여기 앉아도 될까요?

When to use

Use this phrase to politely ask if a seat is available or if it is acceptable for you to sit there. It is common in public settings like cafes, buses, or when visiting someone's home.

Speech Level

The '-ㄹ까요?' ending makes this a polite question, suitable for asking permission or seeking agreement from the listener in most social situations.

Grammar Breakdown

This phrase combines a location adverb, a verb, and a grammatical pattern for permission, followed by a polite interrogative ending. The subject 'I' is omitted.

• 여기: Adverb meaning 'here'.
• 앉다: The base verb 'to sit'.
• -아/어도 되다: A reusable grammatical pattern meaning 'it is okay to do X' or 'may I do X'. It attaches to a verb stem (앉 + 아도 되다).
• -ㄹ까요?: A polite interrogative ending used to ask for the listener's opinion or permission.

Pronunciation

The final consonant 'ㅈ' from '앉' moves to the following empty consonant 'ㅇ' in '아', creating a liaison. It is pronounced as [안자도].

Notes

Politely ask permission before sitting down in a shared space, like a public seat or someone's home.