alsjeblieft vs. alstublieft

01

Informal: Alsjeblieft

Use alsjeblieft whenever you are speaking to someone you address with the informal pronoun je or jij. This includes family members, friends, children, pets, and peers. It is the standard form for casual, everyday conversation.

• Mag ik een appel, alsjeblieft?

  May I have an apple, please?

• Ga zitten, alsjeblieft.

  Sit down, please.

02

Formal: Alstublieft

Use alstublieft whenever you are speaking to someone you address with the formal pronoun u. This is appropriate for strangers, people significantly older than you, authority figures, and in customer service interactions (shops, restaurants, etc.). If you would address the person as meneer (sir) or mevrouw (madam), you must use alstublieft.

• Een koffie, alstublieft.

  A coffee, please.

• Kunt u mij helpen, alstublieft?

  Can you help me, please?

03

Two Functions: Asking and Giving

While "please" in English is primarily used to make a polite request, the Dutch words alsjeblieft and alstublieft have two distinct functions:

• Requests: Used when asking for something (like the English "please").
• Offers: Used when physically handing something to someone. In this context, the meaning changes to "here you go" or "here you are".

• Hier is uw wisselgeld, alstublieft.

  Here is your change, here you go.

• Hier is je boek, alsjeblieft.

  Here is your book, here you go.

04

Literal Meaning and Pronunciation

Both words are contractions of an older phrase: als het je blieft or als het u blieft. This literally translates to "if it pleases you".

In spoken Dutch, particularly in the Netherlands, these words are often pronounced quickly. It is very common for the "l" sound to disappear, making them sound like asjeblieft or astublieft.

05

Written Abbreviation

On signs, doors, or in formal instructions, you will often see the abbreviation a.u.b.. This stands for the formal alstublieft.

• Deur sluiten a.u.b.

  Close door please.