I feel like 'Can I help' could be bit rude to say, but I'm not sure. Is it common to say it or could be seen as little rude and offensive?

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

No, not at all! "Can I help" is perhaps a little bit more casual than other similar expressions, but it's perfectly okay to use. It's not necessary to use very formal expressions all the time. In the case of this video, the speaker John is rather wary of the stranger visiting his home, so it shows in his tone of voice and choice of words. Perhaps a more polite way of saying this would be to add "you" at the end. Ex: Hello, sir. Can I help you? Ex: Can I help you? You look like you're lost.

How do native speakers use this expression?

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Popular Q&As

12/15

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What would be good alternatives that could replace the word "tip?" If there are any, could you give me some examples?
Althought "tip" is the best word for this situation and any other situation that requires the giving of small pieces of advice, you could potentially use "piece of advice" or "trick" to replace it. Ex: I can share some cooking tricks with you. Ex: Do you have any pieces of advice to share?

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