please
gb/plˈiz/ us/plˈiz/
A1
English
~ 2400
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Make someone happy or satisfied
To make someone feel good or happy by doing what they like.
Usage pattern:
to please [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'please' with 'thank you'; 'please' is used to make requests polite or to talk about making someone happy, not to express gratitude.
Synonyms
satisfy (Focuses on meeting needs or expectations, not necessarily emotional happiness.)
|
delight (Implies giving a high level of joy or pleasure.)
Antonyms
displease (Means to make someone unhappy or dissatisfied.)
Collocations
please the crowd
|please the customer
|please the audience
|please parents
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The new movie is sure to please fans of the series.
- She works hard to please her clients.
- It pleases me to see you doing so well.
- You can’t please everyone all the time.
- The gift seemed to really please him.
Learner examples
- I want to please my teacher.
- He tries to please his friends.
- The music will please many people.
- We cannot please everyone.
- She pleased her parents with her grades.
interjection
A1
entity
2
Polite word in requests
A word you say to be polite when asking for something.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes forget to use 'please' in polite requests, making them sound too direct or rude in English.
Synonyms
kindly (More formal and old-fashioned way of making a polite request.)
Collocations
please help me
|come in, please
|sit down, please
Themes
daily life
|politeness
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Could you pass the salt, please?
- Please sit down and make yourself comfortable.
- May I have some water, please?
- Please be quiet during the movie.
- Please call me when you arrive.
Learner examples
- Please give me the pen.
- Can you help me, please?
- Please come here.
- Please open the door.
- Please wait here.
Verb
B1
action
3
Do what one wants
To do what you want and enjoy it, without worrying about what others think.
Usage pattern:
to please oneself
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with making someone else happy; here it means making yourself happy by doing what you want.
Synonyms
indulge oneself (Focuses on treating oneself to pleasures, often luxuriously.)
Antonyms
restrain oneself (Means to stop oneself from doing what one wants.)
Collocations
please yourself
|do as you please
|come and go as you please
Themes
daily life
|individuality
|daily_life
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- You can come and go as you please.
- On holiday, I like to please myself and not follow a schedule.
- He does as he pleases, regardless of the rules.
- Please yourself; I’m going out anyway.
- They spent the afternoon pleasing themselves with books and music.
Learner examples
- I can eat as I please.
- She travels as she pleases.
- He does as he pleases every day.
- Please yourself; I will go alone.
- They live as they please.
Grammar
Dictionary form
please
IPA
GB/plˈiz/
US/plˈiz/
Syllables & stress
please (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (please)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: please
- 3rd Person Singular: pleases
- Present Participle: pleasing
- Past: pleased
Word family
Forms
Related words
pleasantly
adverb B1
Negative and opposite forms
Advanced or less common
pleasurable
adjective B2
displeasure
noun B2
Expressions
as you please
1/ˈæz jˈu plˈiz/
fixed phrase
In whatever way you like
Do something in any way you want.
Examples
- You may arrange the furniture as you please.
- Dress as you please for the party.
if you please
1/ˈɪf jˈu plˈiz/
fixed phrase
formal
Polite or emphatic phrase
Used to be polite or to give emphasis in a request or statement.
Examples
- Take a seat, if you please.
- We will start now, if you please.
please yourself
1/plˈiz jʊɹsˈɛlf/
fixed phrase
Do whatever you want
Do what you want, even if others do not like it.
Examples
- If you don’t want to join us, please yourself.
- He always pleases himself without thinking of others.