About This Lesson
Use Basic permission questions to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
我可以用这个吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ yòng zhège ma? Can I use this?
B
我可以坐这里吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ zuò zhèlǐ ma? Can I sit here?
A
我可以进来吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ jìnlái ma? Can I come in?
B
我可以看看吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ kànkan ma? Can I see it?
A
我可以试试吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ shìshi ma? Can I try it?
B
我可以要这个吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ yào zhège ma? Can I have this?Word by Word
我
我 means “I” or “me”; it refers to the person asking the permission question in every line. It comes at the beginning of patterns such as “我可以用这个吗？”. Use it when speaking about yourself, including when asking another person for permission.
可以
可以 means “can” or “may” here and expresses permission in questions such as “我可以坐这里吗？”. It comes after 我 and before the action or request, such as 用, 坐, or 要. Use it when asking whether you are allowed to do something or have something.
用
用 means “use” in “我可以用这个吗？”, referring to using the item called 这个. It comes after 可以 and before the object. Use it when asking permission to use a tool, object, or other available item.
这个
这个 means “this” or “this one” and identifies the item in “我可以用这个吗？” and “我可以要这个吗？”. It appears after an action such as 用 or 要 as the object being used or requested. Use it when pointing to a particular nearby item.
吗
吗 is the question particle at the end of each line, including “我可以用这个吗？”. It marks the whole sentence as a yes-or-no question rather than adding the question meaning to only one preceding word. Use it at the end when asking for a simple confirmation or permission.
坐
坐 means “sit” in “我可以坐这里吗？”, asking for permission to sit in the indicated place. It follows 可以 and comes before the location 这里. Use it when asking whether you may sit somewhere.
这里
这里 means “here” and identifies the place in “我可以坐这里吗？”. It follows 坐 to show where the speaker wants to sit. Use it when referring to the current or nearby place in a conversation.
进来
进来 means “come in” or “enter toward here” in “我可以进来吗？”. It follows 可以 as the action for which the speaker is asking permission. Use it at a doorway or boundary when asking whether you may enter the other person’s current place.
看看
看看 means “take a look” or “have a look” in “我可以看看吗？”. It is the repeated form of 看 and presents the action as a brief or light look. Use it when asking permission to look at something, such as an item someone is showing.
试试
试试 means “try” in “我可以试试吗？”. It is the repeated form of 试 and presents trying something briefly or as one opportunity. Use it when asking permission to test, sample, or try something available.
要
要 means “want” or “ask to have” in “我可以要这个吗？”, where the speaker is asking whether they may have the indicated item. It follows 可以 and comes before 这个. Use it when politely asking whether you may have or request a particular thing.
Grammar Points
动词重叠：看看、试试
我看看。我试试。
Wǒ kànkan. Wǒ shìshi.I’ll have a look. I’ll try it.
Chinese often repeats a verb to make the action sound brief, casual, or less forceful.
要 + 动词
要进来。
Yào jìnlái.Want to come in.
要 can come before a verb to express wanting or asking to do something.
Chinese Vocabulary
进来
verb
jìnlái
come in; enter
看看
verb
kànkan
have a look; take a look
试试
verb
shìshi
try
我
pron
wǒ
I; me
要
verb
yào
want; ask for
用
verb
yòng
use
这个
pron
zhège
this; this one
这里
adv
zhèlǐ
here
坐
verb
zuò
sit
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
this; this one
Show Answer
这个have a look; take a look
Show Answer
看看try
Show Answer
试试here