Asking permission: boleh, bisa, mohon

By Speak Indo, from the Speak Indo Indonesian course.

Use boleh for permission, bisa for possibility or a request, and mohon for formal requests.

How it works

Three useful request words are: • boleh, 'may' or 'is it allowed?': Boleh saya duduk di sini? • bisa, 'can' or 'is it possible?': Bisa bantu saya? • mohon, a formal request marker common in notices, announcements, and official writing: Mohon tunggu. In real requests, boleh and bisa can overlap: Boleh pinjam pulpen? asks permission, while Bisa pinjam pulpen? asks whether borrowing it is possible. Add tolong before the requested action when useful: Bisa tolong bantu saya? With strangers, a title such as Pak, Bu, Kak, Mas, or Mbak is usually more natural than repeatedly saying Anda.

Examples

• Boleh saya duduk di sini?
  May I sit here?
• Bisa tolong bantu saya?
  Can you help me?
• Mohon maaf, saya terlambat.
  I humbly apologise, I'm late.