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Bryan Chua
How do I say "Can I ask a question?"
How do I say "Can I ask a question?"
Google translate says 質問してもいいですか
but "to ask" verb has the translation きく or たのむ
so would it be 質問をききませんか?or 質問をたのみませんか?
How is きく and たのむ different?
Thanks very much!
Aug 17, 2018 10:42 AM
Answers · 2
"質問してもいいですか" is the best.
Both "質問をききませんか?" and " 質問をたのみませんか?" is not used as a Japanese sentence.
One of the meaning of "きく" is "質問する".
"たのむ" is usually used when people want to help.
August 20, 2018
もいいですか is like asking "is it okay?" and I found when I was studying in college with a Japanese foreign exchange student he recommended I use this phrasing. Keep in mind that in my early high school days I was using 質問がありましか。Which is clearly as rudimentary as it gets. Using 質問してもいいですか。Might have been better for my situation since we were friends and consistenly helped each other study though. I recall hearing ききませんか in the past but I can't comment on it personally, but I have never heard たのみませんか used.
August 17, 2018
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Bryan Chua
Language Skills
Afrikaans, Chinese (Mandarin), English, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean
Learning Language
Afrikaans, Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, Korean
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