About This Lesson
Use Asking for Basic Permission to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
Kann ich das benutzen?
kahn ikh dahs beh-NOOT-sen? Can I use this?
B
Kann ich hier sitzen?
kahn ikh heer ZIT-sen? Can I sit here?
A
Kann ich hereinkommen?
kahn ikh heh-RINE-koh-men? Can I come in?
B
Kann ich es sehen?
kahn ikh ess ZAY-en? Can I see it?
A
Kann ich es ausprobieren?
kahn ikh ess OWS-proh-bee-ren? Can I try it?
B
Kann ich das haben?
kahn ikh dahs HAH-ben? Can I have this?Word by Word
Kann
In this dialogue, “Kann” means “can” or “may” and is used to ask for permission. It appears before “ich” in the reusable question pattern “Kann ich ...?”. Use it when politely asking whether you are allowed to do something.
ich
“ich” means “I”, the person asking for permission in these questions. It follows “Kann” in the pattern “Kann ich ...?”. Use it when asking about an action you want to do yourself.
das
Here, “das” points to the item the speaker wants to use or have, meaning “this” or “that”. It appears as the object in “Kann ich das benutzen?” and “Kann ich das haben?”. Use it when the item is clear from the situation.
benutzen
“benutzen” means “use” in “Kann ich das benutzen?”. After “Kann”, it stays in this infinitive form at the end of the question. Use the pattern “Kann ich das benutzen?” when asking permission to use an item.
hier
“hier” means “here” and identifies the place where the speaker wants to sit. In “Kann ich hier sitzen?”, it comes before the action. Use it when asking permission to do something in the current place.
sitzen
“sitzen” means “sit” in “Kann ich hier sitzen?”. It is the infinitive after “Kann” and comes at the end of the question. Use “Kann ich hier sitzen?” when asking whether you may sit in a particular place.
hereinkommen
“hereinkommen” means “come in” or “enter” in “Kann ich hereinkommen?”. It is the action whose permission is being requested and appears as an infinitive after “Kann”. Use this question when you are at a doorway or outside a room and want permission to enter.
es
“es” means “it” and refers to the thing the speaker wants to see or try. It comes before the infinitive in “Kann ich es sehen?” and “Kann ich es ausprobieren?”. Use it when the object is already known from the conversation or situation.
sehen
“sehen” means “see” in “Kann ich es sehen?”. It is the infinitive after “Kann” and appears at the end of the question. Use “Kann ich es sehen?” when asking permission to look at something.
ausprobieren
“ausprobieren” means “try” or “try out” in “Kann ich es ausprobieren?”. It is the infinitive after “Kann” and comes at the end of the question. Use this question when asking permission to try an item or activity.
haben
“haben” means “have” in “Kann ich das haben?”. Here, the speaker is asking whether they may have the item. It is the infinitive after “Kann”, so use the pattern “Kann ich das haben?” when requesting something.
Grammar Points
Trennbare Verben: herein|kommen, aus|probieren
hereinkommen; ausprobieren
heh-RINE-koh-men; OWS-proh-bee-rento come in; to try
Some German verbs have a separable prefix. In a sentence, the prefix can move to the end.
German Vocabulary
ausprobieren
verb
OWS-proh-bee-ren
to try
Kann ich es ausprobieren?
benutzen
verb
beh-NOOT-sen
to use
Kann ich das benutzen?
das
pron
dahs
this; that
Kann ich das benutzen?
es
pron
ess
it
Kann ich es sehen?
haben
verb
HAH-ben
to have
Kann ich das haben?
hereinkommen
verb
heh-RINE-koh-men
to come in
Kann ich hereinkommen?
hier
adv
heer
here
Kann ich hier sitzen?
ich
pron
ikh
I
Kann ich hier sitzen?
sehen
verb
ZAY-en
to see
Kann ich es sehen?
sitzen
verb
ZIT-sen
to sit
Kann ich hier sitzen?
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
Can I use this?
Show Answer
Kann ich das benutzen?Can I sit here?
Show Answer
Kann ich hier sitzen?Can I come in?
Show Answer
Kann ich hereinkommen?Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
here
Show Answer
hierto use
Show Answer
benutzento see
Show Answer
sehento come in