1. Choose what you want to tell the seller
If you are asking for an item, you can begin with I’d like… or Can I have…? If you have already chosen and are announcing your decision, it is natural to say I’ll take… . Politeness also depends on your tone; the word please helps make the request polite.
The translation conveys the intention rather than every individual word: in a shop, Can I have two? means “Can I have two?”, not a literal interpretation that sounds unnatural in English.
I’d like this one, please.
I would like this one, please.
The speaker is asking for the item being shown.
Can I have two of these, please?
Can I have two of these, please?
The request specifies a quantity.
I’ll take the red one.
I’ll take the red one.
The customer announces their choice.
2. I’d like: a request or a wish
I’d like = I would like. In this phrase, ’d stands for would. This is a common polite way to say what you want in everyday situations, not only in a formal shop.
After like, you can name an item or a quantity: the shirt, some coffee, two tickets. If you name an action next, you need to: I’d like to buy this. I’d like to have this one is also grammatical; the shorter version does not make the longer version incorrect.
I would like / I’d like + item or quantity
I’d like some coffee.
I would like some coffee.
Some coffee names what is being requested.
I’d like to buy this shirt.
I would like to buy this shirt.
Before the action buy, to follows would like.
3. Can I have: a request in question form
In Can I have…?, can comes before I because this is the usual question word order. After can, use have without to and without the -ing ending.
Could I have…? is another common polite option. Both phrases can be used to ask for an item, a quantity, or a different size. The sentence I can have two? is possible as a surprised follow-up question, but for a new neutral request, learn Can I have two?
Can / Could + I + have + item or quantity + ?
Can I have a medium, please?
Can I have a medium, please?
Here, a medium means an item of medium size.
Could I have some more, please?
Could I have some more, please?
Could makes the request softer; have also follows it.
4. I’ll take: deciding to buy something
I’ll = I will. In a shop, I’ll take it means “I’ll take it”: the decision to buy has already been made. It replaces the item just mentioned.
One helps you avoid repeating the name of a single item: the black one. For more than one, you can say these two. After will, use take, without to and without -s.
I will / I’ll + take + chosen item
I’ll take the black one.
I’ll take the black one.
The customer chooses one item by its color.
I’ll take these two.
I’ll take these two.
The decision concerns the two items being shown.
5. Please and a natural short dialogue
Please often comes at the end of a request: Can I have this one, please? Other positions are also possible, for example Can I please have this one? The position affects emphasis, so do not turn one useful pattern into an absolute prohibition.
You do not need to go through all three phrases as required steps. One polite request or announcement of your choice may be enough.
Can I have two apples, please?
Can I have two apples, please?
A complete and sufficient request without an additional I’d like.
I’ll take the large size, please.
I’ll take the large size, please.
One phrase announces the choice and includes please.
6. A grammatical mistake or a different tone
I want this one means “I want this one.” It is grammatical, but direct. For a neutral request to an unfamiliar seller, I’d like this one is a useful choice. Do not confuse a different tone with incorrect sentence structure.
For a usual announcement of a decision in a shop, choose I’ll take it. I take it has other uses, including “as I understand it”; do not mechanically use this phrase instead of I’ll take it.
I want this one.
I want this one.
A correct sentence that directly states the desire; in a request, it can be softened with I’d like.
I’d like to have this one, please.
I’d like to have this one, please.
The longer form is also grammatical and expresses a request.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:Can I having two of these?
Correct:Can I have two of these?
After the modal can, use the base form have without -ing.
Incorrect:I’d like buy this shirt.
Correct:I’d like to buy this shirt.
If you name an action after would like, put to before its base form.
Incorrect:I’ll takes the red one.
Correct:I’ll take the red one.
After will, use the base form take without -s.
Incorrect:Can have I this one?
Correct:Can I have this one?
In an ordinary question, the order is: can, the subject I, and the main verb have.