Spanish - Asking Permission

Lesson 19 of 159

Student asking for permission in Spanish — lesson about asking permission phrases for A1 learners.

Goal: Polite and practical ways to ask and give permission

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

Ready to ask (and give) permission in Spanish? This lesson is short, friendly, and full of useful phrases you can use right away. Listen, repeat, and try speaking aloud — you'll feel more confident fast.

Level A1: In this lesson you'll learn common ways to ask for permission (¿Puedo...?, ¿Podría...?, ¿Está bien si...?) and simple responses (Sí, puedes.; No, lo siento.; Claro, adelante.). We'll practice asking to use or take things and checking whether actions are allowed. CEFR-aligned and practical — let's get permission to speak!

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Recognize and say basic permission questions in Spanish (A1)
  • Ask for permission for yourself and for a group
  • Use polite and neutral forms and respond clearly to requests
Two friends in a doorway practicing permission phrases like ¿Puedo entrar? and ¿Está bien si...?.

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.

¿Puedo ___?

Can I ___?

Meaning: Can I ___?

When to use: Use this frame with an infinitive to ask for permission to do something yourself (e.g., ¿Puedo pasar?).

¿Puedo entrar?
Can I come in?
¿Puedo ver tu menú?
Can I see your menu?

¿Podemos ___?

Can we ___?

Meaning: Can we ___?

When to use: Use with an infinitive to ask permission for a group, including yourself and others.

¿Podemos sentarnos aquí?
Can we sit here?
¿Podemos usar la sala?
Can we use the room?

¿Podría ___?

May I ___?

Meaning: May I ___?

When to use: Polite way to ask permission; use with an infinitive to show extra politeness.

Tip: Don't use podría with the wrong person form; it's polite and fits many contexts.

¿Podría tomar agua?
May I drink some water?
¿Podría hacer una pregunta?
May I ask a question?

¿Está bien si ___?

Is it okay if I ___?

Meaning: Is it okay if I ___?

When to use: Use this with a conjugated phrase to check if an action is allowed (e.g., ¿Está bien si entro?).

¿Está bien si me siento aquí?
Is it okay if I sit here?
¿Está bien si abro la ventana?
Is it okay if I open the window?

¿Puedo usar ___?

Can I use ___?

Meaning: Can I use ___?

When to use: Ask to use an object; put the object after the frame (¿Puedo usar ___?).

¿Puedo usar tu bolígrafo?
Can I use your pen?
¿Puedo usar la cocina?
Can I use the kitchen?

¿Puedo tomar ___?

Can I take ___?

Meaning: Can I take ___?

When to use: Ask permission to take or grab something; tomar is common in many countries for taking items or food.

Tip: In very casual contexts some speakers prefer 'agarrar' for take, but 'tomar' is widely understood.

¿Puedo tomar una manzana?
Can I take an apple?
¿Puedo tomar tu abrigo?
Can I take your coat?

Sí, puedes.

Yes, you can.

Meaning: Yes, you can.

When to use: Give clear permission using the familiar tú form; use 'Sí, puede' for usted.

¿Puedo usar el baño? — Sí, puedes.
Can I use the bathroom? — Yes, you can.
¿Puedo sentarme? — Sí, puedes.
Can I sit down? — Yes, you can.

Claro, adelante.

Sure, go ahead.

Meaning: Sure, go ahead.

When to use: Friendly response to give permission in an informal way.

¿Puedo entrar? — Claro, adelante.
Can I come in? — Sure, go ahead.
¿Puedo tomar una foto? — Claro, adelante.
Can I take a photo? — Sure, go ahead.

Está bien.

That's okay.

Meaning: That's okay.

When to use: Say something is acceptable or permitted; context decides whether it means approval.

¿Está bien si trabajo aquí? — Está bien.
Is it okay if I work here? — That's okay.
¿Puedo usar tu libro? — Está bien.
Can I use your book? — That's okay.

No, lo siento.

No, sorry.

Meaning: No, sorry.

When to use: Polite refusal when you need to deny permission.

¿Puedo tomar esto? — No, lo siento.
Can I take this? — No, sorry.
¿Podemos entrar ahora? — No, lo siento.
Can we enter now? — No, sorry.

¿Se permite ___?

Is ___ allowed?

Meaning: Is ___ allowed?

When to use: Ask whether a specific action is permitted in general (use ¿Se puede ___? in informal conversation).

¿Se permite fumar aquí?
Is smoking allowed here?
¿Se permite comer en la sala?
Is eating allowed in the room?

¿Se permiten ___?

Are ___ allowed?

Meaning: Are ___ allowed?

When to use: Ask if multiple items or people are permitted (use for plural subjects).

¿Se permiten mascotas?
Are pets allowed?
¿Se permiten bicicletas aquí?
Are bicycles allowed here?

¿Se puede hacer eso aquí?

Is it allowed here?

Meaning: Is it allowed here?

When to use: Ask whether a specific action is permitted in the current place (natural for checking rules).

¿Se puede hacer eso aquí?
Is it allowed here?
¿Se puede aparcar aquí? — No, no se puede.
Can you park here? — No, you can’t.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna needs to use David's phone and asks permission. Then she asks if they can sit down.

Anna asks to use a phone and David answers — a short permission dialogue in Spanish.

What does Anna ask permission to do first?

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

¿Puedo usar tu teléfono?

Can I use your phone?

Portrait of David in a Spanish lesson dialogue

David

Claro, adelante.

Sure, go ahead.

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

¿Podemos sentarnos aquí?

Can we sit here?

Portrait of David in a Spanish lesson dialogue

David

Sí, puedes. Está bien.

Yes, you can. That's okay.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

How do you ask 'Can I use your pen?' in Spanish?

Which Spanish phrase is the polite 'May I enter?'

Translate this question: 'Is it allowed here?'

Someone asks '¿Puedo tomar una galleta?'. The best polite affirmative reply is:

Is eating allowed here?

At the library you want to ask whether eating is allowed. You say: ___

Can I take a cookie?

You see a plate of cookies at a party and politely ask to take one. You say: ___

Is it okay if I sit here?

You want to sit in a café seat and check if it's okay. You ask: ___

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:

¿Puedo ___?

Can I ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Podemos ___?

Can we ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Podría ___?

May I ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Está bien si ___?

Is it okay if I ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Puedo usar ___?

Can I use ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Puedo tomar ___?

Can I take ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

Sí, puedes.

Yes, you can.

Say this phrase out loud:

Claro, adelante.

Sure, go ahead.

Say this phrase out loud:

Está bien.

That's okay.

Say this phrase out loud:

No, lo siento.

No, sorry.

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Se permite ___?

Is ___ allowed?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Se permiten ___?

Are ___ allowed?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Se puede hacer eso aquí?

Is it allowed here?