French phrase
Pouvez-vous ne pas ~ ?
Meaning
Could you refrain from ___?
When to use it
A polite request to refrain from a specific action. It suits specific situations and sounds respectful.
Example dialogue
Pouvez-vous ne pas parler si fort la nuit ?
Could you refrain from speaking so loudly at night?
D'accord, désolé, je ferai attention.
Okay, sorry, I'll be more careful.