Comments on: Pretty please (with sugar on top)

By: Russ Fulton

Russ Fulton — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:07:22 +0000

Dear v.k.,

That’s what I thought. How did you confirm it? –rf

By: v.k. venkov

v.k. venkov — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:03:31 +0000

Close, but no cigar.

Pretty please comes from Middle English “prithee”, itself a contraction from “I pray thee”.

By: Yvonne

Yvonne — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 22:37:20 +0000

Thanks all. We remembered something about sugar and a cherry but couldn’t remember exactly.

By: steve

steve — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:30:33 +0000

The phrase dates back to at least 1948 as it appears on P.55 of the play by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse, “Life With Mother”, which opened on Broadway on October 20, 1948.

By: Robyn

Robyn — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 12:43:53 +0000

FYI- Once I saw this, and saw how rude Roberta was I decided to contact a friend of mine that came to Canada where I live as an exchange student from Germany and has spoke the language, and lived(s) there is whole life.

Here is his response quoted. Bear in mind his English isn’t the best.

“hey… “bitte schoen” means “you are welcome” and “pretty please” is actually almost the same, if u translate it word by word… what for do u use it??? to strengthen a request??? i’m not sure if there is a way to translate it for this way… since we only say “bitte” (please) or double it “bitte, bitte”…”

By: Draxonfly

Draxonfly — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 01:27:39 +0000

Don’t forget the cherry.. when I was young it was “pretty please with sugar on top and a cherry” ..

By: Ruth

Ruth — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 17:35:01 +0000

“Bitte” can be used for “please” as well as for “thank you.”

If a German speaker were conversing in English and did not understand, he might request “Bitte, auf Deutsch.” which would mean “Please, (say it) in German.”

By: Roberta

Roberta — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 08:57:21 +0000

Kathy, “bitte schoen” in German means “You’re welcome” or “There you go” (as “Voila” in French),
and isn’t used to ask for something.

Good try, though.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 22:34:59 +0000

I was trying to figure this out myself. I think its an english phrase with german roots.

“bitte schoen” means “beautiful (pretty) please”

By: Jacki

Jacki — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 14:36:07 +0000

It must have been earlier than the 1950s. It was popular in our household in the late 1940s. In fact I remember building entire sundaes and banana splits while pleading for a pony. At the age of 4, 5, and 6, I had a great deal of difficulty comprehending the word “no”.