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Which is better for business 'Can I ask your name please?' or ' Could I ask your name?'
Jun 19, 2014 2:52 AM
Answers · 7
1
"What's your name?" <- most common
"Can I ask your name please?" <-uncommon/polite
"Could I ask your name?" <-common/polite
June 19, 2014
'Could' as opposed to 'can' - like 'would' as opposed to 'will' - has the effect of 'distancing' the speaker from the situation. It makes you appear more tentative, and therefore more polite. 'Will' and 'can' are quite direct, whereas 'would' and 'could' suggest a more hypothetical possibility.
So, yes, in most business situations it would be better to use 'could' and 'would'. English doesn't have anything the same systems of formality and hierarchy that Japanese does, but this use of conditional-style modal verbs is certainly one way of appearing more polite and respectful to someone.
June 19, 2014
Thank you!
June 19, 2014
Could I ask your name?- is really polite
June 19, 2014
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Mayumi
Language Skills
English, Japanese
Learning Language
English
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