Bitte sei höflich.

Please be polite.

Breakdown of Bitte sei höflich.

• sein: to be
• bitte: please
• höflich: polite

Questions & Answers about Bitte sei höflich.

Why is it sei and not bist?

German imperatives use special forms. For the verb sein (to be), the imperative is irregular:

• Informal singular (du): Sei höflich.
• Informal plural (ihr): Seid höflich.
• Formal (Sie): Seien Sie höflich.
• Inclusive “let’s” (wir): Seien wir höflich. (stylistically formal; everyday German prefers Lass(t) uns höflich sein.)

How do I say this to more than one person informally?

Use the ihr imperative: Bitte seid höflich.

How do I say it politely to a stranger or in a formal context?

Use the Sie form: Bitte seien Sie höflich. Remember to capitalize Sie.

Can I move bitte around in the sentence?

Yes. All of these are fine, with only slight nuance differences:

• Bitte sei höflich. (neutral request)
• Sei bitte höflich. (focuses the “please” on the verb)
• Sei höflich, bitte. (tag-like, often softer or more insistent depending on tone)

Do I need a comma after Bitte?

Not necessarily. Both are acceptable:

• Bitte sei höflich. (no comma; bitte as a particle)
• Bitte, sei höflich. (comma; bitte as an interjection) The version without a comma is more common in simple requests.

Should this end with a period or an exclamation point?

Both are possible:

• Bitte sei höflich. (softer)
• Bitte sei höflich! (more forceful or urgent) Choose based on tone.

Why is höflich not inflected here (why not höfliche)?

After forms of sein used predicatively (describing a subject’s state), adjectives have no ending: Sei höflich.
When used attributively before a noun, the adjective inflects: ein höflicher Mensch, höfliche Kinder.

Is it okay to write this as a sign or instruction like “Please be polite”?

Yes. Typical sign/instruction styles include:

• Bitte höflich sein. (elliptical imperative)
• Bitte seien Sie höflich. (formal)
• Wir bitten um höfliches Verhalten. (more formal/neutral) For embedding in a clause: Ich bitte dich, höflich zu sein.

What’s the nuance difference between höflich, freundlich, nett, and artig?

• höflich: polite, observing manners and respectful language (can be formal/courteous).
• freundlich: friendly, kind in demeanor and attitude.
• nett: nice/pleasant; casual and warm, but less about etiquette.
• artig: well-behaved/obedient (mostly about children). Examples:
• Sei höflich (mind your manners).
• Sei freundlich (be friendly).
• Sei nett (be nice).
• Sei artig (be good/well-behaved; to kids).

How do I negate this naturally?

To say “Don’t be rude,” German prefers the opposite adjective:

• Sei nicht unhöflich. (most idiomatic) “Sei nicht höflich” means “Don’t be polite,” which is a different message (and often ironic). You can soften: Sei bitte nicht so unhöflich.

How do I pronounce the words, and what is the vowel in höflich?

• Bitte: [ˈbɪtə] (BIT-te)
• sei: [zaɪ] (z-eye; initial s is voiced like English z)
• höflich: [ˈhøːflɪç] (HÖÖF-likh; long rounded vowel like French “peu,” and final ch is the soft “ich” sound [ç])

How do I type ö if I don’t have a German keyboard?

• Use oe as a substitute: höflich → hoeflich (acceptable when umlauts aren’t available).
• Or use keyboard shortcuts (e.g., on many systems Alt/Option + u then o, or hold-for-accents on mobile).

Can I use particles like mal or doch with this imperative?

Yes, they change tone:

• Sei doch höflich. (Come on, be polite.)
• Sei mal höflich. (Be polite for once / just be polite.) Combining with bitte is common: Sei doch bitte mal höflich. Tone ranges from cajoling to scolding depending on context and intonation.

What are more diplomatic ways to say this to an adult?

• Ich möchte Sie bitten, höflich zu sein. (very polite)
• Könnten wir bitte höflich bleiben? (inclusive, de-escalating)
• Bitte achten Sie auf den Ton. / Bitte bleiben Sie sachlich. (indirect, maintains face) Avoid blunt commands to adults unless the situation requires it.

Is Bitte seien höflich correct?

Not by itself. You must include the subject:

• Bitte seid höflich. (ihr)
• Bitte seien Sie höflich. (Sie)
• Bitte seien wir höflich. (wir; formal style) Without Sie/ihr/wir, seien is incomplete.

What’s the difference between Sei höflich and Benimm dich/Verhalte dich höflich?

• Sei höflich: targets your state/attitude (be polite).
• Benimm dich höflich / Verhalte dich höflich: focuses on behavior and actions (behave politely). Slightly more formal/explicit about conduct. You can also say: Bleib höflich (stay polite).

Can I compare höflich (more/most polite)?

Yes:

• Comparative: höflicher
• Superlative (adverbially): am höflichsten Examples: Sei bitte etwas höflicher. / Er hat am höflichsten reagiert. Noun: die Höflichkeit (politeness). Example: Vielen Dank für Ihre Höflichkeit.

Does verb-first word order matter here?

In imperatives, the verb normally comes first: Sei höflich.
If you start with Bitte, the imperative verb still immediately follows: Bitte sei höflich. Both are correct and idiomatic.