German Phrase
Kannst du bitte meinen Urlaub genehmigen?
Meaning
A polite request asking someone—usually a supervisor or manager—to approve the speaker’s vacation days. The sentence combines a modal verb with a courtesy particle, making it both direct and respectful.
When to use
Use this phrase in a workplace setting when you need your boss to sign off on your planned time off. It works well in informal office environments where ‘du’ is appropriate; switch to the formal ‘Sie’ form for more hierarchical contexts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
KannstdubittemeinenUrlaubgenehmigen?
Modalverb 'können' (2. Pers. Sg.)
‘Kannst’ is the second‑person singular present form of ‘können’, used to ask if someone is able to do something.
Personalpronomen 'du'
Informal ‘you’; matches the verb form ‘kannst’.
Politeness particle 'bitte'
Placed before the main request to soften it and show courtesy.
Possessivartikel 'meinen' (Akk.)
‘meinen’ is the accusative masculine form of ‘mein’, required because ‘Urlaub’ is the direct object of ‘genehmigen’.
Verb 'genehmigen' + Akkusativ
‘genehmigen’ takes a direct object in the accusative case (e.g., ‘meinen Urlaub’).
🗨In Conversation
Kannst du bitte meinen Urlaub genehmigen?
Can you please approve my vacation?
Ja, ich habe ihn gerade genehmigt.
Yes, I’ve just approved it.
✕Common Mistakes
Kannst du bitte mein Urlaub genehmigen?
‘Urlaub’ is masculine; the possessive must be in accusative masculine ‘meinen’.
Kannst du bitte meinen Urlaub genehmigen
Missing the question mark makes it sound like a statement rather than a request.
Können Sie bitte meinen Urlaub genehmigen?
When using the formal ‘Sie’, the verb must be conjugated as ‘könnten’ for a polite request.
Kannst du bitte meinen Urlaub genehmigen, danke.
Combining ‘bitte’ and ‘danke’ in the same clause sounds redundant; place ‘danke’ after the response.
↔Alternatives
Könntest du bitte meinen Urlaub genehmigen?
Could you please approve my vacation?
Würdest du bitte meinen Urlaub freigeben?
Would you please release my vacation?
Könnten Sie bitte meinen Urlaub genehmigen?
Could you please approve my vacation? (formal)
Cultural Tip
German business communication values clarity and efficiency, but politeness is still important. Adding ‘bitte’ and using the conditional ‘könntest’ or ‘würdest’ makes the request sound more courteous. In formal settings you should switch to ‘Sie’ and possibly use the conditional: ‘Könnten Sie bitte…’. Also, remember that vacation days are usually requested well in advance, so pairing this sentence with a brief justification (e.g., dates) is common practice.