Is there any difference between "Can I" and "May I"?
"can I" and "may I"
Their usages often overlap but "may I" is considered more polite if you're in doubt over whether or not to use a more polite form.
Note that one will also hear "could I" being used in the same places that one would also hear "may I". Also note that "could I" is slightly less formal than "may I" but more formal than "can I".
<<You can't say "mayn't I", can you?>>
Apparently that word exists (I just checked a dictionary) but I never hear it and don't use it myself.
Apparently that word exists (I just checked a dictionary) but I never hear it and don't use it myself.
<Is there any difference between "Can I" and "May I"?>
Yes. "May I" shows that the speaker accepts or understands that the listener has direct authority to grant permission. "Can I" shows that the speaker accepts or understands that the listener has indirect authority to grant permission or has knowledge of the rules/prohibitions.
May I smoke in here?
OK, go on, I'll let you.
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Can I smoke in here?
Erm, yes, I think so.
Yes. "May I" shows that the speaker accepts or understands that the listener has direct authority to grant permission. "Can I" shows that the speaker accepts or understands that the listener has indirect authority to grant permission or has knowledge of the rules/prohibitions.
May I smoke in here?
OK, go on, I'll let you.
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Can I smoke in here?
Erm, yes, I think so.
<In actual usage, "can" is often used to request permission.>
It is indeed. Far more than "may".
It is indeed. Far more than "may".
At least here, if one is trying to be explicitly polite, it is far more likely that "could" or "may" would be used than "can". While I myself tend towards using "could" except when trying to very polite, I very frequently hear "may" being used by others in commonplace situations like sales transactions and like, especially by individuals older than myself.
<At least here, if one is trying to be explicitly polite, it is far more likely that "could" or "may" would be used than "can". While I myself tend towards using "could" except when trying to very polite, I very frequently hear "may" being used by others in commonplace situations like sales transactions and like, especially by individuals older than myself. <
That's odd, the Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English says this about "may":
For permission, "can" is used 1,500 times more per. million words than "may" is.
That's odd, the Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English says this about "may":
For permission, "can" is used 1,500 times more per. million words than "may" is.
>>That's odd, the Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English says this about "may":
For permission, "can" is used 1,500 times more per. million words than "may" is.<<
Might you consider that frequency of such usages vary from dialect to dialect, and that there may also be regional cultural features which would affect the usage of such words in such cases? At least here in Wisconsin, sales transactions (even if they involve acquaintances) and other similar sorts of interactions between strangers or like tend to be very polite and quite formal affairs, usually involving degrees of politeness and formality far greater than those that one would normally use when interacting with friends, family, and even coworkers. Such includes both things like the commonplace use of "may" and "could" instead of "can", and formal greetings such as "have a good day" instead of the usual "see ya". In such circumstances, to use "can" for requests would somewhat rude here, and to use the imperative for requests would very rude.
Of course, apparently there is not nearly as much formal social protocol pertaining to such cases in many other areas of the US outside of the Upper Midwest. Consequently, it is not surprising that "can" would be far more frequent than "may" in such cases in many other areas of at least the US, even though I do not know what dialects were used as the basis of that statement in the Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English.
For permission, "can" is used 1,500 times more per. million words than "may" is.<<
Might you consider that frequency of such usages vary from dialect to dialect, and that there may also be regional cultural features which would affect the usage of such words in such cases? At least here in Wisconsin, sales transactions (even if they involve acquaintances) and other similar sorts of interactions between strangers or like tend to be very polite and quite formal affairs, usually involving degrees of politeness and formality far greater than those that one would normally use when interacting with friends, family, and even coworkers. Such includes both things like the commonplace use of "may" and "could" instead of "can", and formal greetings such as "have a good day" instead of the usual "see ya". In such circumstances, to use "can" for requests would somewhat rude here, and to use the imperative for requests would very rude.
Of course, apparently there is not nearly as much formal social protocol pertaining to such cases in many other areas of the US outside of the Upper Midwest. Consequently, it is not surprising that "can" would be far more frequent than "may" in such cases in many other areas of at least the US, even though I do not know what dialects were used as the basis of that statement in the Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English.
<<"Mayn't" is used by the British, I think. >>
No, it isn't. I've never heard it. Maybe it was used in the past, but it sounds incredibly awkward nowadays.
No, it isn't. I've never heard it. Maybe it was used in the past, but it sounds incredibly awkward nowadays.
Is that true that "may" is more used by the British than by the Americans?
And is that true that a British person would use "may" where an American would use "can"?
Thank you
And is that true that a British person would use "may" where an American would use "can"?
Thank you
<<Is that true that "may" is more used by the British than by the Americans?>>
I don't think so, Larissa. I use both of them, depending how polite I want to be. To family and friends, I probably wouldn't say 'may', but only 'can'. 'Could' is more polite than 'can', then 'may' is the most polite.
I don't think so, Larissa. I use both of them, depending how polite I want to be. To family and friends, I probably wouldn't say 'may', but only 'can'. 'Could' is more polite than 'can', then 'may' is the most polite.