Kono atarashii shisutemu-ni-tsuite, shitsumon-shite-mo yoroshii-deshō-ka? (Could I ask you some questions about this new system?)

Situation 1: Ms. Gray asks her boss, Mr. Okubo, about a new system that will be implemented at work.

グレイ： あのう、この新しいシステムについて、質問してもよろしいでしょうか。

大久保： あ、どうぞ。ただ、ぼくもあまり詳しいことは分から ないんだ。

Gray: Anō, kono atarashii shisutemu-ni-tsuite, shitsumon-shite-mo yoroshii-deshō-ka?

Ookubo: A, dōzo. Tada, boku-mo amari kuwashii koto-wa wakaranai-n-da.

Gray: Could I ask you some questions about this new system?

Okubo: Oh, sure. But even I don't know all the details.

Today we will introduce the proper way to ask and give permission. When you ask permission, X (verb in te-form)もいいですか is often used. Xもかまいませんか is a rather more reserved version. More polite is Xもよろしいですか and the most polite version is Xも よろしいでしょうか, as Ms. Gray used in Situation 1. Example: 「窓(まど)を開(あ)けてもかまいませんか。」 「はい、どうぞ。」 ("Do you mind if I open the window?" "No. Please go ahead."). To grant permission to the questioner, 「はい、どうぞ」 is adequate, but 「はい、Xもいいです」 is not. Although Xもいいです means "You may" or "It is all right if ... ," saying Xもいいです/もよろしいです/ もかまいません in Japanese implies that the speaker has the right to make the decision to grant permission; thus, saying it to a superior is impolite. When you decline a request, 「すみません、ちょっと...」 or explaining the reason is more common. Example: 「ここで写真 (しゃしん)をとってもいいですか。」 「すみません、ここは撮影禁止 (さつえいきんし)ですので 」 ("May I take a photo here?" "Sorry, photography is prohibited here.")

Situation 2: Ms. Tamachi seems to be in trouble.

田町： 困ったなあ。あした急にお客さまを空港までお迎えに行かなきゃならなくなっちゃった。私は、別のお客さまと予定があるし。

セレ： ぼくでよかったら、代わりに行ってもいいよ。

Tamachi: Komatta-nā. Ashita kyū-ni o-kyakusama-o kūkō-made o-mukae-ni ikanakya naranaku-nacchatta. Watashi-wa betsu-no o-kyakusama-to yotei-ga aru-shi.

Sere: Boku-de yokattara, kawari-ni itte-mo ii-yo.

Tamachi: Oh, dear. I have to go to the airport to meet a customer. But I already have a appointment to meet another customer.

Sere: If you don't mind, I can go instead.

X (verb in te-form)もいい is used when the speaker offers to do something voluntarily, such as for a colleague or friend. The subject is the speaker him/herself, and the sentence-ending particle よ is usually attached, as with Mr. Sere's remark. But note that this expression should not be used with a superior.

Bonus Dialogue: Mrs. Okubo's daughter Takako, a junior high school student, has been on the Internet a long time. Mrs. Okubo talks to Takako.

母： たか子、もう２時間(にじかん)もネットを見(み)ているでしょう。そんなに長(なが)い時間(じかん)、やっちゃだめ。

たか子： どのくらいなら使(つか)ってもいいの？

母： 一日（いちにち）に１時間（いちじかん）なら使ってもいいわよ。

たか子： でも、１時間じゃ、短(みじか)いよ。きょう、地球温暖化(ちきゅうおんだんか)について調べる宿題(しゅくだい)が出(で)て、先生(せんせい)に「ネットで調べてもいいです」って言(い)われたの。

母： 図書館(としょかん)に行(い)ったらどう？ うちから図書館まですぐでしょ？ 何でもネットでばかり調べるんじゃなくて、本も利用(りよう)しなくちゃ。

たか子： わかったよ。きょうは図書館、開(あ)いているかな。

母： じゃ、ネットで調べてみましょう。

たか子： ほら、お母（かあ）さんだって、すぐにネットで調べるじゃない。

Mother: Takako, you've been surfing the Net for more than two hours. You shouldn't be on it that much.

Takako: How long can I use it, then?

Mother: You can use it for an hour a day.

Takako: But an hour is too short. The homework for today is to research about global warming, and the teacher said, "You can look it up online."

Mother: Why don't you go to the library? It's just down the road, right? You shouldn't depend on the Internet for everything. You should use books as well.

Takako: Oh, all right. Is the library open today?

Mother: Let me check online.

Takako: See, you're quick to turn to the Net when you want to check stuff, aren't you?