Chinese phrase
可以要〜吗？ ké yǐ yào 〜 ma
Meaning
Could I have ___?
When to use it
A polite way to ask for something. It is often used when requesting an item in a shop, hotel, or other service setting.
Example dialogue
请问，我 可以要 一瓶水 吗？ qǐng wèn wǒ ké yǐ yào yì píng shuǐ ma
Excuse me, could I have a bottle of water?
可以，给您一瓶。 ké yǐ gěi nín yì píng
Of course, here is a bottle for you.