What's the difference between "can I" and "may I"?
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
In school, children are usually taught to use "may I" to ask for permission to do something. Ex: May I go to the restroom? Ex: May I borrow your pencil? This is because "can" refers to one's ability to do something. Ex: I can drive a car. Ex: Can you ride a bike? However, common usage is now moving towards the interchangeable use of "may I" and "can I," and people are no longer picky about their use. You can use both to ask about the possibility of something, and "may" in particular for more formal situations. Ex: May I take your jacket, sir? Ex: Can I borrow your laptop for a second?