Ciao ~ I love this language course!
If "Mi può [+ a verb]?" means "Can you do [something] for me?"
is it correct and polite to say "Noi può [+ a verb]?" to ask "Can you do [something] for us?"
or should it be "Noi ci può [+ a verb]?" or is there a better way to ask?
And what if we wanted to ask, "Can you all do [something] for me?"
Molte grazie per il Suo aiuto ~ Karen
Asking "Can you do [something] for us?"

Someday_Traveler
May 20, 2010

Maria-DiLorenzi
May 21, 2010
Ciao Karen,
I'm glad to hear you are enjoying the course!
"Mi può+verb?" construction is the translation of "can you+verb?" in the polite version.
It can be used in different ways as:
-Mi può lasciare il Suo indirizzo? = Can you leave me your address?
-Mi può tradurre questa frase? = Can you translate this sentence for me?
Please note that the friendly version will be :
-"Mi puoi +verb?"
"Mi può+verb?" is already in the polite version.
As in English you could also use the conditional tense "could".
In Italian this will be "Mi potrebbe?" (Could you?)
If you want to say "can you do (something) for us" in the polite version , you will need to use "Ci può".
Example
"Ci può tradurre questa frase?"
If you are addressing to a group of people, you will say:
-"Mi potete tradurre questa frase?"="can you all translate this sentence for me?
-"Ci potete tradurre questa frase?"="can you all translate this sentence for us?
In this case you could also use the conditional tense saying :
-"Mi potreste tradurre questa frase?"
-"Ci potreste tradurre questa frase?"
I hope this helps :)

Someday_Traveler
May 21, 2010
Grazie mille!