You’re in a shop holding a jacket and want to see how it fits. The English question is Can I try this on? The tricky part is where a pronoun like “it” goes.
How to say “Can I try this on?”
The most natural way is Can I try this on? Try on is a phrasal verb: try means “test something”, and on means “on your body”. Together they mean trying on clothes, shoes or accessories. In Ukrainian that’s «приміряти».
- Can I try this on?Asking permission to try on one specific item.
- Can I try on these jeans?The same question with a noun after try on.
- Where can I try this dress on?Asking where you can try something on.
After Can I the verb stays in its base form: try, never tried or trying.
Where the pronoun goes: try it on, not try on it
English puts a pronoun inside the phrasal verb, which can feel odd if you think in Ukrainian word order. A noun can go on either side of on, but a pronoun can only go in the middle.
- Can I try it on? — correct. Can I try on it? — a mistake.
- Can I try them on? — correct, for jeans or sneakers. Can I try on them? — a mistake.
- Can I try on this sweater? and Can I try this sweater on? — both correct, because a noun can go in either place.
Can I, May I or Could I: how polite?
All three match the Ukrainian «можна», but they sound different:
- Can I try this on? — an everyday request, perfectly normal in a shop.
- May I try this on? — more formal; you’ll hear it less often, but it sounds polite.
- Could I try this on, please? — the most polite option; please adds warmth.
Useful shop phrases
- Where are the fitting rooms?Where you go to try clothes on.
- Do you have this in a smaller size?Asking for a size down.
- Do you have this in blue?Asking for another colour.
- It fits perfectly.Said when the item is right for you.
- It’s too big.The size is too large.
- It doesn’t fit.The item is not the right size or shape.
Check yourself
Say it in English, then reveal the answer:
1.You want to try on a pair of sneakers. Ask politely.
Answer
Can I try on these sneakers?
2.Ask where you can try this dress on.
Answer
Where can I try this dress on?
3.Ask if you can try it on, politely.
Answer
Could I try it on, please?
A similar question, Can I get this to go?, is in our lesson 79 post. New mini-lessons come out on our YouTube channel, and to speak English in real shops and cafés with confidence, come to a free trial lesson.
