Speaking • Expressing Ideas
Asking Permission in Mandarin Chinese
The modal verb 可以 (kěyǐ) is the core of permission in Mandarin — 可以吗？ asks "may I?" and 可以 alone grants it. Refusing permission politely requires care: softened phrases like 现在不太方便 (not very convenient right now) preserve face better than a blunt 不行.
Asking for Permission
| 汉字 Chinese | 拼音 Pīnyīn | English |
|---|---|---|
可以……吗？ | kěyǐ……ma? | May I…? / Is it okay to…? (most common) |
我可以进来吗？ | wǒ kěyǐ jìn lái ma? | May I come in? |
我可以用一下你的电话吗？ | wǒ kěyǐ yòng yīxià nǐ de diànhuà ma? | May I use your phone for a moment? |
请问，这里可以拍照吗？ | qǐngwèn, zhèlǐ kěyǐ pāizhào ma? | Excuse me, is photography allowed here? |
可以麻烦你……吗？ | kěyǐ máfan nǐ……ma? | Could I trouble you to…? (polite) |
我能不能……？ | wǒ néng bu néng……? | Am I able to…? / Would it be possible to…? |
请问，允许……吗？ | qǐngwèn, yǔnxǔ……ma? | May I ask, is … permitted? (formal) |
Granting Permission
| 汉字 Chinese | 拼音 Pīnyīn | English |
|---|---|---|
可以。 | kěyǐ. | Yes, you may. / Sure. |
没问题。 | méi wèntí. | No problem. / Of course. |
当然可以。 | dāngrán kěyǐ. | Of course you may. |
随便。 | suíbiàn. | Go ahead. / As you like. (casual) |
请便。 | qǐng biàn. | Please go ahead. (polite) |
不介意的话，请便。 | bù jièyì dehuà, qǐng biàn. | If you don't mind, please go ahead. |
好的，没关系。 | hǎo de, méi guānxi. | Sure, it's fine. |
Refusing Permission Politely
| 汉字 Chinese | 拼音 Pīnyīn | English |
|---|---|---|
不行。 | bù xíng. | No. / That won't do. (direct refusal) |
对不起，不可以。 | duìbuqǐ, bù kěyǐ. | Sorry, you may not. |
这里不允许拍照。 | zhèlǐ bù yǔnxǔ pāizhào. | Photography is not permitted here. |
抱歉，规定不让。 | bàoqiàn, guīdìng bù ràng. | Sorry, the rules don't allow it. |
现在不太方便。 | xiànzài bú tài fāngbiàn. | It's not very convenient right now. (soft refusal) |
恐怕不行。 | kǒngpà bù xíng. | I'm afraid not. (polite but firm) |
能不能换个时间？ | néng bu néng huàn gè shíjiān? | Could we find another time? (redirecting) |
Usage Notes
Both 可以 and 能 can ask permission, but 可以 is more specifically about what is allowed (rules, social norms), while 能 focuses on physical or practical ability. For permission, 可以吗？ is the safer and more natural choice.
Direct refusals like 不行 (not acceptable) can feel harsh. Native speakers often soften refusals with reasons: 不好意思，现在不太方便 (sorry, it's not very convenient right now). The indirect refusal preserves everyone's face.
随便 (suíbiàn) means 'as you like / go ahead' but can sound dismissive if used in the wrong context. In casual settings with friends it is fine. In formal contexts, prefer 请便 (qǐng biàn) or 当然可以.
Adding 一下 (yīxià) after a verb softens a request: 可以用一下吗？(may I use it briefly?) sounds gentler than 可以用吗？. It implies the action will be brief or minor, reducing any imposition on the listener.