the chair is full

[ademoglu]

Hi,

http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/empty_1

empty: not used not being used by anyone:

Let us say that I am entering a different class and say:

- Me: Is that chair empty?

I would like to ask if I can use 'full' if the chair is using by anyone.

- Student: No, the chair is full.

Thanks.

 

[tedmc]

You say a chair is occupied, not "full".

 

[Tdol]

You could say that it is taken.

 

[Eckaslike]

You could say that it is reserved, especially if you have a guest speaker or visitor who is going to attend the class.

 

[emsr2d2]

I would ask either "Is that chair taken?" or "Is that chair free?"

 

[MikeNewYork]

It seems silly to me to see an obviously empty chair and ask if it is empty.

 

[Rover_KE]

...and even sillier to say 'Is anybody sitting here?'

 

[Eckaslike]

Hi MikeNewYork,

In AmE what would you say then, if anything, if you saw an empty chair and wanted to use it?

 

[MikeNewYork]

Can/may I sit there?

 

[Rover_KE]

Or 'Is this seat taken?'

 

[emsr2d2]

My favourite response to "Is anyone sitting there?" when pointing at a clearly empty seat is "Oh, yes, there's a teeny tiny micro-person sitting there. Can't you see him?"

 

[Eckaslike]

Unfortunately, emsr2d2 I am guilty as charged!

Although I agree it's a completely stupid thing to say.

 

[Skrej]

I can appreciate the obviousness of asking about an empty chair, but asking if somebody's sitting there even if it's empty still seems like an acceptable way to inquire if anyone's using it. Obviously they're not in it at the moment, but they may have just stepped away momentarily.

So in essence, it is taken and they are sitting there, just not at that moment. It's still unavailable for me to use.

 

[MikeNewYork]

What's wrong with "Can/may I have that chair"? Isn't that clear enough?

 

[Skrej]

Nothing's wrong with it. I'm commenting that there's nothing wrong with 'Is anybody sitting here?', either.

 

[emsr2d2]

What's wrong with "Can/may I have that chair"? Isn't that clear enough?

Grammatically, it's perfect! However, if someone said that to me, I would assume that they wanted to pick up the chair and take it somewhere else, rather than just sit on it. ;-)

 

[Boris Tatarenko]

Grammatically, it's perfect! However, if someone said that to me, I would assume that they wanted to pick up the chair and take it somewhere else, rather than just sit on it. ;-)

Would you assume so even if it's happening in a cinema? :-D I doubt it.

 

[emsr2d2]

True, but I would not expect that question in a cinema. In BrE, I would only expect "Is that seat free?", "Is that seat [already] taken?" or "Is anyone sitting there?" (the latter leading to my sarcastic reply, of course!) I don't think anyone has ever asked me "Can/May I have that seat?"

 

[MikeNewYork]

Staying with your sarcastic line, I would take "is that seat free" to mean that I could take it with me for no charge. :lol:

 

[emsr2d2]

Absolutely. I have been known to say "No, that'll be eight pounds fifty please" in response to the "free" question.