# Translate into x language: "Ring bell for service" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 17, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818 "2006-10-17T19:26:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/1 "2006-10-17T19:26:44Z")
As my place of employment is a small company, it is not unusual for the front office to be unoccupied when a client comes by. To address this problem I have procured a call bell, and placed it prominently on the front desk. I feel it is only appropriate though, to have a sign explaining that, yes, visitors are supposed to ring the bell. Okay, a simple enough task. But there are two complications. 1. The nature of our business is such that we cater almost exclusively to customers raised and/or educated outside of the U.S. 2. I don’t like to do things the easy or simple way as long as there is real work I can be avoiding. So, international and polyglot Dopers – please provide me with translations for the phrase “Ring bell for service” in as many languages as possible. Keep them real and properly professional, if you please. No “my hovercraft is full of eels”-type submissions. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/2 "2006-10-17T19:36:54Z")
1 sign, with a big red arrow pointing to the bell. Problem solved. ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/3 "2006-10-17T19:39:50Z")
French: Veuillez sonner la cloche pour le service ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/4 "2006-10-17T19:45:03Z")
[QUOTE=Oakminster] 1 sign, with a big red arrow pointing to the bell. Problem solved. [/QUOTE] 99% of our clients speak perfectly good English. I’m trying to make a point of being interesting, not just ensuring that the purpose of the bell is understood. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/5 "2006-10-17T20:45:09Z")
Esperanto: Alklaku la sonorilon por servo. Okay, that’s more like ‘hit the bell’ in the sense of hitting a door-knocker, but it will do. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/6 "2006-10-17T20:49:57Z")
Hebew: לקבלת שירות, נא לצלצל בפעמון ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/7 "2006-10-17T21:02:29Z")
**German:** Schellen Sie die Glocke für Service. **Spanish:** Toca el timbre para servicio. ---
**Author:** ![dbuzman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de0a6/32.png) [@dbuzman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dbuzman)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/8 "2006-10-17T21:13:06Z")
Pig Latin. Ingray Ellbay Orfay Ervicesay. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/9 "2006-10-17T21:46:00Z")
Lovely! Keep it coming! ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/10 "2006-10-17T21:50:16Z")
_Canwch y gloch am wasanaeth_ (Welsh: Ring the bell for service) _…os gwelwch yn dda_ (Please…) ---
**Author:** ![Flea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d78d45/32.png) [@Flea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flea)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/11 "2006-10-17T21:51:05Z")
In Spanish, it would be more formal, not so literal. _Favor de tocar el timbre para ser atiendido._ ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/12 "2006-10-17T21:52:01Z")
Russian: Звените колокол для обслуживания, вы коммунистическая сволочь Note - joke answer – should not actually be used. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/13 "2006-10-18T00:55:29Z")
A Latin version: Tintinnabulum movete ut ministerium adipiscamini Literally: ring the bell in order to obtain service. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/14 "2006-10-18T01:16:57Z")
[QUOTE=Hal Briston] Russian: Звените колокол для обслуживания, вы коммунистическая сволочь Note - joke answer – should not actually be used. [/QUOTE] Okay, what dos it actually mean? ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/15 "2006-10-18T03:15:51Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] Okay, what dos it actually mean? [/QUOTE] As well as BabelFish could handle it, it means “Ring bell for service, you commie bastard”. ---
**Author:** ![DataZak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/16 "2006-10-18T06:25:30Z")
MALAY: _Sila Tekan Loceng_ (Please Ring Bell) ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/17 "2006-10-18T06:28:45Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] **German:** Schellen Sie die Glocke für Service. **Spanish:** Toca el timbre para servicio. [/QUOTE] Ergh, that’s hotel-sign Spanish all right. Llame al timbre para obtener servicio. Llame al timbre, por favor. or Por favor llame al timbre. (These are what you’d normally see in a Spanish hotel if the sign wasn’t multilingual; the “service” part is assumed - after all, guests over age 6 wouldn’t ring the bell for their amusement, would they?) ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/18 "2006-10-18T14:45:37Z")
**Bulgarian:** биете звънеца, моля. (Ha, I had to look up the word “to ring”. It literally reads “ring the bell, please”.) ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/19 "2006-10-18T14:52:28Z")
[QUOTE=Flea] In Spanish, it would be more formal, not so literal. _Favor de tocar el timbre para ser atiendido._ [/QUOTE] There are parts of Latin America where this construction would be more common than mine (mine would be understood just fine), but it would be atendido (without the first i) ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/20 "2006-10-18T15:04:22Z")
[QUOTE=Cunctator] A Latin version: Tintinnabulum movete ut ministerium adipiscamini Literally: ring the bell in order to obtain service. [/QUOTE] Yikes, this is awful. Better: _Tinni Tintinnabulum Beneficio_ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818.md?page=2)