Asking Permission, Making Requests, and Offering Help in Spanish

In this lesson, you will learn three useful social functions: asking permission, asking someone to do something, and offering help. The key is to notice who wants the action, who performs it, and who receives the help.

Asking permission with ¿Puedo...?

Use ¿Puedo + infinitive...? when you want permission to do something yourself.

— Can I come in?
— Can I open the window?
— Can I use the phone?
— Can I sit here?

For this lesson, — sit down is a useful fixed reflexive form.

Accepting or refusing permission

— Yes, of course.
— Yes, you can.
— I am sorry, no.
— I am sorry, you cannot.

Making an informal request with ¿Puedes...?

Use ¿Puedes + infinitive...? when you ask someone you address as tú to do something.

— Can you help me?
— Can you open the door?
— Can you repeat, please?
— Can you write the number?

Making a formal request with ¿Puede...?

Use ¿Puede + infinitive...? when you address someone as usted.

— Can you help me?
— Can you repeat, please?
— Can you write the address?

Permission versus request

Compare who performs the action.

Spanish	English	Who performs the action?
— Can I open the window?	Can I open the window?	the speaker
— Can you open the window?	Can you open the window?	the listener

Offering help informally

Use as a useful offer to someone you address as tú.

— Shall I help you?

Possible replies:

— Yes, thank you.
— No, thank you.

Offering help formally

Use as a useful polite offer to someone you address as usted.

— Shall I help you?

Offering specific help

You can keep the offer short and practical.

— Shall I help you with the suitcase?
— Shall I help you with the suitcase?

Accepting a request

— Yes, of course.
— Yes, now.
— Of course.

Refusing politely

— I am sorry, I cannot.
— I am sorry, I cannot right now.

A short reason can be added with familiar language.

— I am sorry, I cannot. I have to work.

Choosing tú or usted

Use the form that matches the relationship and situation.

— Can you help me? Informal tú.
— Can you help me? Formal usted.
— Shall I help you? Informal tú.
— Shall I help you? Formal usted.

Short exchange: asking permission

Person A: — Can I come in?

Person B: — Yes, of course.

Short exchange: making a request

Person A: — Can you write the number?

Person B: — Yes, of course.

Short exchange: offering help

Person A: — Shall I help you with the suitcase?

Person B: — Yes, thank you.

A practical decision method

If you want permission to do the action yourself, use ¿Puedo...?
If you want the other person to do the action, use ¿Puedes...? or ¿Puede...?
If you want to offer your help, use or
Choose tú or usted according to the relationship and setting.
Accept or refuse briefly and politely.

From Requests to Pedir and Preguntar

You can now ask permission, request a service, and offer help with an appropriate level of address. The next lesson distinguishes pedir and preguntar, two Spanish verbs that can both correspond to English “ask” but have different purposes.