With your consent

You usually place this phrase at the beginning or the end of a sentence. It works best when you are about to perform an action that affects someone else. For example, if you want to record a Zoom call, you say, 'I’d like to record this session with your consent.' It makes you look like a pro who follows the rules. It’s like wearing a suit in sentence form.

Use this in business emails, especially when dealing with data or privacy. It is perfect for medical or legal situations. If you are a consultant and want to share a client's results, use this phrase. It also works well when you are talking to someone much more senior than you. It shows you aren't overstepping your boundaries. Even in a fancy restaurant, a waiter might use it before moving your coat.

Do not use this with your best friend while grabbing pizza. If you say, 'With your consent, I shall take a slice,' they will think you’ve been replaced by a robot. It is too stiff for casual hangouts. Avoid it in high-speed, informal chats or when the action is trivial. Also, don't use it if you’ve already been told 'no'—that just makes things awkward.

In Western business culture, 'consent' is a powerful word. It is tied to privacy laws like GDPR and individual rights. People really value their 'opt-in' power. Using this phrase shows you understand these modern social and legal boundaries. It started in legal documents but moved into everyday professional speech as people became more careful about privacy.

You might hear with your permission which is slightly softer. Pending your approval is common in project management. If you want to be very old-fashioned, you could say by your leave, but only if you are in a period drama. If you're okay with it is the casual cousin of this phrase.