Is saying "Favor de hablar más despacio." unpolite?
The above quote is from one of my Spanish phrase books. Does that sound like ordering someone to speak slower? An other one is from this book is "Favor de repetirlo." - repeat it, please. Many phrases in this book starts with "Favor..." versus por favor. Does it has anything to do with the book being published in the 'fifties'?
6 Respuestas
Otra forma de "suavizar" la pregunta sería utilizando algún diminutivo, por ejemplo:
Another way to "smooth" the question could be using a diminutive, e.g.:
¿Podría hablar un poquito más lento, por favor?
Could you speak a little bit slower, please? ... (I hope the english translation was fine).
I would say-
¿Puede hablar más lentamente?
Or
¿Puede hablar más despacio?
And it would be polite to add a por favor on the end.
Thank you for all your inputs, I will make a note of your suggestion in my book.
I think it's OK but not natural...you hould say...más despacio, por favor (slower, please)
It translates to 'please speak more slowly'. Hmmmmmmm.......tricky. It is not unpolite, in my opinion but just sounds like something you would say in a firm manner, as if you were ordering someone. I just don't know...............
HI zoltan, favor is very frequently used in American countries and just as polite as por favor, more seldom used there. When I first saw: favor de...I thought the speaker was making a mistake, jeje
Favor
*hágame, o haz, o hazme, etc., el ~, o el ~ de algo. 1. exprs. U. para formular una petición cortés.
- exprs. U. para mandar o exigir algo. Cállate, haz el favor.*

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