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Everyday English · CEFR A2 · Everyday
Can I is everyday, May I is formal, and Do you mind if I takes the present tense even though it feels like it should not.
Rebuild this lesson’s reference sentence. Other tasks can have other valid word orders.
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Can I sit here?
Can / Could / May I + verb · Do you mind if I + present
Question 1 of 1
Choose an answer, then check why it fits.
This is a check of this example, not an English level assessment.
Example 1 of 4
क्या मैं यहाँ बैठ सकता हूँ?
Can I sit here?
Can I is everyday, May I is formal, and Do you mind if I takes the present tense even though it feels like it should not.
Can I come in?
Can I is everyday, May I is formal, and Do you mind if I takes the present tense even though it feels like it should not.
Can I take this?
Can I is everyday, May I is formal, and Do you mind if I takes the present tense even though it feels like it should not.
Can I go now?
Can I is everyday, May I is formal, and Do you mind if I takes the present tense even though it feels like it should not.
The shape
Can / Could / May I + verb · Do you mind if I + present
Ask whether you are allowed to do something.
In Hindi
Can I रोज़ का, May I औपचारिक, और Do you mind if I के बाद वर्तमान काल आता है।
CoCap explains every structure in both languages, because a rule you understand in Hindi is a rule you can use in English.
The sentence Indian-English speakers actually produce, and the reason it is wrong.
| Commonly said | Correct English |
|---|---|
Do you mind if I will sit here? | Do you mind if I sit here? After "if I" in this phrase the verb stays in the present. |
Easiest first. Every sentence is authored, with the Hindi it comes from.
Can I sit here?
क्या मैं यहाँ बैठ सकता हूँ?
also correct: May I sit here?
Can I come in?
क्या मैं अंदर आ सकता हूँ?
also correct: May I come in?
Can I take this?
क्या मैं यह ले सकता हूँ?
also correct: May I take this?
Can I go now?
क्या मैं अभी जा सकता हूँ?
also correct: May I leave now?
Can I use your phone?
क्या मैं तुम्हारा फोन इस्तेमाल कर सकता हूँ?
Can I open the window?
क्या मैं खिड़की खोल सकता हूँ?
Can I have some water?
क्या मैं पानी पी सकता हूँ?
also correct: May I drink some water?
Can I wait here?
क्या मैं यहाँ इंतज़ार कर सकता हूँ?
Can I ask you a question?
क्या मैं आपसे एक सवाल पूछ सकता हूँ?
Can I put my bag here?
क्या मैं अपना बैग यहाँ रख सकता हूँ?
Close enough to be mixed up with this one. Knowing the difference is most of knowing either.
Where this structure sits in the ladder, and what surrounds it.
Can I…? May I…? Do you mind if…? is a CEFR A2 structure — the everyday band — and it belongs to everyday english. CoCap’s syllabus files every structure this way so you can learn in order instead of jumping between whatever a search happened to return.
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