If you’re having trouble coming up with another word for please in an email, you’ve come to the right place!
In this article, we’ll look at 6 alternative terms and phrases that you can use to make a polite request at the office.
After that, we’ll discuss whether it is correct to use the word please in your work correspondence.
6 Alternative Ways to Say “Please”
Below, we’ve compiled a great list of words to use instead of “please” in an email:
- Kindly
- Would you mind
- May I
- Would you be so kind
- I would appreciate it
- Could you
1. Kindly
As we’ve said above, kindly is the most direct synonym for please. However, it comes across a touch more formally than the original phrase.
You can use this phrase when you are making a request to a client or customer on behalf of your organization.
For instance, there will be times when you need certain information from your clients in order to assist them effectively.
Although their participation may be necessary, it is still essential that you use a polite tone when asking a client to act in a certain way.
After all, if you come across as demanding, this may alienate your customers and impact your ability to help them.
Let’s see how you can use this synonym in an email sample:
Dear Mr. Khalil,
I would be happy to assist with your tax return.
So I can get started, could you kindly provide your business bank statements for the period?
Kind regards,
Sakeus Nangolo
2. Would You Mind
You can use the phrase would you mind to tentatively ask for something from a colleague.
Essentially, this phrase asks whether your coworker would be willing to assist you rather than asking them to act directly.
Therefore, it comes across as more indirect and less instructive.
This makes it a good option when you are speaking to someone at an equal level to you at work. After all, it indicates that you don’t expect your coworkers to drop what they’re doing to help you.
In short, you can use this respectful phrase whether you are speaking to a friend at work or a colleague you don’t know particularly well.
Consider the following email example:
Dear Kagumbo,
Would you mind sending me the contact details for the copywriter we used last year?
Kind regards,
Nihad
3. May I
The phrase may I sounds less like a request and more like you are asking permission for something.
Therefore, this is a good phrase to use when you are asking your boss or any other superior for assistance at work.
This phrase is very polite and suitably formal for an email to your manager or employer, whatever the nature of your industry.
Moreover, it makes you the subject of the request to ensure that your question will never come across as demanding.
Have a look at how we’ve used it in a sample email:
Dear Miss Basharat,
May I forward your response to their representatives today?
Sincerely,
Lise Itana
4. Would You Be So Kind
Another way to say please is would you be so kind. You can use this alternative when you are requesting help from a client or customer.
This synonym suits a situation in which you require the client to take some action or provide some information so that you can assist them.
In addition, this phrase is highly polite, making it a good option when the customer has issued a complaint about something.
In short, it will show that you are taking their grievances seriously and appreciate their cooperation as you try to resolve their problem.
To see what we mean, check out this email sample:
Dear Mr. Klaus,
I am very sorry to learn about your experience with our online store.
Would you be so kind as to supply your purchase receipt so I can follow up on this?
Kind regards,
Brandon Lynch
5. I Would Appreciate It
I would appreciate it is a sincere but friendly phrase that you can use when making a request to a coworker.
This alternative would be most suitable if you already have a friendly rapport with the colleague in question.
After all, by using this phrase, you are saying that you would be grateful for their help.
This implies that you already have a fond relationship with the other person. Thus, you are appealing to their fondness for you with hopes that they will be more likely to help.
However, it would still be appropriate to use this phrase with a coworker you aren’t particularly close to.
In this case, this phrase will simply make it clear that you are asking them for a favor.
See the email example below:
Dear Fathi,
I would appreciate it if you could have that sent to me before the end of the day.
Kind regards,
Jenna
6. Could You
Our final alternative to please is the phrase could you.
This is another tentative phrase that you can use when requesting help from a coworker.
Moreover, it is a suitable choice regardless of the nature of your relationship with the receiver.
Notably, it is significantly plainer and more straightforward than some of the other synonyms on our list.
This makes it a good option if you work in a fast-paced environment where it is essential to be as to the point as possible in your emails to your colleagues.
Check out how we’ve used this phrase in our final example:
Dear Stephen,
Could you scan the documents I left on your desk and store them in our online folder?
Kind regards,
Felix
Is It Correct to Say “Please”?
It is perfectly correct to say please when you want to add a dash of politeness and sincerity to a request you are making.
The term please is neither formal nor informal. It is a very plain and standard function word that expresses politeness in both formal and casual speech.
Therefore, you can use this phrase at work when you want to maintain a polite and professional tone with your colleagues.
However, it is also perfectly suitable to use this phrase when you want to come across as friendly.
Let’s have a look at two examples to see how to say please in an email exchange:
Dear Ms. Makwetu,
Attached is an updated version of our privacy policy.
Please be informed that our policy is revised quarterly.
Sincerely,
Matias Haddad
Dear Sonja,
The file is set to be delivered today.
Please let me know when you receive it.
Kind regards,
Collin
To avoid any embarrassing grammar mistakes in the future, let’s look at some common errors people make when making polite requests:
Mistake: Combining please and kindly in the same sentence
- Incorrect: Please kindly let me know.
- Correct: Please let me know.
- Correct: Kindly let me know.
In this context, please and kindly are synonyms. Therefore, you should use one or the other in your sentences but never both, as this would be redundant.
Although saying please is perfectly suitable in any situation, it never hurts to zest up your language with some alternative phrases here and there.
Check out our list above to find some suitable synonyms for please in an email.
