How to Say “Can I Please Have” in German

By •
kann ich bitte haben
The English phrase "can I please have" is translated into German as kann ich bitte haben.
kann ich bitte haben is a way to politely ask for something you want to receive. While this is a direct translation of the English phrase, native German speakers more commonly use the phrase Ich hätte gerne… (I would gladly have…) when ordering in a restaurant or a shop.

Which one should you use?

In German, using darf ich bitte … haben is considered more grammatically correct than kann ich bitte … haben when you are making a polite request or asking for permission. This is because kann technically refers to your ability to do something, whereas darf refers to permission.

How does it change in a sentence?

In a standard sentence using the structure kann ich bitte … haben, the verb haben (to have) moves to the very end of the clause, following the object.

Did you know?

  • The polite word bitte is actually a shortened version of the phrase ich bitte, which means 'I beg'.
  • Because the verb haben must move to the end of the sentence, German speakers must hold the request in their mind until the very last word is spoken.

Example conversation

Julian and Laura are at a cafe.

  1. Julian

    Kann ich bitte haben einen Kaffee?
    Can I please have a coffee?
  2. Laura

    Ja, gerne. Mit Milch und Zucker?
    Yes, gladly. With milk and sugar?
  3. Julian

    Nur mit Milch, bitte.
    Only with milk, please.
  4. Laura

    Kommt sofort, Julian!
    Coming right up, Julian!

Sources

⭐Share⭐ to appreciate human effort 🙏
Lily Isabella
Lily IsabellaHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
guest
0 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Scroll to Top