The Many Meanings of Bitte in German

The Many Meanings of Bitte in German Bitte is used a lot in German. The many meanings of bitte include: PleaseYoure welcomeHere you go (when handing something over)May I help you?Pardon? The challenge is determining what the speaker or writer means when using the word:  It all depends on the context, tone, and other words expressed along with bitte.   Saying Pardon Me? You can use  bitte  when you are trying to politely express that you did not understand or hear something the speaker has just said, as in Pardon me? The following brief dialog shows how to express that sentiment in a courteous manner. Ich bin heute einkaufen gegangen. I went shopping today.Wie Bitte?   Pardon me?Ich habe gesagt, dass ich heute einkaufen gegangen bin.   I said, I went shopping today. Expressing Here You Go and Please A  host  might  use bitte when handing something, such as a slice of pie, to a guest, as in:  Here you go. Or,  a customer and a waiter might both use  bitte  in the following exchange: Customer: Ein Stà ¼ck Apfelkuchen bitte. A piece of apple cake please.Waiter, serving the cake:  Bitte sehr.   Here you go.Customer: Danke.   Thank you. Note how in this exchange, the customer uses  bitte  to mean please, while the waiter uses the same German word to mean here you go. Saying Please and Yes Please Bitte  can also mean please in other contexts. For example, you can use this handy word to ask for help, as in this example: Kannst du mir bitte helfen?   Can you help me please? You can also use  bitte  to  mean please as a polite imperative, as in this brief exchange. Darf ich Ihnen den Mantel abnehmen?   May I take your coat?Bitte!   Yes, please! Asking May I Help You? You will often hear a waiter say  bitte, bitte sehr, or bitteschà ¶n?  (please and here you go) in a restaurant when delivering a dish. For instance, waiters will often use the word when they approach your table, as in: Bitte sehr! Here you go!Hier, bitteschà ¶n. Here you go. Note that  bitte  by itself still means youre welcome, but in this context, the word is used as a shortened version or  bitteschà ¶n or bitte  sehr.  This makes sense, because if the  waiter is carrying a hot plate and wants to set it down- but you are busy talking or drinking your coffee- he certainly would want to use as few words as possible to get your attention so youll free up some space and he can relieve himself of the scalding plate. Saying  Youre Welcome If someone thanks you for a present, she might say: Vielen Dank fà ¼r Ihren Geschenk!   Thank you very much for your present! You have several ways to say youre welcome, in addition to using the word bitte. You can express it formally, as in: Bitteschà ¶nBitte sehrGern geschehen   It was my pleasure.Mit Vergnà ¼gen   With pleasure. Or you can express yourself informally by saying: BitteGern geschehen   It was my pleasureGern  (shortened form of Gern geschehen) You are welcome.Nichts zu danken.  Ã‚  Dont mention it.