Editor's Corner

Dear Editrix,

This is something I’ve noticed previously, but it seems to be more prevalent lately. People asking for another person to perform an action and saying: “May you…” rather than what I would say: “Would you…” (Of course, with a please added in.)

Not a burning issue, but I was curious, and who knows, it might lead to an interesting rabbit hole!

Dear readers,

I received this email a month or two ago, and I thought that I knew the answer. I told the submitter that the person speaking was incorrect and that “may you” is grammatically wrong. But sometimes “may you” is not wrong. When I read the answer from a panel of experts (via a Google™’ AI overview), I saw that there are circumstances in which it is correct.

Here are the details:

Yes, "May you" is grammatically correct, but it’s used for wishes, blessings, or formal expressions (e.g., "May you have a wonderful day!"), not for asking someone to do something. For requests, English speakers use phrases like "Can you?" or "Would you?" because "May you" sounds awkward and confusing in those situations.

When to use "May you…"

• Blessings/Wishes: "May you find happiness and peace."
• Formal Statements: "May this treaty bring lasting peace."
• Figurative/Literary Contexts: "May the Force be with you."

When not to use "May you…" (for requests)

• Awkward: "May you please pass the salt?" sounds like you’re asking if they have permission to pass it.
• Better alternatives for requests:

1. "Can you pass the salt, please?" (ability/informal)
2. "Could you pass the salt, please?" (polite)
3. "Would you pass the salt, please?" (polite request)

So, when you are asking for something, don’t use “May you”; use one of the alternatives. If you are blessing or wishing love and goodness to people, “May you,” is okay.

May you live long and prosper!

Kara Church | Technical Editor, Advisory | Knowledge Enablement

Pronouns: she/her | Call via Teams | jackhenry.com

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