for heaven's sake
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for heaven's sake
Used to add emphasis to a request or command and often expresses annoyance or impatience. It stresses that the person being addressed should comply with the request.
Jetzt hör mir gefälligst zu, wenn ich mit dir rede!
Now listen to me, for heaven's sake, when I'm talking to you!
'Gefälligst' comes from the adjective 'gefällig' (kind, obliging). However, the meaning is ironic and reversed: it expresses impatience, not a polite request.
Seien Sie so gefällig und reichen Sie mir das Buch. (höflich)
Be so kind as to hand me the book. (polite)
This word is used only in spoken language and expresses annoyance, impatience, or a clear instruction from a person in authority (e.g., parents to children). It can sound very rude.
Du räumst jetzt gefälligst dein Zimmer auf!
You are going to clean up your room now, for heaven's sake!
'Gefälligst' almost always appears in an imperative sentence. It can stand directly after the verb or, for emphasis, at the beginning of the sentence.
Sei gefälligst pünktlich!
Be on time, for heaven's sake!
please
'bitte' and 'gefälligst' can both appear in requests or commands, but the tone is very different. 'bitte' makes a request or instruction polite and friendly. 'gefälligst' makes a request or command stronger and often sounds annoyed, impatient, or strict. Learners may confuse the words because both can occur in sentences with the imperative. In everyday life, you should be careful with 'gefälligst', because it can quickly come across as rude. For normal polite requests, 'bitte' is the safe choice.
Frau Lange sagt streng: „Räumt gefälligst eure Sachen weg!“
Ms. Lange says sternly, “Put your things away, for heaven's sake!”
Herr Weber, schließen Sie bitte nach dem Kurs das Fenster.
Mr. Weber, please close the window after the course.