🍻❓💰

How to Say ‘Could I buy you a drink?’ in Traditional Chinese

我可以請妳喝一杯嗎？

wǒ kě yǐ qǐng nǐ hē yī bēi ma

[wo kuh-yee qǐng nǐ huh ee bay ma]

💬 Usage Tip: 請 (qǐng) here means "to treat" or "to pay for someone", not "please". Put the person, then the activity: 我請你吃飯 "I'll treat you to a meal".

🇹🇼 In Taiwan: Asking with 可以…嗎 gives her an easy way to say no, which comes across as respectful. Taiwanese writing often uses 妳 for "you" when addressing a woman. It is pronounced exactly like 你.

Phrase Breakdown

我可以請妳

wǒ kě yǐ qǐng nǐ

may I treat you

可以 (kěyǐ) means 'may' or 'can'. 請 (qǐng) here means 'to treat' or 'to buy for'. 妳 is the female form of 'you'.

Example

我可以請妳吃飯嗎？

May I treat you to a meal?

Words in this phrase

我

wǒ

[wo]

I; me

The first-person pronoun used to talk about yourself.

Example

我想多了解你們公司的制度，所以先自我介紹。

I want to learn more about your company’s system, so I’ll introduce myself first.

可以

kě yǐ

[kuh-yee]

can; may

Used to express ability, permission, or that something is possible.

Example

你如果想加這位主管的聯絡方式，現在可以先自我介紹。

If you want to add this manager's contact information, you can introduce yourself first now.

請

qǐng

[qǐng]

to treat; to buy for

To pay for something for someone else as a treat.

Example

今天我請你吃飯。

Today I'll treat you to a meal.

妳

nǐ

[nǐ]

you (female)

Second-person pronoun used in Taiwan when addressing a woman.

Example

妳好漂亮。

You are very pretty.

喝一杯嗎？

hē yī bēi ma

to a drink?

喝一杯 (hē yì bēi) means 'have a drink'. 嗎 (ma) makes it a yes/no question and is said lightly.

Example

要不要喝一杯嗎？

Want to have a drink?

Words in this phrase

喝

hē

[huh]

to drink

Used for drinking beverages like coffee or tea.

Example

你今天想喝哪種豆子？

Which kind of beans do you want to drink today?

一

yī

[ee]

one; a

A number word that helps form the phrase for category.

Example

你想找哪一類工作？

What kind of job do you want to look for?

杯

bēi

[bay]

cup; glass

A measure word for drinks served in a cup.

Example

我要一杯冰咖啡。

I want a cup of iced coffee.

嗎

[ma]

question particle

A sentence-final particle used to turn a statement into a yes-no question.

Example

你喜歡這個活動嗎？

Do you like this event?

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