Spanish for Elementary Learners: Asking and Giving Permission with "¿Puedo...?"
Learn to ask for and give permission in Latin American Spanish using puedo, puede, and pueden, with polite replies like Claro and Sí, adelante.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In Spanish, the same verb that talks about ability, poder, is also the normal way to ask for and give permission. This lesson focuses only on permission: asking whether you may do something and answering yes or no. You will learn the question forms ¿Puedo...?, ¿Puede...?, and ¿Pueden...?, plus natural replies such as Claro, Sí, adelante, and Lo siento, no se puede. The examples use broadly useful Latin American Spanish, with regional notes where usage changes.
By the end, you can…
- ask permission for myself using ¿Puedo...?
- ask permission for another person using ¿Puede...? or ¿Pueden...?
- give permission with Claro, Sí, adelante, or Está bien.
- refuse permission politely with Lo siento, no se puede or Ahora no.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
¿Puedo pasar?
May I come in?
PWEH-doh pah-SAR
Use at a doorway, office, or classroom. In Latin American Spanish, pasar often means 'to come in' or 'to go through.'
¿Puedo usar tu pluma?
May I use your pen?
PWEH-doh oo-SAR too PLOO-mah
Pluma is common in Mexico and much of Central America; bolígrafo is more common in Spain, and lapicero is used in parts of Colombia and Peru.
¿Me prestas tu celular?
Can you lend me your cell phone?
meh PRES-tahs too seh-loo-LAR
This is a very common Latin American way to ask for permission to borrow something. Celular is standard in Latin America; móvil is used in Spain.
Claro, adelante.
Sure, go ahead.
KLAH-roh ah-deh-LAHN-teh
A friendly, common way to give permission. Adelante literally means 'forward' and works in many situations.
Lo siento, no se puede.
Sorry, it's not allowed.
loh SYEN-toh noh seh PWEH-deh
A polite refusal. No se puede is impersonal and means 'it is not permitted,' so it softens the refusal.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
For permission, use poder + infinitive. The most common pattern is ¿Puedo + infinitive? for 'May I...?' Examples: ¿Puedo entrar? (May I come in?), ¿Puedo hablar con Ana? (May I speak with Ana?), ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? (May I pay by card?). To ask about another person, change the ending: ¿Puede él pasar? (May he come in?), ¿Pueden ellos salir? (May they leave?). Notice that poder changes form, but the second verb stays in the infinitive.
When to use it
Use ¿Puedo...? when you are asking about yourself. Use ¿Puede...? when you are asking politely about one other person, and ¿Pueden...? for a group. For permission to borrow something, Latin American Spanish often prefers ¿Me prestas...? or ¿Me puede prestar...? rather than a literal translation of 'borrow.' Examples: ¿Puedo sentarme aquí? (May I sit here?), ¿Me prestas tu pluma? (Can you lend me your pen?), ¿Pueden pasar los niños? (May the children come in?).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Buenos días, ¿puedo pasar?
Good morning, may I come in?BWEH-nohs DEE-ahs PWEH-doh pah-SARClaro, adelante. ¿En qué puedo ayudarle?
Sure, go ahead. How can I help you?KLAH-roh ah-deh-LAHN-teh en keh PWEH-doh ah-yoo-DAR-leh¿Me presta su pluma un momento?
Can you lend me your pen for a moment?meh PRES-tah soo PLOO-mah oon moh-MEN-tohSí, está bien. Aquí tiene.
Yes, that's fine. Here you go.see es-TAH BYEN ah-KEE TYEH-nehA little context goes a long way
In many Latin American contexts, permission questions often begin with a greeting or a small courtesy, especially with older people, teachers, or officials. Using usted forms like ¿Puede...? and ¿Me presta...? shows respect. Among friends, tú or vos forms are normal, and in parts of Central America and Argentina, vos replaces tú: ¿Me prestás tu pluma? All these are correct in their regions.
One thing to watch for
Using saber for permission, as in ¿Sé usar tu pluma?
Try this instead: Use poder for permission and ability in this pattern: ¿Puedo usar tu pluma? Saber means 'to know how,' so it does not ask for permission. For example, Sé nadar means 'I know how to swim,' not 'May I swim?'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'May I come in?' in Spanish?
Show a sample answer
¿Puedo pasar?
Puedo is the yo form of poder, and pasar means 'to come in' or 'to go through.' ¿Puedo entrar? is also correct and very common.
2A classmate asks ¿Puedo usar tu pluma? Give a friendly yes.
Show a sample answer
Claro, adelante.
Claro, adelante gives permission in a friendly way. Sí, está bien or Sí, cómo no are also valid.
3How do you politely refuse permission to enter right now?
Show a sample answer
Lo siento, ahora no se puede.
Lo siento softens the refusal, and no se puede means 'it is not allowed.' Lo siento, ahora no is also acceptable in casual conversation.
Use ¿Puedo...? to ask permission for yourself, ¿Puede...? or ¿Pueden...? for others, and reply with Claro, adelante or Lo siento, no se puede.
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