please give back

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "please give back" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when requesting someone to return something that belongs to you or to someone else. Example: "I lent you my book last week, and I would appreciate it if you could please give it back."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Please, give me back the negative.' He knew I stole!

The Guardian - Film

The words read: "Please give us back our marbles".

The Guardian - Arts

Big Joe Yes, but 1) As you have Shaun Woodward now please give Jack Straw back to the Tories.2) If the Asylum Seekers continue to be demonised and badly treated, while you are willing to raid countries for their professionals to meet shortages created by defective public policy here, then you can kiss goodbye to any further votes from me - I will never vote Tory on principle!

The Guardian

Put TMS on FM or medium wave please, give us back out cricket pleasure!

BBC

Please Give Me Back My Poem.

HuffPost

Just please give it back after you're done.

Vice

But also, please: Give us back a financial system that we can trust.

Huffington Post

I'm here, talking to you as a "money expert," and I'm like, "Please give me back my $15, PayPal".

Vice

I just have one tiny request: if the Resurrection is now a Jewish thing, could you please give me back my precious Joan Rivers?

Huffington Post

Please, give it back before something bad happens here".

WikiHow

But when our people come back, please give the Torah back.' ".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "please give back" in a request, ensure the context is clear about what is being returned to avoid ambiguity. For example, "Please give back the book you borrowed" is more specific than just "Please give back".

Common error

While "please give back" is acceptable, it can sound less formal. In business or academic writing, consider more professional alternatives like "We kindly request the return of" or "Please return the aforementioned item" for a more polished tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "please give back" functions primarily as a request or polite command. It is used when someone wants something that was previously given or lent to someone else to be returned. Ludwig AI confirms this is a common and acceptable way to phrase such a request.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

News & Media

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Wiki

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Science

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Less common in

Formal & Business

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Academia

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Reference

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "please give back" is a polite and direct way to request the return of something previously lent or given. Ludwig AI confirms that is grammatically correct and usable in written English, though it may be more suitable for informal contexts than for formal or business communications. When using the phrase, clarity regarding the item being returned is key. Alternative phrases such as "kindly return" or "we request the return of" may be more appropriate for professional settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

kindly return

This alternative is more formal and polite.

return it please

This alternative reverses the order of the phrase.

give it back, if you please

This option adds a touch of formality and politeness through the use of "if you please".

I'd like it back, please

This alternative expresses the request as a desire of the speaker.

could you return it

This alternative uses a question format to make a polite request.

hand it over

This alternative is more direct and less polite.

return the item

This alternative is more formal and uses "item" instead of "it".

I need that back

This alternative emphasizes the need for the item to be returned.

can I have it back

This alternative frames the request as asking for permission.

it's time to return it

This implies it's the correct moment to return something without the need for making an explicit request.

FAQs

How can I use "please give back" in a sentence?

You can use "please give back" when requesting the return of something. For example, "I lent you my notes; could you "please give back" them after class?"

What is a more formal way to say "please give back"?

For a more formal tone, you could say "kindly return" or "we request the return of". These options are suitable for professional or academic contexts.

What's the difference between "please return" and "please give back"?

"Please return" is generally more concise and can be used in a broader range of situations. "Please give back" is more specific to physical items and implies a previous lending or taking.

Is it correct to say "can you please give it back"?

Yes, "Can you "please give back"" is a polite and grammatically correct way to ask for something to be returned. It frames the request as a question.