Asking permission: boleh, bisa, mohon

By Speak Indo, from the Speak Indo Indonesian course.

Different ways to ask 'may I'. Picking the right one is polite.

How it works

Indonesian has three main ways to ask for something: • boleh, 'may I, am I allowed?' (asking permission) • bisa, 'can I, is it possible?' (asking about ability/availability) • mohon, 'I humbly request' (very formal, used in writing or with dignitaries) Pattern: [Boleh / Bisa] saya ___? Add tolong (please) to soften any request: *'Tolong, bisa Anda bantu?'*

Examples

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