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Looking for a phrase that has the same meaning as "May I?" in English. One
that would work in situations that would indicate I would like to try to solve
a problem at hand, or receive control over something. For example, if someone
is stuck with a Rubik's cube, or maybe I want a user to get up from a
workstation so I can sit down and try a solution.

I know I can use words in a sentence to say what I want, but is there a phrase
that accomplishes the same?

I'm thinking よろしいですか？ could work, but is it enough alone?
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2011-08-03T00:33:22.787
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2011-08-03T04:56:28.063
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set-phrases
Is there a polite saying like "May I?"
Like pretty much anything in Japanese, it entirely depends on context and your
relation with the person you are addressing.

`よろしいですか？` or `いいですか？` sound perfectly fine for most situations.

If you are offering your help to someone of higher status, the kenjōgo
construct `させていただきます` is a good start. E.g.:

> パソコンを見させていただけませんか
>
> お手伝いさせていただきましょうか

To anybody else, `○て[も]いい？`/`○て[も]よろしい?` might also do...
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2011-08-03T00:45:32.627
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2011-08-03T04:56:28.063
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
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"ちょっといいですか" seems the more common way to say "may I" with nothing around. It
means you want to intervene.

The problems with よろしいですか is that you're asking for the other to give you
something (the rubik cube). You cannot really say that in a situation like
"may I? I have a question for you", or "stop talking, and let me pass through;
I'd like to get of the bus now!"

Just "いいですか" may be a bit rude.
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2011-08-03T01:58:12.687
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`させていただけますか` means `してよろしいですか`, and people use the latter more commonly.
`いただけますか` is thought to be more polite, but it's also thought to be overly
complicated.

`させてよろしいですか` is the common way to say something. It involves a third person.
It's like what you would say if you wanted to ask, "Can I let my son play
here?" -> `息子をここで遊ばせてもよろしいですか?` It's kind of a way of saying `させてもいいですか`. In
as much, you can also say: `息子をここで遊ばせても良いですか？` Probably most common of all is,
`させてもいいですか`, which is used amongst friends, and it's also usually used with
children. Sometimes people use it with foreigners, thinking `よろしいですか` is too
much more difficult, as compared to `いいですか`.

`させていただきましょうか` is kind of like `させていただきませんか`, which means, "Shouldn't I check
it," but it's not a good parallel.

You should think of it more like this, to avoid confusion: `見させていただきましょうか` =
Boss to employee: "I should check your work..." `みていただけませんか` = Employee to
boss: "Shouldn't I show you my work?"

`ませんか` is more polite, and you should use it when speaking to your boss.
Bosses use `ましょう` to sound kind because they don't want their workers to feel
like they are under the gun, when everyone should be happy in their workplace.
It just makes things worse for everyone. Your boss would ask if he could check
your work, but you wouldn't ask your boss if you should check his work, under
ordinary circumstances. So, `ましょう` to `ません` isn't good for a transformation
drill unless you also transform `させる` and `する`, respectively. Then, you could
keep the same mental context while practicing.
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2011-08-03T01:59:54.033
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