Both **“May I come in?”** and **“Shall I come in?”** are possible, but they have slightly different meanings and tones. ### 1. **May I come in?** = **Am I allowed to come in?** It is primarily a request for **permission**. > **May I come in?** > — Yes, come in. For example, a student knocks on the teacher's door: > **Student:** May I come in, sir? > **Teacher:** Yes, come in. **May** is traditionally the most formal modal for asking permission. --- ### 2. **Shall I come in?** = **Would you like me to come in? / Should I come in?** Here **shall** is not really about permission. It asks about the **other person's wishes or what the speaker should do**. For example, you are standing outside someone's room and the door is open: > **Shall I come in?** This means something like: > *Would you like me to come in, or would you prefer me to stay outside?* It is an **offer/proposal**, rather than simply a request for permission. ### Compare | Expression | Basic meaning | Function | | -------------------- | ----------------------------- | ----------------------------- | | **May I come in?** | Am I permitted to come in? | Asking permission | | **Shall I come in?** | Would you like me to come in? | Asking about someone's wishes | A useful comparison is: > **May I open the window?** = Do I have your permission? > **Shall I open the window?** = Would you like me to open it? So, if you are **knocking at a closed door**, **“May I come in?”** is the natural choice. If you are **already at the doorway and are offering to enter**, **“Shall I come in?”** can be appropriate. -- 日本高校 https://www.youtube.com/@learningvalue https://www.youtube.com/@TryIT_official --

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