Japanese Grammar for Asking Permission

Japanese grammar for asking permission
In this post we learn the Japanese grammar structures used to ask permission.

1. Vて + もいいですか
(May I do something?)

Example:
このジュースを　飲んでもいいですか。
Kono jyuusu wo nondemo iidesuka
May I drink this bottle of juice?

2. Vて + もよろしいでしょうか
(Same meaning as ~てもいいですか but more polite and formal.)

Example:
こちらにお座りしてもよろしいでしょうか?
Kochira ni o suwari shite mo yoroshii deshou ka?
Would it be all right if I sat here?

3. Vさせてください
(The speaker requests or asks permission to do something)

Example :
気分が悪いんですが、早く帰らせてください。
Kibun ga waruindesuga, hayaku kaerasete kudasai
I don't feel well, please let me go home early!

4. Vさせて + いただけませんか
(Politely and formally asking someone to let you do something)

Example:
気分が悪いんですが、早く帰らせて いただけませんか。
Kibun ga waruindesuga, hayaku kaerasete itadakemasenka
I don't feel well, please let me go home early!
(Same meaning, but this pattern is more polite than Vさせてください)

Japanese phrases for asking permission by situation

1) Asking permission to enter the Japanese class
Want to ask the teacher's permission to come into class? Open the door gently, wait for the teacher to pause, then ask:

すみません、入ってもいいですか。
Sumimasen haittemo iidesuka.
Excuse me, teacher, may I come in?

2) Asking permission to step outside in Japanese
When you want to ask permission to step outside, use this pattern!

すみません、ちょっと 出てもいいですか
Sumimasen, chyotto detemo iidesuka.
Excuse me, teacher, may I step outside for a moment?

3) Asking permission to leave early in Japanese
You still have one more period, but you're busy and want to leave early; use this pattern!

先生、ちょっと　用事がありますから、早く帰らせていただけませんか。
Sensei, chyotto youjiga arimasukara, hayaku kaerasete itadakemasenka.
Teacher, I have something to attend to; may I leave early?

4) Asking permission to arrive late in Japanese
You missed your train or bus today and will most likely be late for class or work. Call your teacher, shop owner or manager and ask permission to be late with this pattern:

電車に遅れてしまいましたから、遅刻してもいいですか。
Densyani okurete shimaimashitakara, chikoku shitemo iidesuka
I missed my train; would it be all right if I came late?
(you can replace the reason for being late in the first half of the sentence)

5) Asking for a day off in Japanese
To ask for a day off work in Japanese, use the pattern below:

22日に用事が　ありますので、休暇を　取っても　よろしいでしょうか。
nijyuuni nichini youjiga arimasunode, kyuuka wo tottemo yorosii desyouka
I have something to attend to on the 22nd; would it be all right if I took the day off?

See also:
Japanese Phrases for Emergencies
100 Common Japanese Conversation Sentences