions of quantity.
Por favor (politeness formula)
Adding ‘por favor’ at the end turns any request into a courteous one. It’s essential in Spanish etiquette.
🗨In Conversation
¿Me das un poco más de agua, por favor?
Could you give me a little more water, please?
Claro, aquí tienes.
Sure, here you go.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Me da un poco más de agua, por favor?
‘Me da’ uses the formal third‑person singular. It’s only correct if you’re speaking formally; otherwise it sounds stiff in a casual setting.
¿Me das un poco más de de agua, por favor?
Learners sometimes add an extra ‘de’ after ‘más’, saying ‘más de de agua’. The correct partitive construction is just ‘más de agua’.
¿Me das un poco más de agua?
Omitting ‘por favor’ makes the request sound abrupt. Always keep it unless you’re in a very informal, familiar context.
↔Alternatives
¿Podrías darme un poco más de agua, por favor?
Could you give me a little more water, please?
¿Me puede dar un poco más de agua, por favor?
Could you (formal) give me a little more water, please?
¿Me traes un poco más de agua, por favor?
Would you bring me a little more water, please?
Cultural Tip
In most Spanish‑speaking countries, saying ‘por favor’ is not optional; it signals respect and good manners. If you’re speaking to someone you don’t know well or in a formal setting, switch the verb to the formal form: ‘¿Me podría dar…?’ or use the conditional ‘¿Podría darme…?’ to sound extra polite.