калі ласка

Please and You Are Welcome

Level 1Sounds Like kalí laska

Калі ласка has three jobs: please, you're welcome and here you are.

How It Works

  • Please. Add it to a request, often with a command form: Сядайце, калі ласка (Please sit down). See загадны лад -це.
  • You're welcome. The answer to Дзякуй! is Калі ласка! See дзякуй.
  • Here you are / Go ahead. Say it as you hand something over or invite someone in: Калі ласка, праходзьце (Please come in).

Inside a sentence, калі ласка is separated by commas: Скажыце, калі ласка, дзе вакзал?

Do not confuse it with the question word калі (when): Калі ты прыйдзеш? (When will you come?). See калі (пытанне).

Examples (5)

  1. Скажыце, калі ласка, дзе вакзал?

    Could you tell me where the station is, please?

    Word by Word: Tell, please, where station?

  2. Дзякуй! — Калі ласка!

    Thanks! — You're welcome!

    Word by Word: Thanks! — Please!

  3. Калі ласка, праходзьце.

    Please come in.

    Word by Word: Please, come-through.

  4. Вось ваша гарбата. Калі ласка.

    Here is your tea. Here you are.

    Word by Word: Here your tea. Please.

    Said while handing something over.

  5. Дайце, калі ласка, меню.

    Could I have the menu, please?

    Word by Word: Give, please, menu.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the commas.

    Скажыце калі ласка дзе вакзал?
    Скажыце, калі ласка, дзе вакзал?

    Калі ласка is set off by commas inside a sentence.

  • Using the Russian word пажалуйста.

    Пажалуйста, дайце меню.
    Калі ласка, дайце меню.

    Пажалуйста is Russian. Belarusian says калі ласка.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

калі ласкаLevel 1Please and You Are Welcome

Learn This First

Калі ласка is learned together with дзякуй.

Words in This Pattern

калі ласка