Chinese phrase
您可以〜吗？ nín ké yǐ 〜 ma
Meaning
Could you ___?
When to use it
A polite way to ask whether someone can do something. It is used for respectful requests, often before a specific action.
Example dialogue
教授，您可以把推荐信写给我吗？ jiào shòu nín ké yǐ bǎ tuī jiàn xìn xié gěi wǒ ma
Professor, could you write me a recommendation letter?
可以，我需要知道申请学校和截止日期。 ké yǐ wǒ xū yào zhī dào shēn qǐng xué xiào hé jié zhǐ rì qī
Sure, I need to know the schools you are applying to and the deadlines.