Chinese phrase
我可以在这儿〜吗？ wǒ ké yǐ zài zhèr 〜 ma
Meaning
Can I ___ here?
When to use it
This asks if an activity is allowed in a particular place. It is a polite everyday way to check before doing something there.
Example dialogue
我可以在这儿吃东西吗？ wǒ ké yǐ zài zhèr chī dōng xī ma
Can I eat here?
对不起，这里是自习区，不能吃东西。 duì bù qǐ zhè lǐ shì zì xí qū bù néng chī dōng xī
Sorry, this is a self-study area, so eating is not allowed.