Chinese for Beginners: Asking and Giving Permission with 可以 (kěyǐ)
Learn to ask for and give permission in Mandarin using 可以 (kěyǐ). Practice polite requests like 'Can I borrow your pen?' and responses like 'Sure.'
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In Mandarin Chinese, the word 可以 (kěyǐ) is essential for asking and giving permission. Unlike 会 (huì) or 能 (néng), which often relate to ability or possibility, 可以 specifically asks whether something is allowed or permissible. This lesson will teach you how to use 可以 to ask for permission and how to respond appropriately. You'll learn the basic pattern, common phrases, and a short dialogue to practice. By the end, you'll be able to ask 'Can I...?' and give or deny permission in everyday situations.
By the end, you can…
- ask for permission using 可以 (kěyǐ) in Mandarin.
- give or deny permission using 可以 (kěyǐ) and 不可以 (bù kěyǐ).
- use polite phrases like 请问 (qǐngwèn) when making requests.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
我可以借你的笔吗？
Can I borrow your pen?
wǒ kěyǐ jiè nǐ de bǐ ma?
Use this pattern to ask for permission to borrow something. 可以 (kěyǐ) means 'can' for permission. Note: 借 (jiè) can mean both 'to borrow' and 'to lend' depending on context; here it means 'borrow'.
可以。
Sure. / Yes, you can.
kěyǐ.
A simple affirmative response to give permission. It can be used alone or with a subject.
不可以。
No, you can't. / Not allowed.
bù kěyǐ.
Use this to deny permission. It's direct but not necessarily rude; tone matters. To soften, add 不好意思 (bù hǎoyìsi) or 抱歉 (bàoqiàn) before it.
请问，我可以坐这里吗？
Excuse me, can I sit here?
qǐngwèn, wǒ kěyǐ zuò zhèlǐ ma?
Adding 请问 (qǐngwèn) makes the request more polite, similar to 'Excuse me' in English. Note: 这里 (zhèlǐ) means 'here'; in northern China, 这儿 (zhèr) is often used instead.
当然可以。
Of course you can.
dāngrán kěyǐ.
A warm, enthusiastic way to grant permission. 当然 (dāngrán) means 'of course'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The basic pattern for asking permission is: Subject + 可以 + Verb + Object + 吗？(ma?). For example, 我可以借你的笔吗？(wǒ kěyǐ jiè nǐ de bǐ ma?) means 'Can I borrow your pen?' To give permission, you can simply say 可以 (kěyǐ) or 当然可以 (dāngrán kěyǐ). To deny, say 不可以 (bù kěyǐ). Note that 可以 is used for permission, while 能 (néng) often refers to ability or possibility. For instance, 我能游泳 (wǒ néng yóuyǒng) means 'I can swim' (ability), but 我可以游泳吗？(wǒ kěyǐ yóuyǒng ma?) asks 'May I swim?' (permission). Also, 会 (huì) is used for learned skills, as in 我会说中文 (wǒ huì shuō Zhōngwén) 'I can speak Chinese'.
When to use it
Use 可以 when you are asking whether an action is allowed by someone or by rules. It's common in everyday situations: borrowing items, entering places, sitting down, or asking for favors. For example, 我可以进来吗？(wǒ kěyǐ jìnlái ma?) means 'May I come in?' When responding, 可以 grants permission, while 不可以 denies it. If you want to be more polite, add 请问 (qǐngwèn) before your question, or use 您 (nín) instead of 你 (nǐ) for formal 'you'. Avoid using 可以 for ability; use 会 (huì) for learned skills or 能 (néng) for physical ability or possibility. Note that 可以 (kěyǐ) is pronounced with a third tone on both syllables, but in natural speech the second syllable may be neutralized to kěyi.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
请问，我可以借你的笔吗？
Excuse me, can I borrow your pen?qǐngwèn, wǒ kěyǐ jiè nǐ de bǐ ma?当然可以。给你。
Of course you can. Here you go.dāngrán kěyǐ. gěi nǐ.谢谢！
Thank you!xièxie!不客气。
You're welcome.bù kèqi.A little context goes a long way
In Chinese culture, politeness is often shown through indirectness and the use of polite words like 请问 (qǐngwèn) and 您 (nín). When asking for permission, it's common to soften the request with 请问 or to give a reason. For example, 我可以坐这里吗？我有点累。 (Can I sit here? I'm a bit tired.) Directly saying 不可以 (bù kěyǐ) can sound blunt, so people might soften refusals with 不好意思 (bù hǎoyìsi, 'sorry') or provide an excuse. Understanding these nuances helps navigate social interactions smoothly. Note that cultural norms can vary by region and context, so observe and adapt accordingly.
One thing to watch for
Using 会 (huì) or 能 (néng) instead of 可以 (kěyǐ) when asking for permission, e.g., 我会借你的笔吗？(wǒ huì jiè nǐ de bǐ ma?)
Try this instead: Use 可以 for permission. The correct sentence is 我可以借你的笔吗？(wǒ kěyǐ jiè nǐ de bǐ ma?). 会 is for learned abilities (e.g., 我会说中文, I can speak Chinese), and 能 is for physical ability or possibility (e.g., 我能跑很快, I can run fast).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'Can I sit here?' in Mandarin?
Show a sample answer
我可以坐这里吗？(wǒ kěyǐ zuò zhèlǐ ma?)
This uses the pattern Subject + 可以 + Verb + Place + 吗. You could also add 请问 (qǐngwèn) for politeness: 请问，我可以坐这里吗？
2What is a polite way to give permission?
Show a sample answer
当然可以。(dāngrán kěyǐ.)
当然可以 is a warm and polite affirmative response. You can also simply say 可以 (kěyǐ) or 可以，请 (kěyǐ, qǐng).
3Translate: 'Sorry, you can't.' (Denying permission politely)
Show a sample answer
不好意思，不可以。(bù hǎoyìsi, bù kěyǐ.)
Adding 不好意思 (bù hǎoyìsi) softens the refusal. You could also say 抱歉，不可以 (bàoqiàn, bù kěyǐ).
Use 可以 (kěyǐ) to ask for and give permission in Mandarin. Remember the pattern: Subject + 可以 + Verb + Object + 吗？Respond with 可以 (yes) or 不可以 (no), and add polite words like 请问 or 不好意思 to sound more natural.
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