電話してもいい？
denwa shitemo ii?
To ask can I call you? In Japanese, say 電話してもいい？ (denwa shitemo ii?), the casual way to ask permission to phone someone.
Use it with friends or family when you want to check that a phone call is welcome right now.
What does it mean word for word?
電話 (denwa) means phone call, して is the te form of the verb to do and もいい means is it okay if. Together they mean is it okay if I call.
Which one should you use?
電話してもいいですか？ is the polite version for acquaintances or superiors. Starting with お電話 and ending with よろしいですか makes it even more respectful. Ending with いいかな sounds a little unsure, like I wonder if I could call.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
電話してもいい？ is informal and fits friends or people of equal or lower status. Adding desu ka makes it polite.
When do people say it?
A casual yes is いいよ (ii yo). A polite yes is はい、いいですよ (hai, ii desu yo).
Did you know?
- Using 電話してもいい？ can be an indirect way of asking for a date or romantic attention, as the intimacy of a voice call is often viewed as a higher level of closeness than texting.
- While 電話 ('denwa') refers to the call, the word literally translates to 'electric talk'. It reflects the era when the telephone was a novelty of electricity and speech.
- Because Japanese culture values 'reading the air', if a person responds to 電話してもいい？ with a hesitant いいけど… ('it is okay, but…'), it is often a polite signal that they actually prefer not to talk.
Examples in context
- 後で電話してもいい？ato de denwa shitemo ii?Can I call you later?
- 今、電話してもいい？ima, denwa shitemo ii?Can I call you now?
- 明日、電話してもいい？ashita, denwa shitemo ii?Can I call you tomorrow?
Example conversation
Misaki is asking Kenta for permission to talk on the phone.
- 美咲 Misaki健太、今、電話してもいい？Kenta, ima, denwa shitemo ii?Kenta, can I call you now?
- 健太 Kentaうん、大丈夫だよ。un, daijoubu da yo.Yeah, that's fine.
- 美咲 Misakiちょっと相談したいことがあるんだ。chotto soudan shitai koto ga aru n da.There is something I want to consult you about.
- 健太 Kenta了解、待ってるね。ryoukai, matteru ne.Got it, I'll be waiting.
