Can I have some more tea?
Which of these is correct?
Can I have some more tea?
Can I have any more tea?
I don't know which of them I have to place in the sentence.
14 Answers
Nila, cualquier oferta o sugerencia, con some.
Would you like some tea? Can I have some tea?
También dicen: cuando esperas que la respuesta sea afirmativa...
I would like to build up a bit on the answers given by Qfreed and Aaspriha, since I would also recommend "may".
Many years ago, when I was still struggling with English, I had the lesson firmly driven that for those who care to use the language properly, there is clearly a difference between "may" and "can", beyond and above the issue of politeness.
"Can" refers to the capacity to do something, regardless of whether one has permission or not.
"May" indicates dispensation to do something.
For example, I have been informed that I may address the Emperor of Japan, if he happens to visit my block. Unfortunately I can't, because I do not speak Japanese, and he doesn't speak Spanish.
Now, let's suppose that Nila is sitting as an honored guest of said Emperor, partaking of a Tea Ceremony being performed specially for her.
Can she grab the teapot and serve herself some tea? Yes she can. She's perfectly able, and the teapot is within reach. However, may she, under those circumstances, grab the teapot and serve herself some tea? Absolutely not! It would be embarrassingly rude, and she would never be invited for tea with the Emperor ever again!
May she gracefully accept another cup if offered by the Tea Mistress? Yes she may.
Do you know the difference between any more and anymore?
Yes, "anymore" is when you don't do a thing anymore.
Well, it is a way to explain this.
Can (May to be more polite) I have some tea?
May I have more tea?
Any more would be used in sentences like Is there any more tea?
Do you know the difference between any more and anymore?
I must admit I prefer to use may when it is appropriate. probably because I had it drummed into me by my father.
When I was a child we had to ask to leave the table if we finished eating before everyone else. If I asked 'Can I leave the table? ' the answer was always 'Yes you can but you may not, stay there' If I asked more correctly 'May I leave the table? ' I was allowed to leave. It is one of the very few times I can remember my father correcting me about anything and really he was just teasing.
It really is a minor point though, and there are far more important things for learners to worry about.
May I have some more tea -- would be more perfect when you have had a cup of tea and liked it so much that you want to have one more. "May" is always more polite and better than "Can" when requesting for some thing or for permission. Good progress! Welcome to the forum!!
Can I have some tea?
Have you got any tea?
I think I would use "some" for the first sentence and "any" for the second one.
Have you got some tea for me?
Ves, así cambiaría la cosa
Hi Nila
Some and any are quantifiers.
have a look here for any and some
SOME We use "some" in positive sentences.
We use some for both countable and uncountable nouns. Example: I have some friends.
ANY We use "any" in negative sentences or questions.
We use any for both countable and uncountable nouns. Example: Do you have any cheese? - He doesn't have any friends in Chicago.
Both of them are correct but the first one sounds a bit better to me.
Dear Lizard:
We won't fall out over this, it is a totally minor point. I asked my husband, the Englishman , at suppertime. He agrees with me that may is nowadays only used when you want to be extremely polite. He says he uses it on occassions, because he works as a salesman and needs to infiltrate houses at tea-time!
We are agreed that, in England, can I have a cup of tea, new shoes, or whatever, is normal usage, nowadays. If I wanted a new man I might ask my husband May I take a lover? as this would be a request where I really needed to be very polite indeed.
****Might I have cup of tea** is very, very mousy and indicates that you half expect them to say no! It can be used, of course.
So really, all of them will work. It's not worth spending sleepless nights over, that's for sure.
When I ask my husband's help : I say: Could you help me with this linguistic problem, please?
Sez Annierats:
Great story but I think 'may'often is oldfashioned nowadays. Correct, but oldfashioned. - annierats 4 hrs ago flag Obviously, with the Emperor, go for correctness! But in my modest house you can say 'can''. - annierats 4 hrs ago flag
This usage of "can" is indeed accepted. Nevertheless, my Oxford American Dictionary has the following to say on the subject:
Can. usage: Is there any difference between can and may when used to request or express permission, as in may I ask you a few questions? or can I ask you a few questions? Many people feel that can should be reserved for expressions denoting capability, as in can you swim?, rather than for those relating to permission. May is, generally speaking, a politer and more formal way of asking for something, and is the better choice in more formal contexts. See also usage at may1.
May. usage: Traditionalists insist that one should distinguish between may (present tense) and might (past tense) in expressing possibility: I may have some dessert after dinner if I'm still hungry | I might have known that the highway would be closed because of the storm. In casual use, though, may and might are generally interchangeable: they might take a vacation next month | he may have called earlier, but the answering machine was but the answering machine was broken.
What about: "have you got some envelopes" or "have you got any envelopes"?
Have you got any more tea?
Yes, we have plenty of tea left in the pot.
In that case, could I have some more , please?
or, Please, could I have another cup of tea?
I hope these examples might be of some help to you, I haven't really got any more suggestions just now because I'm short of time.
