Today’s lesson examines the highly useful French expression je vous en prie, which has several meanings including “you’re welcome” and “please”. Pay attention to the various usages below.
Je vous en prie
You’re welcome, please
Example sentences
The French verb prier means to pray, ask, beg or supplicate. Hence, je vous en prie could translate literally to “I beg of you”. The informal tu form of this expression is je t’en prie.
Je t’en prie
For this first sentence, je vous en prie is being use as a polite way to say “you’re welcome”. The French also use de rien, which is less formal.
Merci beaucoup, madame. – Je vous en prie.
Thank you very much, ma’am. – You’re welcome
For this sentence, je vous en prie is a polite way of saying “please”.
Suivez-moi. Je vous en prie.
Please follow me.
For this example sentence, je vous en prie is almost being used as a way of begging. An English equivalent could be “Come on!”
Répondez-moi, je vous en prie !
Answer me, please!
For this final sentence, the form être prier de + infinitive is a polite way of saying “please”.
Vous êtes priés de vous présenter au guichet dans cinq minutes.
Please go to the counter in five minutes.
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