Can I? Could I? May I?

Should you say “Can I”, “Could I”, or “May I”? Learn exactly when to use each expression to ask questions politely in English. Be confident and correct when you ask permission or make a request in different situations: informal, semi-formal, or formal. Find out how to match your question and answer with the context. These modal questions are extremely common in English, which is why this is such an important lesson. Don’t miss it!

TRANSCRIPT

Hi. I'm Rebecca from engVid. In this lesson I'm going to show you three simple ways that you can ask a polite question in English. Okay? Now, usually when we're asking a question, it's we're asking if we can do something or we're asking permission, or we're asking someone else to do something for us, in which case we are requesting that they do something. All right? And there are three key words that you can use for this purpose, but in different ways. So, let's look at what they are. All right.

So, those three words are: "can", "could", and "may". Now, of course, you've heard those words before and I'm sure you use them as well, but let's be really sure when to use which one. So, it's very easy. We use "can" in more informal situations. All right? What do I mean by "informal"? For example, with your family or friends. All right? We use "could" in more semi-formal situations. "Semi-formal" means a little bit formal. For example, with your colleagues, people you work with. Right? With your hairdresser perhaps, with a salesperson in a store. All right? There we could use "could" so we kind of know that person or we don't know that person too well, but it's not a very formal situation. And the last is in formal situations when we use "may". So, what's a "formal situation"? Well, for example, if you're talking to a client, or a customer, or you're at an interview, then you want to be on your best behaviour, use your best manners, be very polite, be very formal and proper, and that's when we use "may".

Now, there is a little difference in terms of the grammar of how we use these three words. So, with "can" and "could", we can use those two with all of the pronouns. So, we can say: "can I", "can you", "can we", "could they", "could he", "could she", "could it". All right? Can use those with all of the pronouns. But when we come to "may", we can only use it with "I" or "we". All right? "May I do this?" or "May we" - you can't really ask permission for somebody else so much, so this is... These are the two ways we use "May". All right? Sometimes you might hear it with one or two other pronouns, but really, these are the most common. All right? So that's what you want to be able to use so you can always be 100% right.

Now, let's look at the same question and how it's different with the three words. All right? So, let's say I'm at home and I ask someone from my family: "Can I have some orange juice?" All right? So, there I'm using "can" because it's really informal. Now let's say I'm at the mall, I'm at the food court and I'm ordering some juice, so I say: "Could I have some orange juice?" All right? Slightly more formal. And now let's pretend that we're in a fancy restaurant and I'm ordering orange juice, so then I say: "May I have some orange juice?" Okay? Now, you could add the word "please" also, but with some of these it's already very polite, so you don't have to go overboard, you don't have to do too much, you don't have to always say "please", especially when you're asking for yourself. Okay? If you're requesting something that someone else do, then often we do add the "please" as well. Okay?

Now, what are some of the responses? We're not really focusing on the responses in this lesson, but let me just tell you what would be the appropriate responses-positive responses and negative responses-to these questions. So, if someone said: "Can I have some orange juice?"-informal-the answer might be: "Sure, here you go." Or: -"Could I have some orange juice?" -"Yes, of course." -"May I have some orange juice?" -"Certainly." Okay? So you see that the formality of the question matches the formality of the answer.

If it was negative: -"Can I...?" -"Sorry, we're all out." -"Could I...?" -"I'm sorry, we're all out." -"May I...?" -"I'm afraid we're all out." Okay? Same basic information, but represented quite differently. So now let's look at some more examples.

All right. So, informally, we could say: "Can I help you wash the dishes?" That would be a really nice thing to say to someone. Okay. All right. Or: "Can you clear the table, please?" Now, you see here because I'm requesting something of someone else, it's perfectly nice and fine to say "please" at the end. Okay? "Can you clear the table, please?" What does that mean: "Clear the table"? […]

[engvidRebecca]

Thanks for watching. It can be tricky to ask questions in English, so I hope this video makes your life a little easier. All the best!

[MercyOnMySoul]

When I was in elementary, I raised my hand and asked the teacher “CAN I go to the restroom?”, and the teacher replied “Yes, you CAN but you MAY not.” And from that on, I know exactly how to use CAN and MAY.

[nazabounouar]

You are such a wonderful teacher, thank you so much!!!!

[lbcthinkingoutloud]

Very clear and no nonsense approach. You speak Very calm and focused. Other YouTube teachers speak so fast as if they are trying to catch a plane.

[ylchen]

I do love your videos . They are clear and go directly to the points . As an English learner, your sample answers to the questions with can/ could/ may respectively are very helpful for understanding formal and informal, and, I will use ' may' only with the first person afterwards. Thank you so much.

[minimalism]

Best teacher i have ever came across ever since i started learning on Youtube.

[abc_cba]

I simply love your videos which range beyond general queries and tutoring ! Thanks

[cigdemezer]

Hello Rebecca 😊Your explanations are wonderful, your accent is so clear, you are polite rather a lot. I am an English Teacher in Istanbul and teaching English online. Your videos are feeding me and are improving my self -confidence to be much more productive for my students. Many many thanks for your efforts 🌹One day, if you visit İstanbul, ,please be informed me. It will be wonderful to have coffee together with the view of Bosphorus 😊🌹

[pleasecallmebe]

Thank you for all theses informations and how to implement them in a different situations

[ashfaqsaad]

Hy ma'am..i got much impressed with your efforts. And I learnt much from u..u are really an excellent teacher. God bless you

[ykrsmmz]

Hi, Rebecca. Thank you so much for being a virtual mentor to me. Your videos are of such great help, as we have a Korean girl staying with us for a year and I am teaching her English. While teaching her, I am also learning from you and deepening my own English grammar and usage. Am from the Philippines. More power to you!

[ykrsmmz]

Hi, Rebecca. Thank you so much for being a virtual mentor to me. Your videos are of such great help, as we have a Korean girl staying with us for a year and I am teaching her English. While teaching her, I am also learning from you and deepening my own English grammar and usage. Am from the Philippines. More power to you! 9:48

[ANKURGUPTAJEEVLOGS]

Feels like i have Wasted my life in my school and college, not getting this kind of teaching in depth. Now i will not waste it further. Thankyou teacher.

[jazraz]

After watching lots of videos.. This one helped me to clear my doubts.. Tq

[mohamedshariq]

You are the best teacher in my english learning.thank you very much

[jayeshjani]

Ma'am, I like your classes. Thank you.

[hunarguru]

Very Genuine, Polite & Simple style to Convey your voice to your audience.

I have learnt much from your engvids.

[herojitsorokhaibam]

This class helped me much ma'am.... Thnx for that... I was wondering about how to use but now i know well..

[youniskori]

Perfect. I can't thank you enough. Keep it up please

[englishbyteswithsiribon]

I learned something new in this video. I am a Filipino and I am having difficulty in some parts of English grammar. This a great help. Thank you very much.