¿me puedo ir a casa?
The English phrase "can I go home" is translated into Spanish as ¿me puedo ir a casa?
A request for permission to leave a place and return to one's own residence.
Which one should you use?
While ¿me puedo ir a casa? specifically mentions going home, ¿me puedo ir? is a more general way to ask for permission to leave a location.
How does it change in a sentence?
The reflexive pronoun 'me' can be attached to the end of the infinitive 'ir' to form 'irme', which is a common alternative word order for this request.
Did you know?
- If you use the phrase ¿me puedo ir?, you might trigger the 'long goodbye', a social ritual where guests spend a long time chatting and saying their final farewells before actually exiting the door.
- The verb ir is an example of 'suppletion', meaning the present tense voy and the past tense fui originate from entirely different Latin verbs.
- The English word 'voyage' and the Spanish 'voy' (from the verb ir) share a hidden connection through the Latin verb 'vādere', meaning 'to go'.
Examples in context
- Sí, puedes irte.Yes, you can go.
- Oye, ¿me puedo ir a casa?Hey, can I go home?
- Si termino esto, ¿me puedo ir a casa?If I finish this, can I go home?
Example conversation
Alejandro is finishing his shift at a small office and asks his boss, María.
- AlejandroMaría, ¿me puedo ir a casa?María, can I go home?
- MaríaSí, Alejandro, ya has terminado.Yes, Alejandro, you are finished.
- AlejandroGracias, nos vemos mañana.Thanks, see you tomorrow.
- MaríaHasta mañana, descansa.See you tomorrow, rest up.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, casa, ir, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
