# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/21 "2006-10-18T16:46:01Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] **German:** Schellen Sie die Glocke für Service. … [/QUOTE] That sounds a bit archaic/unusual, though. The normal German-language sign (e.g. on reception counters) is: **Bitte klingeln** (“please ring” - the context is implied). ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/22 "2006-10-18T18:21:52Z")
Okay, so far I’ve got French, Esperanto, Hebrew, German (two versions) Spanish (several versions), Igpay Atinlay, Welsh, Latin (two versions), Malay, and Bulgarian. Any others? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/23 "2006-10-18T19:34:29Z")
Canadian: Ring bell for service, eh. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/24 "2006-10-18T20:00:26Z")
Madat ke liye ghanti bajao. Hindi, lit. “For help, ring bell.” ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/25 "2006-10-18T20:11:39Z")
[QUOTE=Anaamika] Madat ke liye ghanti bajao. Hindi, lit. “For help, ring bell.” [/QUOTE] I was hoping someone would list Hindi. At least a third of our clients are from India. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Surok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@Surok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surok)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/26 "2006-10-18T20:18:24Z")
\ Russian: нажмите на звонок, чтобы вас обслужили \ ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/27 "2006-10-18T20:24:27Z")
[QUOTE=Kizarvexius] I was hoping someone would list Hindi. At least a third of our clients are from India. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Well, I can’t put it in Devanagri, unfortunately, but hopefully that will help. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/28 "2006-10-18T20:25:32Z")
You can also add “Kripaya” in the front of that, as that means “please” ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/29 "2006-10-18T20:27:21Z")
L33t: r1ng 4 s37v1c3!!111 ---
**Author:** ![mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mani)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/30 "2006-10-18T20:32:41Z")
Swedish: “Ring i klockan för betjäning” ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/31 "2006-10-18T21:49:35Z")
C: char message ={82,105,110,103,32,98,101,108,108,32,102,111,114,32,115,101,114,118,105,99,101}; printf("%21s",message); That code prints “Ring for service”. The message is encoded in decimal ASCII, for some slight obsufactory fun. ---
**Author:** ![Themenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee59a6/32.png) [@Themenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Themenin)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/32 "2006-10-18T23:06:21Z")
[QUOTE=Mindfield] French: Veuillez sonner la cloche pour le service [/QUOTE] In standard French _cloche_ generally refers to a larger bell (church bells) - so this has a kind of ‘strike the gong’ flavor to it. A typical sign in France would say something like _veuillez sonner_ or _veuillez actionner la sonnette_ or maybe just _allez vous-en_ Ok, don’t use that last one. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/33 "2006-10-19T03:46:59Z")
Portuguese: _Toca a campainha para ser atendido._ ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/34 "2006-10-19T04:18:49Z")
[QUOTE=Themenin] In standard French _cloche_ generally refers to a larger bell (church bells) - so this has a kind of ‘strike the gong’ flavor to it. [/QUOTE] I came in to say the same thing, and “veuillez sonner la sonnette” is redundant. I would go with something like “Veuillez sonner pour signaler votre présence” or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/35 "2006-10-19T04:45:38Z")
Yeah, _veuillez sonner_ sounds better, since it’s obvious what you’re supposed to ring. ---
**Author:** ![Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Bambi\_Hassenpfeffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambi_Hassenpfeffer)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/36 "2006-10-19T06:49:01Z")
[QUOTE=Nava] 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) [/QUOTE] I was gonna say something similar to **Flea** ’s (without the spelling error 😉 ), because most sign-Spanish here in the US (that I have seen) uses the _Favor de_ construction for instances like this. The room-door hangers at hotels: _Favor de no molestar_. Restaurant restroom signs: _Favor de no fumar_ So, _Favor de tocar al timbre para obtener servicio_ is my story and I’m sticking to it. But you could undoubtedly drop _para obtener servicio_ and be clearly understood. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/37 "2006-10-19T06:58:59Z")
I have a photo of a doorbell (admittedly, not a desk bell) in Puerto Vallarta that just says TIMBRE with an arrow. Okay, it also says (in Spanish) “Mutual Aid for Neurotics,” but I’m guess in that that’s not necessary for understanding that you should ring the bell. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/38 "2006-10-19T08:06:55Z")
[QUOTE=Bambi Hassenpfeffer] I was gonna say something similar to **Flea** ’s (without the spelling error 😉 ), because most sign-Spanish here in the US (that I have seen) uses the _Favor de_ construction for instances like this. The room-door hangers at hotels: _Favor de no molestar_. Restaurant restroom signs: _Favor de no fumar_ So, _Favor de tocar al timbre para obtener servicio_ is my story and I’m sticking to it. But you could undoubtedly drop _para obtener servicio_ and be clearly understood. [/QUOTE] Ergh, dear, I wouldn’t quote hotel signs for “correct language” unless they’re in the primary language of their location… and then, not always. Like I said that one happens to be in use, but it’s not the most common one. After all, millions of stores and hotels in Spain, as well as Help Wanted ads, say “English Spoke”, which always makes me wonder whether English is the name of their talking bulldog 😉 ---
**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 19, 2006, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/39 "2006-10-19T08:26:49Z")
[QUOTE=Noone Special] Hebew: לקבלת שירות, נא לצלצל בפעמון [/QUOTE] Oops, somewhat later – but I’ve remembered something important: If you ever really do use these translations, and if you format them such that you left-justify all the lines, remember that Hebrew is a Right-to-left language and should be **right** -justified on your sign. ---
**Author:** ![Einmon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Einmon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Einmon)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818/40 "2006-10-19T10:26:53Z")
[QUOTE=tschild] That sounds a bit archaic/unusual, though. The normal German-language sign (e.g. on reception counters) is: **Bitte klingeln** (“please ring” - the context is implied). [/QUOTE] Yeah, I definitely would not use _“schellen”_ - I’d personally use **“Bitte läuten”** as for me \*“klingeln” \*seems to imply the use of a doorbell. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/translate-into-x-language-ring-bell-for-service/376818.md?page=3)