A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "The menu please" in French
Politely ask for the bill at a French restaurant. The standard way to end your meal.
L'addition, s'il vous plaît.
lah-DEE-SYOHN, seel voo PLEHneutral
French TTS · 0:01
When you've finished your meal and are ready to pay. This is the standard phrase to signal the waiter.
Alternatives
- La carte, s'il vous plaît.Use this to ask for the menu at the beginning of the meal.
- On peut avoir l'addition ?Slightly more casual, often used when speaking to someone you know a little.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing 'addition'
The 't' is silent, and the 'i' sounds like 'ee', not 'ih'.
Forgetting 's'il vous plaît'
Always add 's'il vous plaît' (please) to be polite; it's not optional here.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
How to ask for the bill in French?
The most common way is 'L'addition, s'il vous plaît.' This is polite and universally understood.
Can I just say 'addition'?
No, you should always include 'L'' (the) and 's'il vous plaît' (please) to make it a complete and polite request.
What if I want to ask for the menu instead?
To ask for the menu, you would say 'La carte, s'il vous plaît.'
