Can I.... vs. May I..... - Page 2

It's not that I never understand your questions. I sometimes don't follow your thinking. If I ask for clarification, that means that I want to understand so that I can help you.

In the example quoted above, I do not understand what you mean by "realize" or "reparation", nor do I know how either word relates to a computer nor do I know how either word fits in with the idea of asking for permission to do something. Like I said, why don't you say it in Spanish, and then someone who speaks Spanish better than I do can help you with the wording of that sentence in English.

In English, to realize means darse cuenta de. It does not mean realizar. What you want to say in English is

May I carry out the repair of the computer today?

:)

Edit: and note repair, not reparation :)

In this part you was the guilty in the answer.

Because you should never have asked Can I have your last name?

You're asking him, obviously his last name, then you should have asked him, I know your last name? it's more polite than the first.

No, my mistake was to say "Can" instead of "May". It's not that I was impolite. I needed his last name to look up his ticket order in the computer. So when he said, "I'd like to pick up my tickets, please" I should have answered "May I have your last name, please."

Not I can say.

May I repair the computer today.

Yes. I did a mistake in the words reparation and fix, but in the dictionaries have the means less accurate.


Fix in the dictionary means Arreglar.

Reparar this appear as reparar.

The dictionary never showed me the word repair.

Therefore I believe that sometimes the dictionaries aren't complete in the grammatic.

Therefore I can say.

Could I repair the computer today.

Could I take to repair the computer today.

Could I carry the computer to repair with the IT.

I believe that all they are something understanding.

Well, realize can be used for that. "One must work hard to realize their goals."

Though I'd probably use "do" (Hacer) instead. "May I do the repairs to the computer today?" (Puedo hacer las reparaciones hoy?) (:?:)


Or just leave it out completely and say, "May I fix the computer today?" (¿Puedo reparar la computadora hoy?) (:?:)

Even so I don't believe very polite the use of the word Have there.

I believe that you should to ask him

Please Mr. May you give me your last name.

May you tell me your last name please.


I believe more polite this choices than when you use have.
Because if you have using the word HAVE sound as a command instead of a favor.

More if you works in a place where the attention cordial to the costumer the obligation.

At least in my opinion never I'd like to say.

Please May I have your name or last name, the person will answer me come back. Why do you want my last name?

Yeah, that's the hardest part about translating with a dictionary. I just got done looking the two up (see my last comment) but you beat me to it. It looked like 'Reparar' is used more for machines (cars, computers?) and arreglar for other things . . . but I couldn't tell for sure.

Those work, but "May I" seems to be better than "Could I".

Yes, exactly the last choice is the more accurate.

May I fix the computer today?

Just I did the same.

Some comments.........

I agree with your answer.

Could sound less polite than May this is more cordial and educated.

Well, in American English, to say "May I have your name?" is considered to be very polite and very professional. I'm sorry that it does not sound so to Spanish ears. I don't like the sounds of "Please give me your name." It's extremely direct. He knows exactly why I need his last name - he's the one asking for the tickets, and he knows that the tickets are stored in the computer by last name of the customer. He did NOT take offense to the "have" in my sentence, which WAS correct. He took offense to my incorrect use of the word "Can I..." instead of the correct "May I...."

Yes, I realized that somebody would pick me up on that - I hope you realize that I was just trying to keep it simple.:rolleyes:

Yes I agree with you May it's the more polite inclusive in the work.

Now I had a mistake in the part of IT, I know first the subject and later the complement.



Quote:
Originally Posted by Fazor
Though I'd probably use "do" (Hacer) instead. "May I do the repairs to the computer today?" (Puedo hacer las reparaciones hoy?) () - I wouldn't use "do" here, I would say "make" or simply "May I repair the computer today" or something similar (as you did below).

Or just leave it out completely and say, "May I fix the computer today?" (¿Puedo reparar la computadora hoy?) ()


Now in the use word make and do, I have understood that make is used only when you do something like to homework or food, and the word do is more used in the phrases when you are doing something.

For example I will make the food today.

I will do a walk with your brother today.

I believe that they have uses very different.

Yes, perhaps the terms are more polite in severals places or countries, but at least here or Spanish it tend to sound impolite.

That's a tough one, and I'll leave it for someone more knowledgeable in grammar rules than I to give you the reasoning. But I can tell you the following:

More:
I will do the laundry today.
I am doing my homework.
I will have my students carry the desks to the other room.

I suppose that "make" has the feeling of creating something... like you do when you "make" a meal.

I suppose that "do" has the feeling of accomplishing some task.

Does that help?

Of course! But I'm sure you realize that anyone who spends as much time on BAUT as I do will be quick to make a dorky nit-pick. :lol:

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

Unless he has an MSc in linguistics, what makes him more qualified than another native speaker to define "correct" English? (And if he does have an MSc in linguistics then how did he manage to remain a prescriptivist?)

Indeed. I have been known to distinguish inglés from estadounidense when helping non-native speakers.

That sounds odd. "One must" is very high register, so I'd expect "his" to be the corresponding genitive pronoun.

Well, I would say that there's a certain level of widely accepted "correctness" when you're in a formal educational environment. I would also say that it is well within my boss' purview to require me to use this acceptably correct English when speaking with him or with students or with a parent. I would also say that it is well within the purview of my boss and of the school board to expect that I would require my students to use this same acceptably correct English in the classroom. In fact, many students are told by their parents that there is a different way of speaking in certain settings (like the classroom) than in other settings. You don't agree? Interesting, then, your answer in the last part about what sounds "odd".... :)