# veuillez



## harpospeaking

I've heard that veuillez is loosely translated into English as "please," but it has a stronger meaning than just a polite "please."  Can someone give me a more accurate approximation of what "veuillez" means and how it is used?  Is it as polite and formal as saying "would you be so kind as to . . . "?  Thank you!


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## aurayfrance

It's a polite, formal turn of phrase. I think that the equivalent in English is "would you (please) do this...: Veuillez (s'il vous plait) faire ceci...

You may find it in a letter, too, as a standard closure:

Veuillez recevoir, Monsieur/Messieurs/Madame/Mesdames, l'expression de mes sentiments distingués.

The equivalents in English are: yours sincerely/yours faithfully (the French do not make a difference according to whether they know how the person is called or not).


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## zippermonkeyboy

It is the imperitive form.....um I think that it is also close to "See that this is done" or something to that sort


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## aurayfrance

It sounds a little be tough, doesn't it? Like a boss ordering his employee to do something. I can't judge but I insist on the fact that "veuillez" is usually very polite ( if the person is angry, it may become purely formal  and a little bit unpleasant).
Do you know this French phrase:
Une volonté de fer dans un gant de velours?
It means someone with a very strong will but soft manners.


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## somody

I've seen this used as an equivalent of "please".

Can it be used like it is in my signature as it is?

Pour ceux et celles qui ne peuvent pas le voir, c'est comme ça: 





> "Veuillez corriger mes erreurs."



--Christian


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## hald

Your signature is perfect


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## Danse Macabre

It's a polite form to tell orders. Some sort of invitation to do something. I think an english equivalent could be "Consider doing this".

The use you've done in you sig is perfect


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## gm9617d

Hi, 
English is  "to give orders..."

"Veuillez" could be rendered in English as "be good enough to..."
GerryGM


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## somody

Alright, thanks.  And am I right in saying that "veuillez" is a form of the verb "vouloir"?


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## petitsfilous

Oui, tu as raison!

its the 2nd person plural imperative form of 'vouloir'


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## diedra26

I had an email from a friend which began,

Veuillez me le faire savoir.   

Since I am working on a reception for my son and new daughter in law, I think the mother is asking "Please let me know what I can do."  Do you think this is correct?


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## wildan1

It's a 'soft' way to give an imperative.

_Kindly..._ has a similar effect in English

_Kindly let me know what the cost of the reception will be._


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## diedra26

Just to be sure, she said, ''

Est-ce-que cela fonctionne?
Vuillez me le faire savoir.

I would not have put the word 'cost' in there, I take it this is idiomatic?
Merci mille fois!


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## wildan1

diedra26 said:


> Just to be sure, she said, ''
> 
> Est-ce-que cela fonctionne?
> V*e*uillez me le faire savoir.
> 
> I would not have put the word 'cost' in there, I take it this is idiomatic?
> Merci mille fois!


 
Sorry, I wasn't translating your sentence, diedra, just giving an example for future reference to show how it is used.

Your sentence: _Kindly let me know if that works._


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## diedra26

Okay, thanks so much!


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## anglodan

[…]I was under the impression that veuillez was the imperative form of the verb "vouloir" used politely before an instruction.

I see it often in Paris when I visit; in hotel rooms, on leaflets and in formal e-mails. I prefer the term "je vous prie de..." because I usually write either formally using this phrase or informally using phrases which are entirely different.

example of the use of _veuillez _in real life:

Please turn the lights off before leaving, to protect the environment 
_Veuillez éteindre les lumières avant de partir pour sauvegarder l'environnement_
[…]


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## fifi73

Veuillez ou je vous prie, is the polite and formal imperative, but it is still an imperative. I prefer the English way "kindly" or "be so kind" which would be in French : ayez la gentillesse de... which sounds sweeter.
And do not mix : veuillez and veillez, it's nothing to do
veuillez : imperative (for vous) of vouloir
veillez : imperative of veiller


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## OLN

I agree with wildan1.
*
Veuillez (faire ceci, *or* éteindre la lumière)* is a perfectly polite form of address.

The impolite imperative form would be *Faites ceci*, or* éteignez la lumière*.

There is no need to add redondant expressions like _je vous prie_, _s'il vous plait_, etc. in a formal letter or instructions (for example in a user's manual).

_Je vous prie de bien vouloir_ is absolutely correct but somewhat obsequious. 
It depends on the context, to whom you ask a favor for example.


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## broglet

Would the 'tutoiement' form be 'veuille'?  (I've never heard anyone say it)  What would be the best alternative?


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## madolo

broglet said:


> Would the 'tutoiement' form be 'veuille'?  (I've never heard anyone say it)  What would be the best alternative?


grammaticalement, c'est juste
Mais l'usage de vouloir à l'impératif est très formel donc incompatible avec le tutoiement
On dirait peut-être : "' s'il te plaît, peux-tu .../ Pourrais-tu avoir la gentillesse de ...


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## OLN

broglet said:


> Would the 'tutoiement' form be 'veuille'?  (I've never heard anyone say it)  What would be the best alternative?


you can also say, keeping the verb _vouloir_ : 

_veux-tu bien_ (+ infinitif), 
_voudrais-tu bien_ (...)


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## wildan1

madolo said:


> grammaticalement, c'est juste
> Mais l'usage de vouloir à l'impératif est très formel donc incompatible avec le tutoiement
> On dirait peut-être : "' s'il te plaît, peux-tu .../ Pourrais-tu avoir la gentillesse de ...


 
_Sois gentil(le) et apporte-moi..._


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## anglodan

broglet said:


> Would the 'tutoiement' form be 'veuille'? (I've never heard anyone say it) What would be the best alternative?


 

yeah I agree with madolo, this is strictly used when one wishes to 'vouvoie' and isn't compatible when using the informal although you can still use the verb vouloir as OLN said, _veux-tu_ etc. for a similar effect. althought gramatically _veuille(s) _is the imperative/_tu_ form of the verb.


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## Avignonaddict

Probably better to say 'please, be so kind as to do this for him' but it sounds very old-fashioned and formal. I imagine you are translating 'veuillez...' in which case I'd say 'I would be grateful if you would...' or 'I'd appreciate it if you would...' or very simply 'Please would you do this for him' - in other words without the 'be kind' bit.


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## Lautris119

_"Veuillez trouver ci-joint..."_
*Please find enclosed...*

"Veuillez":
- is always placed at the start of the sentence, like _Please, Kindly_;
- is always followed by the verb in the infinitive. This rules out the imperative and the conditionals and all others. In the case of imperatives and conditionals, we would not say to a toddler, "To go to bed!" or "Would you be so very kind as go to bed?_" _Consequently _veuillez_ is neither strict nor soppy. If I wanted to be tough I would say, "_Fais le!_", or sloppy, "_Je vous prie de..."_. _Veuillez_ is devoid of emotion. 
- is only used in written correspondance. It is never spoken, or if it is, I've never head it. Orally, I would say _peux-tu, pourriez-vous, _or _tu peux......?"_ These forms can also be used in written correspondance..

Conclusion:
"Please" in English, such as "Please find enclosed", is the closest translation of the French "_veuillez_". "Please" and "Veuillez" both start at the beginning of the sentence; both are followed by a verb in the infinitive; neither evoke emotional feeling; and both are used in written correspondance.


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## Itisi

Lautris119 said:


> both are followed by a verb in the infinitive


Actually, 'Please' is followed by an imperative, not an infinitive.


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## Lautris119

I agree that the short infinitive can also form the imperative.

However, I would argue that this is clearly the short infinitive here. We would not "demand" someone to  "Please find enclosed!" - - "Yeah, or what?"

In addition, there are never any exclamation marks in a _veuillez_ sentence. We would never write, "_Veuillez trouver ci-joint!_"

So that's another argument:
- _veuillez _never has imperative punctuation, such as an exclamation mark.

I take your point, but I don't believe _veuillez _is an imperative.

*Veuillez = Please*


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## Itisi

*Lautris*, i don't understand what you are saying.  Grammatically, 'veuillez' is an imperative.
And 'Please' is followed by an imperative, which has, obviously, the same form as an infinitive.

*impératif*


présent–(tu)*veuille*, *veux* !–(nous)*veuillons*, *voulons* !(vous)*veuillez*, *voulez* !


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## ain'ttranslationfun?

I agree with fifi73 (in #17): "Auriez-vous la gentillesse de..." might work better for "Would you (please) be so kind as to..." and with "Soyez genti(le) et..."* in #22.  A very long time ago, a French teacher - well, she was Italian but trilingual in IT, FR, and EN - told me that "veuille" isn't used nowadays.
*In BE "Be a dear and...", I think. "Veuillez + infinitive" is indeed the standard expression in formal writing and business correspondence.


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## Lautris119

Whatever the grammatical qualification of "veuillez", I would argue that it is a "neutral" word; it does not convey the usual feelings associated with everything from orders to sycophancy.

I believe that it conveys exactly the same message and the same feeling as the simple word "Please" in English, and should be translated as such in the vast majority of cases, if not all.


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## Aristide

Lautris119 said:


> there are never any exclamation marks in a _veuillez_ sentence


You will have an exclamation mark for example if you dryly say: 
Veuillez vous taire !

In that case, it is a real order, but a little less abrupt than Taisez-vous !

You can also write a sign: Veuillez vous essuyer les pieds en entrant !



Lautris119 said:


> _Veuillez = _Please


In some cases, it could be translated as: please agree to...
it is grammatically an imperative.


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## Lautris119

Aristide said:


> You will have an exclamation mark for example if you dryly say:
> Veuillez vous taire !
> 
> In that case, it is a real order, but a little less abrupt than Taisez-vous !
> 
> You can also write a sign: Veuillez vous essuyer les pieds en entrant !
> 
> 
> In some cases, it could be translated as: please agree to...
> it is grammatically an imperative.



If _veuillez_ has to be translated into English with another imperative, then "Please" can also be used in the imperative.

However, you would not write "_Veuillez trouver ci-joint_" while considering yourself to be giving someone an imperative order. "Please", as a polite invitation, would be a more precise translation: "Please find attached".

I'm afraid the exceptions quoted are not common enough to change my answer to the question.

I believe that v_euillez_ does not convey the usual feelings associated with everything from orders to sycophancy. For me, it conveys exactly the same message and the same feeling as the simple word "Please" in English.


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## Avignonaddict

anglodan said:


> […]I was under the impression that veuillez was the imperative form of the verb "vouloir" used politely before an instruction.
> 
> I see it often in Paris when I visit; in hotel rooms, on leaflets and in formal e-mails. I prefer the term "je vous prie de..." because I usually write either formally using this phrase or informally using phrases which are entirely different.
> 
> example of the use of _veuillez _in real life:
> 
> Please turn the lights off before leaving, to protect the environment
> _Veuillez éteindre les lumières avant de partir pour sauvegarder l'environnement_
> […]


Hi Anglodan
One often also sees 'Veillez à éteindre ...' which means 'Remember to ...' or 'Make sure you ...' or 'Take care to ...'.


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