English : May I, Can I & Could I . . .

When I call someone up, what should I say?

Can I speak to.......?

May I speak to......?

Could I speak to.…?

It depends on the person you are talking to. If you are talking to someone whom you do not know and wish to sound polite, then you could say, May I or Could I. Of the two, May I is considered to be more polite. If, on the other hand, you are talking to someone you know fairly well, then you could say Can I. The use of these three will depend on the person you are talking to and how you wish to sound. If you wish to sound polite, use May I or Could I.

COURTESY : The Hindu (The National News-Paper) - India

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