Question 1

Why do we say Je voudrais here instead of Je veux?

Accepted Answer

Je voudrais means "I would like" and is a very polite way to ask for things. Je veux means "I want," which sounds a bit too blunt or demanding when ordering food or asking for a favor in French.

Question 2

Both pain and eau are getting "some," so why is it du pain but de l'eau?

Accepted Answer

To say "some" in French, you combine the word de with the word for "the" (le, la, or l'). Because pain (bread) is masculine, de + le combine into the single word du. However, because eau (water) starts with a vowel, you use l', making it de l'eau.

Question 3

Why does froide come after the water, and why does it have an 'e' at the end?

Accepted Answer

In French, most describing words (adjectives) go after the noun, so it translates literally to "water cold" (eau froide). It has an 'e' at the end because the word eau is feminine, so the adjective froid (cold) needs an extra 'e' added to match it.

Question 4

Could I say s'il te plaît at the end of this sentence instead?

Accepted Answer

You could if you were talking to a close friend or family member. However, since you are ordering bread and water, you are likely talking to a waiter or shopkeeper. With people you don't know well, you should use the formal vous, making s'il vous plaît the most natural choice here.

Je voudrais du pain et de l'eau froide, s'il vous plaît.

Breakdown of Je voudrais du pain et de l'eau froide, s'il vous plaît.

Questions & Answers about Je voudrais du pain et de l'eau froide, s'il vous plaît.

Learn Je voudrais du pain et de l'eau froide, s'il vous plaît and more in French