English
Polite Requests, Offers, and Permission
Updated Oct 28, 2026
Choose courteous modal questions for everyday situations.
What you’ll learn
Choose courteous modal questions for everyday situations.
ស្នើសុំ ផ្ដល់ជំនួយ និងសុំការអនុញ្ញាតដោយគួរសម។
Meaning and use
Could you and would you commonly make polite requests. Can I, could I, and may I ask permission with different levels of formality. Would you like offers something; shall I can offer an action. Could is not past time in these polite questions. Tone and context affect politeness too.
Could you និង would you ប្រើស្នើសុំដោយគួរសម។ May I និង could I ប្រើសុំការអនុញ្ញាត។ Would you like ប្រើផ្ដល់អ្វីមួយដល់គេ។
Grammar patterns
| Pattern | Example or form |
|---|---|
| Polite request | Could you + base verb? |
| Permission / offer | May I sit here? / Would you like some tea? |
Examples
-
Could you open the window, please?
សូមអ្នកជួយបើកបង្អួចបានទេ?
-
May I ask a question?
តើខ្ញុំអាចសួរសំណួរមួយបានទេ?
-
Would you like some tea?
តើអ្នកចង់បានតែខ្លះទេ?
-
Shall I carry your bag?
ឱ្យខ្ញុំជួយយួរកាបូបអ្នកបានទេ?
Everyday conversation
Dara: Could you send me the timetable, please?
Maly: Of course. Would you like the map as well?
Common mistakes
| Instead of | Use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Could you to help me? | Could you help me? | The verb after could is a bare infinitive. |
| Would you like drink tea? | Would you like to drink tea? | Would like takes a to-infinitive before a verb. |
Practice
Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.
សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។
- Rewrite politely: Send me the file.
- Complete an offer: Would you like ___ sit down?
- Is Could I borrow your pen? a question about the past?
Answers and explanations
Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ
-
Could you send me the file, please?
Could you turns the command into a polite request.
-
to
Would like is followed by a to-infinitive.
-
No. It asks permission now.
Could makes this request more tentative.
Quick recap
- Polite request: Could you + base verb?
- Permission / offer: May I sit here? / Would you like some tea?