What does “could you tell me…?” mean?
Could you tell me...? is a polite way to ask for information. People use it to ask about time, place, rules, or how to do something.
When people say it
- Ask for a place or direction: "Could you tell me where baggage claim is?"
- Ask about time or schedule: "Could you tell me when I should line up?"
- Ask if something is true or included: "Could you tell me if breakfast is included?"
- Ask about steps or rules: "Could you tell me how to pay for parking here?"
Tone: It is polite and natural, a little more formal than a direct question, and it works well with staff or strangers.
In 12 of Lin's scenes
Real lines from the scenes. Open one to watch it and say it yourself.
Shadow
Line by line
Other ways to say it
Natural and common, but a little more direct.
More casual and shorter, often for quick questions.
More polite and more formal, often used in service situations or emails.
Quick answers
Is "Could you tell me...?" polite?
Yes. It is a polite and normal way to ask for information, especially from staff, strangers, or in travel situations.
What comes after "Could you tell me"?
Usually, use statement word order, not question word order. For example, say "Could you tell me where the station is?" not "where is the station?"