Let's say that you and your parents are eating at the dinner table and you suddenly need to go to the bathroom. What do you say to your parents?

You would say something like this:

May I please go to the bathroom?

By saying this, you are asking for permission from your parents to go to the bathroom. When you ask for permission, you are asking someone if he or she will allow you to do something. If your parents reply "Yes, you may," then they have allowed you to go to the bathroom, but if they say "No, you may not," then they did not allow you to go.

When asking for permission, always start your sentence with the word may before saying what you are asking permission for.

Here are some examples:

May I please join you when you go to the mall?

May I go out now, please?

May I please borrow your phone?

I finished my homework. May I use the computer, please?