Can I ask to use the toilet at someone's house?
LOO /luː/
Informal Polite
What it really means
Of course — just ask: "Could I use your loo?" or "Where's the bathroom?" It's completely normal and no one minds. In shops and cafés, toilets are usually for customers only; buying a small drink solves that. "Loo" is the friendly everyday word; "toilet" is fine too.
Chinese explanation
当然可以——直接问:"Could I use your loo?"(能借用下洗手间吗?)或"Where's the bathroom?"这完全正常,没人介意。商店和咖啡馆的厕所通常只对顾客开放,买杯小饮料就能解决。"Loo"是亲切的日常说法,说"toilet"也没问题。
Example conversation
A: Sorry, could I use your loo?
B: Course you can — top of the stairs, first door on the left.
A:不好意思,能借用一下洗手间吗?
B:当然——上楼梯左手第一间。
What you could say back
No spoken reply needed for this one.
Related phrases
Go deeper
All Customs & Etiquette
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake