Asking Permission in Mandarin Chinese: 'May I' and 'Can I'
Learn to ask for permission politely in Mandarin Chinese using 可以 and 能不能, with window-opening, sitting, photo-taking and early-leaving examples, pinyin and tone marks.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
Asking permission is one of the first social skills you need in Mandarin Chinese. In English you often use 'May I' or 'Can I' before a verb. Chinese does something similar but with different words: the most useful pattern is 可以 (kěyǐ) plus an action, often with 吗 (ma) at the end to make a yes-or-no question. For example, 'May I open the window?' is 我可以开窗户吗? (Wǒ kěyǐ kāi chuānghu ma?). This lesson focuses only on permission: asking whether it is acceptable for you to do something. It is different from asking for an object, such as 'Can I have a glass of water?', which usually uses 给我 (gěi wǒ) or 能给我 (néng gěi wǒ). Here you will learn the pattern, when to use it, and how to sound polite without being too formal.
By the end, you can…
- ask permission to do something using 可以 + verb + 吗.
- ask a slightly softer permission question using 能不能.
- understand and answer a permission question with 可以 or 不可以.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
我可以开窗户吗？
May I open the window?
Wǒ kěyǐ kāi chuānghu ma?
The basic permission pattern: 可以 + action + 吗. Use it in a classroom, office, bus or home.
我可以坐这儿吗？
May I sit here?
Wǒ kěyǐ zuò zhèr ma?
Useful in cafés, trains, waiting rooms and classrooms when a seat may be taken.
我可以拍照吗？
May I take photos?
Wǒ kěyǐ pāizhào ma?
Use in museums, temples, shops or performances where photography may be limited.
我能不能先走？
Could I leave first? / May I leave a little early?
Wǒ néng bu néng xiān zǒu?
Softer and a little more tentative than 可以. Useful at work, class or a meeting.
可以，没问题。
Yes, no problem.
Kěyǐ, méi wèntí.
A common friendly answer giving permission. 没问题 means 'no problem'.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The main pattern is 我可以 + verb + 吗？ (Wǒ kěyǐ + verb + ma?). 我 (wǒ) means 'I', 可以 (kěyǐ) means 'may' or 'can' in the sense of permission, and 吗 (ma) turns the sentence into a yes-or-no question. Examples: 我可以开窗户吗？ (Wǒ kěyǐ kāi chuānghu ma?) 'May I open the window?'; 我可以坐这儿吗？ (Wǒ kěyǐ zuò zhèr ma?) 'May I sit here?'. To answer, say 可以 (kěyǐ) for 'yes, you may' or 不可以 (bù kěyǐ) for 'no, you may not'. A softer question is 我能不能 + verb？ (Wǒ néng bu néng + verb?), for example 我能不能先走？ (Wǒ néng bu néng xiān zǒu?) 'Could I leave first?'. 能不能 literally asks 'can or cannot', so it sounds more tentative and polite.
When to use it
Use 可以……吗？ when you want clear permission to do an action. It works in many everyday situations: 我可以进来吗？ (Wǒ kěyǐ jìnlái ma?) 'May I come in?' at a door; 我可以借你的笔吗？ (Wǒ kěyǐ jiè nǐ de bǐ ma?) 'May I borrow your pen?' with a classmate; 我可以早点儿走吗？ (Wǒ kěyǐ zǎo diǎnr zǒu ma?) 'May I leave a little early?' at work. Use 能不能 when you want to sound less direct, especially with a teacher, boss or someone you do not know well. Do not use 可以 to ask for an object by itself. For 'May I have a glass of water?', say 能给我一杯水吗？ (Néng gěi wǒ yì bēi shuǐ ma?) or 可以给我一杯水吗？ (Kěyǐ gěi wǒ yì bēi shuǐ ma?). The verb 给 (gěi) 'give' shows that you are asking for something, not just for permission.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
老师，我可以开窗户吗？
Teacher, may I open the window?Lǎoshī, wǒ kěyǐ kāi chuānghu ma?可以，今天有点儿热。
Yes, it is a little hot today.Kěyǐ, jīntiān yǒudiǎnr rè.谢谢。我能不能坐这儿？
Thank you. Could I sit here?Xièxie. Wǒ néng bu néng zuò zhèr?可以，请坐。
Yes, please sit down.Kěyǐ, qǐng zuò.A little context goes a long way
In Mandarin, politeness often comes from tone, context and softeners rather than from a special word like 'may'. Adding 请问 (qǐngwèn) 'may I ask' before a question makes it more polite: 请问，我可以坐这儿吗？ (Qǐngwèn, wǒ kěyǐ zuò zhèr ma?). With teachers, elders or senior colleagues, 能不能 or 可不可以 (kě bu kěyǐ) can sound gentler than a direct 可以 question. In casual situations among friends, 可以……吗？ is already fine and not rude.
One thing to watch for
Using 我可以 to ask for an object, as in 我可以一杯水吗？ (Wǒ kěyǐ yì bēi shuǐ ma?).
Try this instead: 可以 asks for permission to do an action, so you need a verb. For an object, use 给 (gěi) 'give': 可以给我一杯水吗？ (Kěyǐ gěi wǒ yì bēi shuǐ ma?) or 能给我一杯水吗？ (Néng gěi wǒ yì bēi shuǐ ma?) 'May I have a glass of water?'.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'May I sit here?' in Mandarin?
Show a sample answer
我可以坐这儿吗？ (Wǒ kěyǐ zuò zhèr ma?)
This uses 我 + 可以 + 坐这儿 + 吗. 这儿 (zhèr) means 'here'. In some regions people say 这里 (zhèlǐ) instead; both are correct.
2What is a softer way to ask 'Could I leave first?'
Show a sample answer
我能不能先走？ (Wǒ néng bu néng xiān zǒu?)
能不能 makes the question more tentative and polite. 先走 (xiān zǒu) means 'leave first' or 'leave early'. 我可以先走吗？ is also correct but more direct.
3Someone asks 我可以拍照吗？ How can you say 'No, you may not'?
Show a sample answer
不可以。 (Bù kěyǐ.)
不可以 is the direct negative answer to a 可以 question. To soften it, you can add a reason, for example 不可以，这里不能拍照 (Bù kěyǐ, zhèlǐ bù néng pāizhào) 'No, you may not; photography is not allowed here'.
For permission, use 我可以 + verb + 吗？ and answer with 可以 or 不可以. Use 能不能 for a softer, more tentative question, and remember that asking for an object needs 给 (gěi), not 可以 alone.
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