bitte
please · you're welcome · pardon? / excuse me? · here you go / there you go
Bitte is the standard polite word for 'please' when making requests. It is also used to mean 'you're welcome' after someone says danke, and can mean 'pardon?' or 'here you go' depending on context.
What bitte means
- please — Used to make a request or command more polite, often placed after the verb or at the end of the sentence.
- you're welcome — Said in response to danke (thank you).
- pardon? / excuse me? — Used to ask someone to repeat what they said, with rising intonation.
- here you go / there you go — Said when handing something to someone.
Heard in real German videos
Lines where bitte was actually spoken, from German videos watched with DeutschChat.
- Halt bitte mal meine Brille, Mama Wutz.Please hold my glasses for a moment, Mummy Pig.
- Ein Hörnchen mit Erdbeereis, bitte.One cone with strawberry ice cream, please.
Example sentences
- Kannst du mir bitte helfen?Can you please help me?
- Ein Glas Wasser, bitte.A glass of water, please.
- Danke für das Geschenk! – Bitte!Thanks for the gift! – You're welcome!
- Bitte? Ich habe dich nicht verstanden.Pardon? I didn't understand you.
Common phrases
- bitte schönhere you go / you're welcome (polite)
- bitte sehrhere you go / you're welcome (formal)
- wie bitte?pardon? / excuse me?
- na bitte!there you go! / see!
The mistake English speakers make
English speakers often use 'bitte' as a direct translation of 'please' at the beginning of a sentence, but in German it usually comes after the verb or at the end. For example, say 'Kannst du mir bitte helfen?' not 'Bitte kannst du mir helfen?'
Don’t confuse it with
- danke — Danke means 'thank you', while bitte is the response to thanks or a polite request word.
Questions learners ask
How do you say 'please' in German?
The word is 'bitte'. It is used to make requests polite, e.g., 'Ein Bier, bitte.'
What does 'bitte' mean after 'danke'?
After 'danke', 'bitte' means 'you're welcome'. It is the standard polite response to thanks.
How do you say 'pardon?' in German?
You can say 'wie bitte?' or simply 'bitte?' with a rising intonation to ask someone to repeat something.