# Rsvp



## geve

Hi forum!

I have just discovered* that *RSVP* is used in non-French speaking countries (in at least two different languages).

Is it used in your country, and how (as a noun, a verb, on invitations or other things...)? Do you know what the letters stand for?

Thanks! 


* in this thread - but please answer before you click


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## Aurin

_*RSVP: R*épondez *S*'il *V*ous *P*laît_ 
In German:
u.A.w.g. = um Antwort wird gebeten


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## Thomas1

Répondez S'il Vous Plaît

In Polish:
_Proszę o odpowiedź_

I saw this once in Polish dictionary of loanwords but in practice I've seen it two maybe three times.


Tom


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## geve

Thank you both  But what I'm interested to know is if the very letters *RSVP *are used as such in other languages - as is the case apparently in Finnish and (American?) English where it can even be used as a verb (eg. "Only 12 people have RSVP'd so far").


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## worldwanderer

Hi Geve, have put the following in the French-English forum by mistake, but copying here. 

RSVP is widely used in England (not only in the US and Finland), and as a verb too, as other fore@s have pointed out. I can't speak for the majority, but most of the people I know know what it stands for.. 

PS: I have seen it on some (not many) official invitations in Romania too. And I've seen it also in Francophone westaf, but mainly on expats invites of many nationalities, one was coming from a Spanish person. Not sure if we could generalise that to all Spaniards though.. maybe someone could confirm..


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## geve

Thank you for the multicultural insight worldwanderer.  Let's wait for confirmation or refutation from other forer@s then!


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## nekoteru

Hola:

Acá en Chile también se emplea 'R.S.V.P' en *invitaciones muy formales*, generalmente asociadas a matrimonios, bautizos, bailes, entre otros.

Saludos


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## jazyk

Lo mismo que dijo Nekoteru vale para Brasil, por lo que he visto.

Jazyk


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## geve

I am truly amazed by this!! I mean, it's quite common that languages borrow words from one another, but acronyms...! 

Nekoteru, Jazyk, do you think that people generally know that it comes from French? And do they know what the letters stand for?


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## panjabigator

I was unaware of its origin and had no clue what the letters stood for!  A reason to learn French indeed!


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## Joannes

I've never seen it in Dutch texts. But maybe someone else has.

I know the Dutch tend to put *s.v.p.* instead of *a.u.b.* for *alstublieft* 'please'. (When we borrow from French, that's called a Belgicism, when they do it, it's elegant and distinguished. )


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## Chazzwozzer

Surprisingly, Turks never use this French acronym.


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## OldAvatar

Romania is considered a francophone country. Despite that, I've never heard of this acronym. It may exist, but it is surely not widely known.


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## KaRiNe_Fr

Maybe the more this acronym is used and considered as "le chic français" the  less the country knows French culture? 
(yes, this is provocation! )


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## Nicomon

As I assume you know... RSVP is often seen on Canadian English invitations as well.  Both as a noun = _Send RSVP to xyz@abc.com_ and verb = "_Please RSVP by May 5, 2007_"... which is considered a tautological redundancy (what's wrong with _send your reply_/_please reply_)



> please RSVP (please *R*epondez *S’*il *V*ous *P*lait: is French for “please respond if you please” *or* please please respond)


 
How do you like this example, for redundancy 
_Please RSVP no later than May 4, 2007 by replying to the training email from Brian. *...*
_
It seems to me, however, that many people understand the *R* as "reserve".  For instance a sentence like  "_Please RSVP for each event by calling 763-323-6071_"  would mean something like _Please reserve a place/seat for each event.._.  Do others have this feeling?_
_


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## jazyk

> Nekoteru, Jazyk, do you think that people generally know that it comes from French? And do they know what the letters stand for?


Since it's used in formal invitation to some posh people, they might know where it comes from and what it stands for, but I think that most don't know that, they simply know they have to act on it quickly (or maybe not even that). 

Jazyk


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## Hakro

RSVP is quite generally known in Finland, at least among people who get this kind on invitations.

It might be interesting to know that just by accident the Finnish equivalent is very close: *VP* which means "*v*astausta *p*yydetään" (answer requested).


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## Lemminkäinen

As far as I know, although I have to admit my knowledge of this is scarce, RSPV is not commonly used in Norwegian.



Hakro said:


> It might be interesting to know that just by accident the Finnish equivalent is very close: *VP* which means "*v*astausta *p*yydetään" (answer requested).




The Norwegian varient is *S.U.* which stands for *svar utbes* and means the same as the Finnish version.


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## Nander

I've seen RSVP in Swedish, and I think most Swedes are familiar with what it means (even if they might not know what it stands for).

The correct Swedish term is o.s.a, _om svar anhålles. _It would literally be translated to something like _If an answer is requsted._ Even though it says _if _you're supposed to answer it and the sender is expecting an answer.


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## zinczl

chinese dont use this expression very often since different letter system.
but some people doing business would like to use this saving time.
in chinese：请回复


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## parakseno

OldAvatar said:


> Romania is considered a francophone country. Despite that, I've never heard of this acronym. It may exist, but it is surely not widely known.



Neither have I. I don't think it's an acronym that most of the Romanians would know and use (maybe those that move around more in a francophone environment could be the exception...)


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## Thomas1

geve said:


> Thank you both  But what I'm interested to know is if the very letters *RSVP *are used as such in other languages - as is the case apparently in Finnish and (American?) English where it can even be used as a verb (eg. "Only 12 people have RSVP'd so far").


Not that I am aware of, I saw it only used as a handy acronym at the end of a letter/invitation. But, as I wrote its usage is very sparing. 
On the other hand, I think there's nothing wrong with using it as Nicomon did in the following example: _RSVP no later than May 4, 2007 - RSVP nie póniej niż do 4 maja, 2007_
However, I'd not inflect it nor use it as a noun nor in any other function than its primary one.

I'd guess that people who use it know what it stands for.

Tom


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## Lugubert

Nander said:


> I've seen RSVP in Swedish, and I think most Swedes are familiar with what it means (even if they might not know what it stands for).


Agree.



> The correct Swedish term is o.s.a, _om svar anhålles. _It would literally be translated to something like _If an answer is requsted._ Even though it says _if _you're supposed to answer it and the sender is expecting an answer.


Almost there: this _om_ isn't 'if'; a rather literal translation is 'Answer requested". (_Anhålla om_ = 'ask for', 'request'.)


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## Nander

Lugubert said:


> Agree.
> Almost there: this _om_ isn't 'if'; a rather literal translation is 'Answer requested". (_Anhålla om_ = 'ask for', 'request'.)



D'oh, of course  I was a bit tired and intoxicated yesterday...

But, it's still a strange form of word building.


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## Vanda

> ..., Jazyk, do you think that people generally know that it comes from French? And do they know what the letters stand for?


 
I know you 've asked Jazyk and I saw he's already answered it. Anyway, let's go. Yes, people do know that comes for French and what that stands for. As he's explained, the expression comes in formal invitations and the kind of people who deal/ attend these type of events requiring a RSVP have learned the French _etiquette_ language. Till not so long ago, _etiquette_ was (and I think still is) taught for nouveau riche, high CEOs, "noble" people and the like mostly in French or at least the terms were explained in Portuguese but maintained the French expression! That happened for the the fashion world as well, but this latter has changed in the past 10 years or so.


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## Whodunit

In German, it cannot be integrated in a sentence, like verb. Addionally, I should point out that it's not common* to use the acronym instead of "bitte" (please) in German.

*But I have also read it.


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## Lugubert

Nander said:


> D'oh, of course  I was a bit tired and intoxicated yesterday...
> 
> But, it's still a strange form of word building.


Not so strange, really: think of the olden days, when suitors asked a girl's father if he would give her away. Swedish: Får jag _anhålla om_ er dotters hand? "May I _ask for_ your daughte'rs hand?"


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## Nander

Lugubert said:


> Not so strange, really: think of the olden days, when suitors asked a girl's father if he would give her away. Swedish: Får jag _anhålla om_ er dotters hand? "May I _ask for_ your daughte'rs hand?"



Yeah, in that sense it's not strange at all. I just meant with the flipped order of the words _*om* svar *anhålles.*_ I would be more modern with something along the lines of _*Anhåller* (gärna) *om* svar._


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## Lugubert

Regard it as a topicalizaion: the most important word is lifted to the front.


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## fergy2005

In Spanish it's very common to see this capital letters at the bottom of a party invitation and it means:_* R*épondez *S*'il *V*ous *P*laît._


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## Trisia

I'm amazed, Old Avatar and Parakseno.

I know I've seen it on wedding invitations in Romania, not just once...


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## ramen

New Zealanders regularly use this abbreviation on invitations to birthday parties, weddings, anniversary parties, reunions, business meetings, etc., etc.  It is used as both a verb (as in 'please RSVP by such-and-such a date' or 'I have already _RSVPed_') and as a noun (as in 'have you sent your RSVP?').  I would hazard that, although not everyone knows its origin or its meaning, most people would know its origin, and that a handful would know its meaning, both monolingual English speakers and those who have studied French.


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## Nizo

Esperanto:  _Bonvolu respondi_.


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