Meaning of Sure You Can- Its Usage

Meaning of Sure You Can

There is a wide range of responses to pick from for a person who wants to respond to a request or a question being asked. There are two ways to answer a request, that is, either negative or positive. The simplest way to answer a request is by answering with a ‘no’ or a ‘yes’. Answering a request with a single word often makes one sound rude or arrogant. Therefore, to make a response to a request being asked, one should use certain phrases which can help him or her to be more polite and humble in front of others while answering a question. Today’s topic- Meaning of Sure You Can.

A few phrases which can help an individual to look more welcoming while answering can be: sure, you can, that’s alright, go ahead, of course, it doesn’t matter, etc. Phrases like these not only help the other person feel more delighted and content by an individual’s response but also have a sense of respect towards the person responding to the question or request.

‘Sure, you can’ is a phrase that is used to give consent to a request or a question that is asked, be it related to any topic or subject. It is a phrase that is most often used to show certainty by a person responding to a request, but this can be used for answering a question as well. This phrase depicts the welcoming, extroverted, polite, and humble nature of the respondent and makes the other person feel more comfortable, which makes him or her open up quite quickly and fearlessly. 

This phrase can be used by anyone to answer a request or a question, but its usage is mainly seen in schools or offices when teachers talk to students or staff at the higher position talk to or address their employees. For example, if a student asks a question to a teacher and if the teacher wants to give a positive response to the request, then instead of using the word ‘yes, she would probably use the phrase ‘sure you can’ to make the child feel more comfortable and make herself more clear to the student. 

A few questions where the answer ‘sure you can’ is probably the most appropriate way to give a response to a request by an individual are as follows.

When to use?

Question 1

Hey, can I please borrow your water bottle? (From a student to a student)

Answer 1

 Sure. You can borrow it anytime. 

Question 2

If there is anything not urgent in the office tomorrow, would I be allowed to please take leave as I have something urgent at home? (An employee requesting to the boss)

Answer 2

 Sure you can, but try to reach in the afternoon as we have a meeting scheduled for you then.

Question 3 

May I know your seat number? I think you are sitting on my seat by mistake. (A passenger to a passenger in a train or metro).

Answer 3

 Sure, I can show you my seat number, and we can figure this issue out. 

Question 4 

Would you mind if I come over to your place tonight? (A friend to a friend)

Answer 4 

Why would I mind it? Sure, you can come anytime you want to visit my place.

Question 5

As I have not been well for the past week, can I submit my notebook the day after tomorrow instead of tomorrow, which is the deadline for the submission (a student to a teacher)

Answer 5 

Sure, you can submit the notebook the day after tomorrow, but the deadline will not be extended further.

Question 6

Excuse me, can I please borrow your pen? (A teacher to a teacher)

Answer 6

Sure, you can. I have got an extra one as well; so you can take that and work with it for the whole day. 

Question 7

Would you mind if I take a look over your project just to get a clear idea about the same? (An employee to an employee)

Answer 7 

Sure. It is right there on my table, you can have a look at it and see what you want to do. Also, just let me know if you think there is any improvisation needed.

Question 8

May I please go and visit my friend today on her birthday? (A child to his or her parent)

Answer 8

Yes. Sure, you can visit her as it is your birthday, but do come at the earliest as we have planned to go to dinner with your uncle and aunt today.

Question 9

Are you free Monday night so that we can have dinner or maybe go on a coffee date? (A boyfriend to a girlfriend)

Answer 9

Sure, you can make the arrangements for the day after tomorrow as I won’t be able to make up tomorrow. 

Question 10 

Could you please tell me the best place to go in the United States if someone has to stay just for 2 days? (A man to a stranger)

Answer 10

Sure, you can tell the person to go to any famous monument or probably a museum if he or she is interested in science or fiction as these are the things which attract tourists the most. 

These examples portray that usually the phrase ‘sure you can’ is used when a person from a higher authority responds to a request made by the lower authority, for example, parents answering their child or a boss replying to a junior and so on. This can also be used when people from the same position converse with each other and one of them puts forward a request to the other colleague or a friend, etc.

The phrase is therefore used to depict the assurance and certainty of the respondent while replying to the person asking a question or making a request. One should use this phrase and other kinds of phrases rather than using a YES which is a single word to depict a positive response, as this can make a person sound disinterested or impolite and may be judged incorrectly by others in the long run. 

Meaning of Sure You Can- Its Usage

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