Japanese for Beginners: Asking Permission Politely with 'May I' and 'Can I'
Learn to ask permission in Japanese using 〜てもいいですか and casual 〜ていい, with clear examples for windows, photos, sitting, and leaving early.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In Japanese, asking permission is not the same as asking for an object. To say 'May I open the window?' or 'Can I take a photo?', you usually describe the action and add a permission pattern. The most useful beginner pattern is verb て-form + もいいですか (te-form + mo ii desu ka). This lesson teaches that pattern, a casual variant, and how to sound polite without being stiff. You will practice with everyday actions and learn when to use 〜てもいいですか versus 〜ていい.
By the end, you can…
- ask permission politely using verb て-form + もいいですか.
- ask a casual permission question using verb て-form + いい.
- recognize and respond to permission questions in everyday Japanese.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
まどをあけてもいいですか。
May I open the window?
mado o akete mo ii desu ka
Polite, standard permission question. Use with strangers, teachers, staff, or anyone you address with ですます.
しゃしんをとってもいいですか。
May I take a photo?
shashin o totte mo ii desu ka
Very useful when traveling. In some places, such as temples or museums, photography may be restricted, so asking is polite.
ここにすわってもいいですか。
May I sit here?
koko ni suwatte mo ii desu ka
Use when pointing to an empty seat on a train, in a cafe, or at a shared table.
はやくかえってもいいですか。
May I leave early?
hayaku kaette mo ii desu ka
Useful at work or school. The verb かえる here means 'to go home' or 'to leave'.
これをつかってもいい？
Can I use this?
kore o tsukatte mo ii?
Casual form for friends, family, or close colleagues. The ですか is dropped, and intonation rises at the end. Note that the casual pattern is 〜てもいい？, so the も is kept: つかってもいい？
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Take the て-form of a verb and add もいいですか. For example, あける (akeru, 'to open') becomes あけて (akete), so 'May I open it?' is あけてもいいですか (akete mo ii desu ka). とる (toru, 'to take') becomes とって (totte), so 'May I take a photo?' is しゃしんをとってもいいですか (shashin o totte mo ii desu ka). The を particle marks the object: まどを (mado o), しゃしんを (shashin o). The verb comes at the end.
When to use it
Use 〜てもいいですか with teachers, strangers, staff, and anyone you do not know well. It is safe and polite. For friends or family, 〜てもいい？ (te mo ii?) is natural and casual. Do not use the casual form with a boss or a customer unless your relationship is very close. To ask about a rule rather than your own action, you can say ここでしゃしんをとってもいいですか (koko de shashin o totte mo ii desu ka), meaning 'May I take photos here?' The で particle marks the place.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、まどをあけてもいいですか。
Excuse me, may I open the window?sumimasen, mado o akete mo ii desu kaはい、いいですよ。
Yes, that's fine.hai, ii desu yoありがとうございます。しゃしんをとってもいいですか。
Thank you. May I take a photo?arigatou gozaimasu. shashin o totte mo ii desu kaすみません、ここではちょっと…。
Sorry, here it's a bit… (not allowed).sumimasen, koko de wa chotto...A little context goes a long way
Japanese permission questions often sound softer than direct English 'Can I?' The response いいですよ (ii desu yo) means 'That's fine.' A common refusal is ちょっと… (chotto...), literally 'a little…', which trails off and implies difficulty without a blunt 'no.' This indirect style is normal and polite, so do not press for a clear yes or no.
One thing to watch for
Using を with the place: ここをすわってもいいですか (koko o suwatte mo ii desu ka).
Try this instead: Use に for the place where you sit: ここにすわってもいいですか (koko ni suwatte mo ii desu ka). を marks a direct object, as in まどをあけてもいいですか (mado o akete mo ii desu ka).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you politely ask 'May I take a photo?' in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
しゃしんをとってもいいですか。 (shashin o totte mo ii desu ka)
This uses the て-form とって plus もいいですか. The written form is the same whether you speak with a rising or falling intonation; the question is marked by か.
2Make this casual: ここにすわってもいいですか。
Show a sample answer
ここにすわってもいい？ (koko ni suwatte mo ii?)
Dropping ですか makes it casual. Use it only with friends, family, or close colleagues. With a teacher or stranger, keep ですか.
3What does ちょっと… often mean as a response to a permission question?
Show a sample answer
It often means 'That's a bit difficult' or a soft refusal.
ちょっと… is an indirect way to decline. It is not a clear 'no,' but in context it usually signals that the request is not possible. A direct だめです (dame desu) is stronger and can sound blunt.
For polite permission, use verb て-form + もいいですか. For casual permission with close friends, use て-form + もいい？. Remember に for places and を for objects.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Japanese into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr