In this case,
may is wrong
because she is not asking or giving permission: she is making a request. So: may and can are used interchangeably when asking or giving permission. would (or will) and can (or could) are used interchangeably when making a request.
Can you please or can you?
1 Answer. If taken literally,
“Can you” is equivalent to asking the person
if they’re capable of doing something. “Could you”, on the other hand, implies that the action can be completed under some circumstances by the person. The usage of can you is idiomatic, and hence, is more popular used phrase of the two.
Is may have grammatically correct?
Nowadays, you can safely
use “might have”
and “may have” interchangeably. However, be aware that some pedants might insist that only “might have” can be used in the past tense . To placate those people, you should opt for “might have” over “may have.”
What does May you mean?
modal verb. You use may when
you are giving permission to someone to do something
, or when asking for permission. [formal]
Is it proper to say can you please?
Both are
correct
. The first is more direct, and the second is more polite. Could you please . . . gives slightly more room for refusal than Can you please . . .
Is could you please rude?
-> They both are impolite. They both sound like a command/order. The first one is less rude than the second one. Could you please give us some context?
How do you politely ask for something?
Use
“WOULD YOU DO ME A FAVOR
.” This is often used and you must use it when you are asking for a special request or favor. Other phrases for asking something to someone nicely are “DO YOU MIND,” WOULD YOU MIND, COULD I, WOULD IT BE OK IF, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO, etc.
What can I say instead of please?
- amuse.
- charm.
- cheer.
- entertain.
- gratify.
- satisfy.
- tickle.
- wow.
Can I come in or may I come in?
“Can” is about ability while “may” is about permission, so
“can you come”
(are you able to come) and “may I come” (do I have permission to come) are the right forms there. When asking someone else to meet/join you, you may also see “will you” (are you agreeable to this).
Can I help you or may I help you?
Both are correct, but the meaning is not the same.
“Can I help you?”
is probably more common. Suppose you see someone standing at a street corner with a map, looking around at the intersecting streets. if you say “Can I help you?”, you are assuming that is possible, but not certain, that the person needs help.
How do you use may have in a sentence?
We use may have and might have to make guesses about the past:
I haven’t received your letter. It may have got lost in the post. It’s ten o’clock
.
Is it I might or I may?
Might and may
are used mainly to talk about possibility. They can also be used to make a request, to ask permission, or to make a suggestion. When might and may are used with the same meaning, may is more formal than might.
What is another word for May?
| could might | may perhaps may possibly | may well possibly will | may actually could perhaps | could possibly could potentially |
|---|
Does may mean must?
Because the word “may” is ambiguous,
avoid using it when you mean “must
.” Similarly, avoid using the word “may” when expressing a conditional state because it does have different meanings in ordinary, non-legal usage (as explained above).
How do you use the word may?
May is the more
formal word
, and if you are at all concerned about being tut-tutted, a safe choice. Can is now the verb of choice for ability, and both can and may are still used in the “possibility” sense. You may use can if you wish, and you can use may if it makes you feel better.
