What is the difference between kindly and please

Load more comments. Search Search. Audio menu. Learning English Broadcast. Previous Next. Ask a Teacher. Kindly and Please. June 19, See comments Print. Embed share The code has been copied to your clipboard. The URL has been copied to your clipboard. No media source currently available. Direct link kbps MP3 64 kbps MP3. Newest Newest Oldest.

In your examples you are clearly not addressing someone in writing, so you don't need to be so formal. Could you pass me the wiping cloth? Could I have a cup of tea please?

Do you have a charger for Android I could use? The one learning a language! Learn about premium features. Tired of searching? HiNative can help you find that answer you're looking for. Register for free. Solve your problems more easily with the app! Viewed 58k times. Manager to player Kindly practice every day Please practice every day Teacher to student Kindly wipe the blackboard Please wipe the blackboard Student to teacher Kindly give me a blank paper Please give me a blank paper Sister to brother Kindly pass the butter Please pass the butter Which is correct usage in the above contexts?

Improve this question. Nathan Tuggy 9, 20 20 gold badges 38 38 silver badges 56 56 bronze badges. Vinod Vinod 61 1 1 gold badge 1 1 silver badge 2 2 bronze badges. Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. This is a matter of tone or "register". I can't speak for BrE usage.

Improve this answer. Jim Reynolds 9, 20 20 silver badges 43 43 bronze badges. Brian Hitchcock Brian Hitchcock 8, 12 12 silver badges 22 22 bronze badges. Used when asking someone to do something, especially when you are annoyed with them but still want to be polite: The Cambridge Dictionary.

Indians say "kindly" and to me a native Brit, it seems like they are passively-aggressively suggesting I be kinder than I usually am when doing what they request. Teacher to student: Either is correct but kindly implies exasperation or irritation.

Between siblings: Please would be used in an Australian cultural context. I expect British English would be similar but I cannot be certain. Bec Bec 41 2 2 bronze badges. This sounds similar to American English.

And the Collins dictionary definition 8 equates the two words, with kindly sometimes showing impatience or formality. Hi, and welcome to ELL.