我可以要
wo ke yi yao
In Chinese, "can I have" is expressed as 我可以要 (wo ke yi yao).
我可以要 is a polite way to ask for permission to receive or obtain something. To turn this phrase into a proper question, you should add the question particle 吗 at the end of the sentence, creating 我可以要…吗？
How do you pronounce it?
wo ke yi yao
Did you know?
- If you use 我可以要 when asking for a person, such as a waiter, it would sound like you are asking for permission to possess that human being.
- When using 可以 to mean 'can', it specifically refers to possibility or permission, whereas 会 is used for skills you have learned.
- In many Chinese-speaking regions, using 我要 instead of the polite 我可以要…吗 is actually much more common when ordering food, as it sounds direct rather than demanding.
Examples in context
- 我可以要个纸袋吗？Can I have a paper bag?This sentence shows how to use 我可以要 to ask for a paper bag.Tatoeba #1020148 by joro, translation #263358 by CK
- 可以给我菜单吗？Can I have a menu?
- 请给我一张纸Please give me a piece of paper.
- 给我一瓶水Give me a bottle of water.
- 麻煩給我一杯水Could you please give me a cup of water?
Example conversation
Wei and Jiayi are at a cafe.
- 伟 Wei佳怡，我可以要你的笔吗？Jiāyí, wǒ kěyǐ yào nǐ de bǐ ma?Jiayi, can I have your pen?
- 佳怡 Jiayi当然可以，给你。Dāngrán kěyǐ, gěi nǐ.Of course, here you go.
- 伟 Wei谢谢你。Xièxiè nǐ.Thank you.
- 佳怡 Jiayi没事，不客气。Méishì, bù kèqì.No problem, you're welcome.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
