Please does not mean Por Favor
Please has never meant Por favor and it never will. That simple. They may have the same function, but do not mean the same. POR FAVOR really means "as a favor to me". Of course, that is never explained to us when we are taught the use of this expression of courtesy that as such has lost its original meaning. It is just two words we have to say kindly if we want to obtain something from others.
But if this appeal to generosity is not enough then let's examine its English equivalent: PLEASE. This word comes from the verb To Please which means "to give satisfaction" but it has also lost its original meaning to become a polite way to soften requests and indications (hence the expression "Please, please me!") The fact that PLEASE is not POR FAVOR can also be proved the following way: in English you can say, "Do me a favor, please!", but not in Spanish because then you are being redundant if you say "¡Házme un favor, por favor!"
So next time you say Please, know that it is not what you thought it was. In English, a case like this is not unique at all.
Comments
Personally, I had no knowledge of this, for me it was always an expression of "Por favor”.
It's really good to know these kind of things.
It is really interesting because I sincerely thought that this word meant the same in any place but now I see that it doesn't, that's why it's good to know and more than anything read a lot to learn this kind of things.
It is very important to know this type of information to avoid making mistakes in the future. I have always used this word with my friends and I liked to know its true meaning.
I didn't know that, thanks for the information.
"PIN-S-MA-6-1 IAP I"