Chinese phrase
我能占用你一下时间吗？ wǒ néng zhàn yòng nǐ yí xià shí jiān ma
Meaning
Could I have a moment of your time?
When to use it
A polite request for a moment to speak or ask something. It sounds respectful and is common before a question or brief discussion, especially in formal or unfamiliar relationships.
Example dialogue
你好，我是小林，我能占用你一下时间吗？ ní hǎo wǒ shì xiǎo lín wǒ néng zhàn yòng nǐ yí xià shí jiān ma
Hello, I'm Kobayashi. Could I have a moment of your time?
可以，请说吧。 ké yǐ qǐng shuō ba
Yes, please go ahead.