HSK 1Lesson 16
You ask a teacher, classmate, or server for permission. The lesson focuses on polite question frames rather than long explanations.
You will learn to ask permission, ask a question politely, and soften short requests.
Ask permission or possibility and soften a polite question.
Part 1 · 8 new words
Contains 2 words
can / be able to
may / can / okay
Contains 3 words
please
excuse me / may I ask
Contains 3 words
particle softening tone
question / problem
Part 2 · 12 phrases
请问，我可以在这儿喝水吗？
Excuse me, may I drink water here?
我能问你一个问题吗？
Can I ask you a question?
可以。
Yes / You may.
请你喝水吧。
Please have some water.
我有一个问题。
I have a question.
可以问吗？
May I ask?
你说吧。
Go ahead and speak.
你问吧。
Part 3 · 4 conversations
A student asks the teacher for permission to read a particular book in the classroom.
美美Meimei
请问，我可以读这本书吗？
Excuse me, may I read this book?
王老师Teacher Wang
可以，你读吧。
Yes, go ahead and read it.
美美Meimei
Part 4 · 4 points
Modal verbs
Use 可以kěyǐ or 能néng before an action to ask whether it is allowed or possible.
Ask permission for an action
Asks whether someone may or can do a short action.
to ask
a little; briefly
Go ahead and ask.
好吧。
All right.
我可以在这儿喝水吗？
May I drink water here?
请问，你是谁？
Excuse me, who are you?
我能问你吗？
Can I ask you?
May I read it here?
王老师Teacher Wang
可以，在这儿读吧。
Yes, go ahead and read it here.
A student asks the teacher for permission in class.
美美Meimei
老师，我有一个问题。
Teacher, I have a question.
王老师Teacher Wang
可以，你问吧。
Yes, go ahead and ask.
美美Meimei
我可以不可以喝水？
May I drink water?
王老师Teacher Wang
可以，喝吧。
Yes, go ahead and drink.
One classmate checks another's writing ability and asks for a short demonstration.
美美Meimei
你能写汉字吗？
Can you write Chinese characters?
方方Fangfang
能，我能写一点儿。
Yes, I can write a little.
美美Meimei
可以写一下吗？
Could you write a little for me?
方方Fangfang
可以，我写一下。
Sure, I will write a little.
A classmate offers water, then checks whether the guest wants more.
方方Fangfang
请喝一点儿水吧。
Please have some water.
美美Meimei
好，我喝一点儿。
Okay, I will have a little.
方方Fangfang
还喝吗？
Would you like more?
美美Meimei
不喝了。
No more, thanks.
我可以问一下吗wǒ kěyǐ wèn yíxià ma asks permission to ask a brief question.
In sentences
Permission with 可以
我可以问一下吗？
May I ask something?
可以kěyǐ asks for permission to do the action.
Possibility with 能
我能问一下吗？
Can I ask something?
能néng asks whether the action is possible or allowed.
我能说一点儿中文吗？
Can I speak a little Chinese?
我可以不可以喝水？
May I drink water?
Use 可以kěyǐ before an action when you are asking for permission. Use 能néng when the question is more about ability or possibility. In this lesson, both help you ask short polite permission questions such as 我可以问一下吗wǒ kěyǐ wèn yíxià ma.
Polite requests
Use 请问qǐngwèn to open your own question politely. Use 请qǐng before a person or action when politely asking or inviting someone to do something.
Open a polite question
Signals that you are about to ask someone something politely.
请问qǐngwèn comes before the question, like saying excuse me before asking.
Ask or invite someone to act
Politely asks or invites the listener to do the following action.
请你喝水吧qǐng nǐ hē shuǐ ba politely invites the listener to have some water.
In sentences
Polite opener before a request
请问，我可以问一下吗？
Excuse me, may I ask something?
请问qǐngwèn prepares the listener for a polite question.
Please do this action
请你喝水吧。
Please have some water.
请qǐng comes before the person and requested action; it is different from the question opener 请问qǐngwèn.
Put 请问qǐngwèn before your own question when you politely interrupt someone to ask for information or permission: 请问，我可以问一下吗qǐngwèn, wǒ kěyǐ wèn yíxià ma, ‘Excuse me, may I ask something?’
Use 请qǐng before the person or action you are requesting: 请你喝水吧qǐng nǐ hē shuǐ ba, ‘Please have some water.’ Here 请qǐng asks or invites the listener to act; it does not introduce the speaker's question. Choose 请问qǐngwèn for ‘Excuse me, may I ask…?’ and 请qǐng for ‘Please do…’.
Sentence-final particles
吧ba can make a short invitation, suggestion, or permission reply softer.
Give soft permission
Lets someone continue with an action gently.
问吧wèn ba means go ahead and ask.
In sentences
Go ahead and drink
喝吧。
Go ahead and drink.
吧ba makes the short permission reply softer.
Go ahead and speak
说吧。
Go ahead and say it.
Use the action plus 吧ba to invite the listener to continue.
可以，你问吧。
Yes, go ahead and ask.
Use 吧ba at the end of a short reply when you are inviting someone to continue or giving gentle permission. In this lesson, 问吧wèn ba means go ahead and ask, and 喝吧hē ba means go ahead and drink.
Verb + 一下 softened request
一下yíxià after a verb makes the action sound brief and polite.
Make an action brief
Softens a request by making the action sound quick.
问一下wèn yíxià means ask briefly or ask something.
In sentences
Ask briefly
问一下
ask briefly
一下yíxià follows the verb.
我可以问一下吗？
May I ask something?
Put 一下yíxià after a verb when you want the action to sound quick or not too demanding. 问一下wèn yíxià is softer than just 问wèn when asking permission to ask a question.
可以，喝吧。
Yes, go ahead and drink.
喝permitted action吧softener
Why it matters · 喝吧hē ba gives soft permission to drink.
