French - Asking Permission

Lesson 19 of 159

Learner asking permission in French with friendly expressions; lesson about asking and giving permission.

Goal: Polite and casual ways to ask and give permission

Free French lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Ready to ask—and get—permission in French? This short lesson helps you say simple, everyday requests and responses. Have fun practicing the phrases out loud.

Level A1: In this lesson you'll learn common ways to ask for permission (Je peux...?, Est-ce que je peux..., Ça va si je...?) and simple replies (Oui, tu peux. / Non, désolé.). You'll practice polite forms and casual responses in short dialogs and quick drills. CEFR-aligned and focused on real, useful phrases.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Ask for permission for yourself and for a group
  • Use a polite form with s'il vous plaît
  • Give or refuse permission clearly
  • Recognize phrases for 'allowed' in a place
Two people in a casual space practicing permission phrases in French: asking, allowing, and refusing.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

Je peux ___ ?

Can I ___?

Meaning: Can I ___?

When to use: Use to ask for permission to do something. Fill the blank with an infinitive verb.

Je peux entrer ?
Can I come in?
Je peux ouvrir la fenêtre ?
Can I open the window?

On peut ___ ?

Can we ___?

Meaning: Can we ___?

When to use: Ask permission for a group (on = we in spoken French). Use an infinitive verb after.

On peut manger maintenant ?
Can we eat now?
On peut sortir ensemble ?
Can we go out together?

Est-ce que je peux ___, s'il vous plaît ?

May I ___?

Meaning: May I ___?

When to use: A polite, natural way to ask for permission. Use an infinitive and add s'il vous plaît for extra politeness.

Est-ce que je peux utiliser votre téléphone, s'il vous plaît ?
May I use your phone, please?
Est-ce que je peux poser une question, s'il vous plaît ?
May I ask a question, please?

Ça va si je ___ ?

Is it okay if I ___?

Meaning: Is it okay if I ___?

When to use: Check if an action is allowed now. The verb after the blank should be conjugated for 'je'.

Tip: Beginner error: forgetting to conjugate the verb after 'je' (use 'je pars', not 'je partir').

Ça va si je pars maintenant ?
Is it okay if I leave now?
Ça va si je ferme la porte ?
Is it okay if I close the door?

Je peux utiliser ___ ?

Can I use ___?

Meaning: Can I use ___?

When to use: Ask permission to use an object. Name the object after 'utiliser'.

Je peux utiliser ton stylo ?
Can I use your pen?
Je peux utiliser l'ordinateur ?
Can I use the computer?

Je peux prendre ___ ?

Can I take ___?

Meaning: Can I take ___?

When to use: Ask if you can take or borrow something. Context shows if it's temporary or to keep.

Je peux prendre ce livre ?
Can I take this book?
Je peux prendre une part de gâteau ?
Can I take a piece of cake?

Oui, tu peux.

Yes, you can.

Meaning: Yes, you can.

When to use: Give permission informally. Use 'vous pouvez' for formal or plural.

Oui, tu peux entrer.
Yes, you can come in.
Oui, tu peux utiliser mon chargeur.
Yes, you can use my charger.

Bien sûr, vas-y.

Sure, go ahead.

Meaning: Sure, go ahead.

When to use: Friendly permission used with tu. For formal/plural say 'allez-y'.

Bien sûr, vas-y, prends-la.
Sure, go ahead, take it.
Bien sûr, vas-y, demande-lui.
Sure, go ahead, ask them.

C'est bon.

That's okay.

Meaning: That's okay.

When to use: Say something is acceptable or permitted in a short, common way.

C'est bon, tu peux le garder.
That's okay, you can keep it.
C'est bon, entrez.
That's fine, come in.

Non, désolé.

No, sorry.

Meaning: No, sorry.

When to use: Politely refuse permission. Use 'désolée' if speaker is female in writing, but pronunciation is the same.

Non, désolé, c'est réservé.
No, sorry, it's reserved.
Non, désolé, vous ne pouvez pas entrer.
No, sorry, you cannot enter.

___, c'est autorisé ?

Is ___ allowed?

Meaning: Is ___ allowed?

When to use: Ask if an action or thing is permitted. Fill the blank with the action or item.

Fumer, c'est autorisé ?
Is smoking allowed?
Le vélo, c'est autorisé ?
Is biking allowed?

Les ___ sont autorisés ?

Are ___ allowed?

Meaning: Are ___ allowed?

When to use: Use with plural nouns (Les ___). Adjust 'autorisé' to 'autorisées' for feminine plural when needed.

Tip: Beginner error: forgetting to change 'autorisés' to 'autorisées' for feminine plural nouns.

Les chiens sont autorisés ?
Are dogs allowed?
Les photos sont autorisées ?
Are photos allowed?

C'est autorisé ici ?

Is it allowed here?

Meaning: Is it allowed here?

When to use: Ask whether an action or thing is permitted in the current place; context should make the item clear.

La musique, c'est autorisé ici ?
Is music allowed here?
Manger, c'est autorisé ici ?
Is eating allowed here?

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna asks if she can use things and leave; David gives permission or refuses.

Anna and David using polite and casual permission phrases to ask to use items and leave the room.

What does Anna ask permission to use?

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Est-ce que je peux utiliser l'ordinateur, s'il vous plaît ?

May I use the computer, please?

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Oui, tu peux.

Yes, you can.

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Je peux prendre une chaise ?

Can I take a chair?

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

C'est bon.

That's okay.

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

On peut sortir maintenant ?

Can we go out now?

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Non, désolé.

No, sorry.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which phrase is the most polite way to say 'May I ask a question, please?'

How do you ask 'Can we eat?' in French?

Which phrase means 'No, sorry.'?

How do you ask 'Is it allowed here?' in French?

Est-ce que je peux utiliser ton stylo, s'il vous plaît ? — May I use your pen, please?

You want to ask politely to borrow someone's pen. Which phrase fits? "_____"

Ça va si je pars maintenant ? — Is it okay if I leave now?

You're in a room and you want to check if leaving now is OK: "_____"

Les photos sont autorisées ? — Are photos allowed?

You see a sign and want to know whether photos are allowed: "_____"

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je peux ___ ?

Can I ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

On peut ___ ?

Can we ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

Est-ce que je peux ___, s'il vous plaît ?

May I ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

Ça va si je ___ ?

Is it okay if I ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

Je peux utiliser ___ ?

Can I use ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

Je peux prendre ___ ?

Can I take ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

Oui, tu peux.

Yes, you can.

Say this phrase out loud:

Bien sûr, vas-y.

Sure, go ahead.

Say this phrase out loud:

C'est bon.

That's okay.

Say this phrase out loud:

Non, désolé.

No, sorry.

Say this phrase out loud:

___, c'est autorisé ?

Is ___ allowed?

Say this phrase out loud:

Les ___ sont autorisés ?

Are ___ allowed?

Say this phrase out loud:

C'est autorisé ici ?

Is it allowed here?