日常沟通中有哪些细节会让我们的英语听起来更“礼貌”？

武汉新动态英语

外国人喜欢用 tentative 的语气。所谓 tentative 语气，字面上的意思就是「 试探性 」的语气，也就是不要把话说死，给自己留一点余地。注意 tentative 不等于 uncertain 的语气，注意和 maybe 这种语气区分开来。比如多用 seem, appear, sound, look 这样的词。

∎  This is wrong. 改成 This seems to be wrong.

∎  We don't have other option. 改成 It seems we don't have other option.

反正在下结论的时候（哪怕明明是很确定的事情)，记得加一个 seems , appears，语气没那么生硬。另外，一个东西，明明很好，硬要说 looks good , sounds good，而不是 It's good.以下还要注意的几点：不要总是说 maybe 这种垃圾话，如果确定性比较大的情况下，用 probably（实在不行改成 seem 也好）。

∎  Maybe this is right.This is probably right.

∎  Could we have a better way to do it?

∎  Maybe.(有些敷衍）

∎  Probably.

中国人滥用 maybe，不管什么情况都用 maybe，给人一种毫无把握的感觉。在表示有很可能的时候，老外都用 probably。maybe 是比较不确定。《纸牌屋》里 Peter Russo 和他家乡的人说关闭了船厂，但是他有一项新的法案 maybe 可以让他们重新获得工作，结果这个 maybe 惹怒了他家乡人。如果想表示“我很可能是错的”用 I'm probably wrong.

给别人提供建议时，不要用 should，也不要 you'd better，而是用 It would be better.

∎  This design should be changed.It would be better if we can change the design.

表示一件事希望你做，但是不强求时，用 It would be nice / great 而不是 I need you to xxx, I hope you xxxx, could you?

∎  I hope you can come today.

∎  You need to come today.

∎  Could you come today ?

∎  It would be nice / great if you can come today. (隐含的意思是 still OK if you can't make it.)

∎  Can you bring some wine to the party ?

∎  It would be nice / great if you can bring some wine to the party.

问别人你要东西 / 信息时，用 May I have...? 而不要 Could you give me?

∎  What's your name ? May I have your name ?

∎  Could you send me the drawing today ?

∎  May I have the drawing today ?

问别人有没有时间

∎  Could I have a minute / moment of your time ?（非常非常礼貌，销售员问法）

∎  Do you have a minute / moment ?（一般礼貌，同事朋友之间问法）

你比如你想独处一下，比如想打个私人电话，要别人回避一下。

∎  Could you come out ? Could I have a moment ( for myself ) ?

问别人是否可以做一件事时，用 Is it possible that ... 比Could you ... 更礼貌

∎  Could you change the design ? Is it possible for you to change the design ?

∎  Could you call me tomorrow ? Is it possible for you to call tomorrow ?

请别人帮忙做一件事时，在前面加 ( by ) any chance，意思是如果有时间 / 有机会，很委婉。

∎  By any chance, could you help check the data? （有时间可不可以帮忙看看数据？）

指责别人时候，用现在进行时比一般现在时要更委婉。

你很没耐心 / 强词夺理 / 无理取闹

∎  You are impatient / argumentative / unreasonable.

∎  You are being impatient / argumentative / unreasonable.

说前者会得罪很多人，因为你用一个 are 就把别人完全说死了，正常的说法是用 being，这样表示某时某刻这个人处于的状态,不表示你把他彻底说死。

表达要求时多用进行时。

∎  We need to do this as soon as possible.

∎  We need to be doing this as soon as possible.

用 would like 代替 want 吧。中国人用 want 比较多，但是 want 稍微带要求的意思，用 would like 就委婉一点。

我想要和你开个会。

∎  I want to have a meeting with you.

∎  I'd like to have a meeting with you.

用过去式表示一种委婉语气。口语中经常用过去式表示一种委婉语气，比如 I wanted, I thought, I was thinking, I was wondering, I was hoping 其实说话留下余地，因为这是表示过去的状态，没有说明现在的状况，从而形成一种委婉。

很多人误以为 thought 就是"以为”用来表示过去的错误想法，其实不是，只是表示过去的状况，不一定是和现在相反。thought 一样可以理解成 “认为”.

慎用 please。

please 有时候稍微带一点要求命令的语气，特别是在给客户或者老板写邮件请求某件事，把 please 替换成疑问句。

∎  Please reply to me by today.Could you reply to me by today?

而以下情况下用 please 就没问题，因为有 let me

∎  Please let me know your feedback.

用 let , allow 更礼貌

∎  Please tell me your feedback.Please let me know your feedback.

∎  I want to make a proposal.Please allow me to make a proposal.