If I may…
Formal Polite
What it really means
A very polite way to interrupt or add a point, common in formal meetings. The speaker is going to say their piece anyway — the phrase just buys polite permission.
Chinese explanation
非常礼貌的插话或补充方式，常见于正式会议。其实不管你同不同意，对方都会说下去——这句话只是礼貌地"买"个许可。
Example conversation
A: …and that covers the budget.
B: If I may — there's one cost we haven't discussed.
A：……预算部分就是这些。
B：请允许我插一句——有一项费用我们还没讨论。
What you could say back
Related phrases
All Politeness Decoder
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake