Which is more polite can you or could you? (2023)

Which is more polite would you or could you?

“Would you” is correct, because you are asking if someone will do something and not whether they can do it. “Would you” also sounds more polite than “Could you.” “Would you” and “Could you” are equally polite and valid ways to make a request.

Both 'can' and ' could' are modal verbs that refer to 'a possibility', 'ability' or 'capacity'. 'Can' refers to a general truth or something that has a strong sense of possibility. 'Could' refers to something that has a weak possibility, or something that might happen, but is not necessarily a general truth.

We also use 'could' to ask permission; it is more polite or formal than 'can'. Changing the word order to "could you please" is no more or less polite - it's a matter of style. whether requests starting with "Please can/could you..." render the same degree of politeness as those that start with "Could you please...".

Both can and could are used to ask for permission and also request something, can is more informal one, which is used when we are talking to our friends, relatives or acquaintances. However, when talking to strangers, we can use could, to ask for permission or request politely.

Originally Answered: "Can you please" or "Could you please" -- which is correct? "Could" is the polite form of "can"—so both are correct, but we use them in different situations. We use "can" when we are telling someone to do something. We use "could" when we are making a request.

“Could” and “Would” are the more polite forms. “Can” and “will” are still polite, but they are used for requests that are more casual or informal.

Both are fine grammatically, but it appears that you are aiming for a relatively formal setting in which case "Could" is slightly more formal-sounding.

Discussing a Possibility: “Can” suggests a strong possibility or a general truth. “May” and “could” suggest we are less certain about something. Asking for Permission: You can use all three words to ask for permission. To be formal, though, you should use “may” instead of “could” or “can.”

Could for Making a Request. We use both can and could when we're making a request, and the meaning stays the same. But, can is a bit more direct - and less polite - than could.

Can and could for polite requests?

Requests. When we make requests, we can use can or could (but not may). Could is more polite than can: Can you call back later?

could is more formal and polite than can: Could I ask a question please?

She can speak Italian very well. I could swim, but I couldn't ride a bike when I was nine years old. You can play with Amy after you do your homework. Could I have some tea?

I can't breathe. We use could and couldn't to talk about the past: She could speak several languages. They couldn't dance very well.

"Could" cannot be used in positive sentences in which you describe a momentary or one-time ability. I couldn't run more than a mile in my twenties. I couldn't speak Swahili. "Could" can be used in negative sentences in which you describe a momentary or one-time ability.

mean much the same thing. But 'could' is more tentative - there is an implication that the person being asked might say no, or it might be asking a lot of them. And in fact it is almost saying, “it's OK if you say no”.

Where to use could you?

We use this question to make a polite request. It has a very similar meaning to "Can you...?", but it is considered to be a little more polite.

Both are correct. “May I call you?” (a mere question.) “Could I call you?” (a polite request.)

"Can" is usually associated with ability, while "may" is more preferred where permission is required. Can you answer my question? (Asks if you are able to answer my question.) :) May I answer your question? (Asks for permission from you for me to answer your question.)

Both "may" and "can" are used to indicate that something is allowed, but "may" is more formal: "You may leave whenever you like" is more formal than "You can go whenever you want to." Children are often taught that only "may" is used for permission, and that "can" is used only for ability.

yes you may implies permission, the person may do this i.e the person is allowed or permitted to do this whereas yes you can implies ability i.e the person is capable of doing the thing (permission isn't involved).

According to Cambridge Dictionary, when we talk about possibility, we use can, could and may, but they are different in meaning. To ask for permission, we can also use the words can, could, and may. However, we use can and may, instead of could, to give permission.

may. May is the most formal way to ask for and give permission.

Could is used with any subject to ask for permission. For example “Could I open the window?” or “Could you open the window?” are both grammatical.

Words that are polite include "Please," "Thank you," and "Excuse me." "Excuse me" is what I say when I would like the attention of another person. I can use my words to say, "Excuse me" when I want to talk to another person.

What is the most polite way to say hello?

Small talk is an informal type of discourse that does not cover any functional topics of conversation or any transactions that need to be addressed. In essence, it is polite and standard conversation about unimportant things.

Etiquette (/ˈɛtikɛt, -kɪt/) is the set of conventional rules of personal behaviour in polite society, usually in the form of an ethical code that delineates the expected and accepted social behaviours that accord with the conventions and norms observed by a society, a social class, or a social group.

The polite form of a command uses the word “please.”

* Please give that to me. * Pass the potatoes, please. (Use the word “pass” when you sit at a table with other people and eat food.) If someone doesn't do what you wanted him or her to do, use the word “tell.” For examples, click here.

The Difference between Could and Would – Meanings and Usage

The term 'could' is used to make a request or a suggestion, whereas the word 'would' is used to indicate willingness or consequence of some action or probability.

Could is used to say that an action or event is possible. Would is used to talk about a possible or imagined situation, and is often used when that possible situation is not going to happen.

When making polite requests, the modals 'could' and 'would' are very useful. Starting your request with these two modals immediately makes your request a lot more polite. Another word that's often used when making a polite request is 'please'.

We often use would to make requests. It is a more polite and indirect form of will.

The person speaking is asking the other person to do something kind.

would is the past tense form of will. Because it is a past tense, it is used: to talk about the past. to talk about hypotheses (when we imagine something)

Can or could use?

When could is used as the past tense of can, it refers to an ability that a person generally had in the past or to something that was generally possible in the past ("When I was younger, I could run for miles," or "It used to be you could buy lunch for a dollar.").

I can't breathe. We use could and couldn't to talk about the past: She could speak several languages. They couldn't dance very well.

A third modal for making polite requests is could. For example, “Could I please have some water?” Could is the past tense of can. However, when asking for permission, could does not have a past tense meaning. Could has the same meaning as may when making requests.

"May" indicates that you are more likely to do something. I may go to the store means I probably will go to the store. "Might" suggests that you are less likely to do something. I might go to the store means it's unlikely that I'll go to the store.

Could is used as the past tense of can when it means that someone had the ability to do something, or that something was possible: The Roman army could march 30 miles in a day.