please repay

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "please repay" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when requesting someone to return money or a favor. Example: "I would appreciate it if you could please repay the loan by next week." Alternative expressions include "kindly return" and "please reimburse."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"After I die, please repay the money to him".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Please note failure to repay the portion of the award for which you are no longer eligible will disqualify you from further participation in the loan assistance program.

Columbia University

Everyone that owes money after the war (or in this case credit crunch) must repay in full (please ignore in Athens).

The Guardian - Business

"There's no better feeling than scoring a goal for your country, especially at home at Windsor Park it's absolutely fantastic and everyone goes nuts," said the Bolton forward, who was pleased to be able to repay the manager's faith in him.

BBC

"The gaffer has put a lot of faith in me and I'm really pleased I have been able to repay that faith by committing to the club for a further term".

BBC

Dionysius states that his objects in writing history were to please lovers of noble deeds and to repay the benefits he had enjoyed in Rome.

Harvard University

And please note that I'm limiting this fund to repaying victims of fraud, not those who made foolish bets or lost money after taking a calculated risk.

Forbes

"Please accept this proposal so we can re-open government, repay our federal workers and then negotiate our differences," she said.

HuffPost

"Please accept this proposal so we can re-open government, repay our federal workers and then negotiate our differences," she concluded.

Huffington Post

In this setting, patients may be more likely to agree to participate in a research project out of a desire to please their health care team and because they may perceive their participation as being one way they can "repay" the kindness and care given to them by the members of the team.

BMC Medical Ethics

"Please don't take it out on them". Her priorities, she said, are mending her family and repaying her debt to the band.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Specify exactly what needs to be returned (e.g., "the loan", "the favor", "the money") to avoid ambiguity, as seen in many Ludwig examples.

Common error

Avoid adding the word "back" after repay (e.g., "please repay back the loan"). Since the prefix 're-' already signifies 'back' or 'again', adding the extra word is redundant in professional writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "please repay" functions as an imperative verb phrase modified by a politeness marker. In English grammar, the word "please" softens the directive nature of the verb "repay", transforming a command into a request. According to Ludwig AI, this structure is standard for formal requests involving the restoration of money or abstract favors.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

30%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Science

5%

Wiki

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "please repay" is a highly effective and grammatically correct phrase for requesting the return of funds or favors. While the specific literal sequence is classified as Rare in terms of exact string matches in the Ludwig database, its components and variants are deeply embedded in professional and academic English. It strikes a sophisticated balance between politeness and firm expectation. Writers should be careful to avoid the common redundancy of adding "back" to the verb and should select between "please repay" and more specific terms like "please reimburse" based on whether they are discussing a debt or a business expense. Overall, it remains a staple of clear, respectful financial communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

please pay back

uses a more informal phrasal verb instead of the formal Latinate repay

repay the loan

adds a specific object to the verb to clarify the nature of the debt

kindly return

substitutes the polite imperative with a slightly more formal adverb and a general verb of restoration

please reimburse

specifies that the payment is a compensation for an expense already incurred

settle the debt

replaces the polite request with a more direct instruction focusing on the obligation

kindly remit

uses highly formal business terminology often found in invoicing

refund the amount

focuses on the return of a specific sum, often in a consumer context

clear the balance

uses accounting terminology to suggest a full settlement of an account

repay the favor

shifts the context from financial currency to social or moral reciprocity

restitute the funds

employs a very formal and legalistic verb to demand the return of money

FAQs

How do I use "please repay" in a professional email?

You can use it to politely remind someone of an outstanding balance, for example: "I would appreciate it if you could "please repay" the remaining balance by Friday."

What is a more formal alternative to "please repay"?

In a legal or official context, you might choose to use "kindly remit" or "restitute the funds" to convey a higher level of formality.

Is it correct to say "please repay me back"?

While common in spoken English, it is considered redundant. It is better to simply use "please repay me" or "please pay me back".

What is the difference between "please repay" and "please refund"?

You use "please repay" when asking for the return of a loan or favor, whereas "please refund" is typically used when a customer asks a business to return money for a product or service.