Breakdown of Можно что-нибудь спросить?
спросить
to ask (perfective)
можно
one may, it is allowed
что-нибудь
anything / something (unspecified)
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Questions & Answers about Можно что-нибудь спросить?
Why do we use что-нибудь here instead of что-то?
The suffix -нибудь is used when you are talking about any undefined thing, which often happens in questions, requests, or future actions. You use что-нибудь because you are asking if you can ask any general question. If you used что-то, it would imply you have a very specific question in mind already, but you just aren't saying what it is yet.
Where is the word for 'I' in this sentence?
There isn't one! Можно is an impersonal word that means 'it is possible' or 'is it allowed.' When used alone with an infinitive verb like спросить, it acts as a general request: 'Is it possible to ask?' Context tells us the speaker is the one asking. To be specific, you could add the dative pronoun мне (to me): Можно мне что-нибудь спросить?
Why is the verb спросить used in its infinitive form?
In Russian, when you use an impersonal word like можно (it is allowed) or надо (it is necessary), the action verb that follows must be in the infinitive (the dictionary form). You are literally asking 'Is it allowed to ask?'
Why is the perfective verb спросить used here instead of the imperfective спрашивать?
We use the perfective form спросить here because you are asking permission to perform a single, completed action: to ask a question and get an answer, rather than asking questions repeatedly or continuously.