1. You're in the pink!
要想說人氣色好,"You look fine!"當然不錯,可如果你說"You're in the pink!"就妙得多了,實際上,在英語口語中,巧妙使用一些表示顏色的詞能使得句子非常形象生動。
2. He is bouncy.
"他精力充沛"美國人通常說:"He is bouncy.",而不說"He is energetic",牢記一些日常對話中的句式是你生活中一把必備的鑰匙。如:久仰,"I get mind of you"比"I heard a lot about you."輕松得多。
3. Did you get lost?
有人開會遲到了,你若對他說"You are late.",聽起來像是廢話。若說"Did you get lost?",則更能讓他感到歉疚,可千萬別說成"Get lost!",那可是讓人滾蛋的意思。
4. Do you have the time?
別人征求你的意見,問能否開窗戶等,你要是說"You can do that."就有點土了,用一句"Do you have the time?"就好多了。實際上,問他人的姓名,地址都可以這么用:"May I have your name?"要比"What's your name?"禮貌得多,不過警察例外。
5. I would rather not say.
別人問你不愿公開的問題,切勿用"It's my secret, don't ask such a personal question."回答,一來顯得你沒有個性,二來也讓對方覺得你氣短。你可以說"I would rather not say."(還是別說了吧)。
6. It's on the tip of my tongue.
有時候,你想說什么,可是想不起來,你可以說"Well…"、"Let me see."、"Just a moment."或"It's on the tip of my tongue."等。相比之下,最后一個句型是最地道的。
7. While I remember…
交談時,你可能會轉換話題,不要只說"By the way",實際上,"To change the subject"、"Before I forget"、"While I remember"、"Mind you"都是既地道又受歡迎的表達。
8. I got it.
遇到你不懂的問題時可別不懂裝懂,"I know"可能是被中國人用得最多,而最不被美國人接受的一句話。當一個美國教師向你解釋某個問題時,你如果連說兩遍"I know",我敢保證,他不會再跟你說什么了。用"I got it."就順耳得多,要是不懂就說"I'm not clear about it."。不過如果你會說"It's past my understanding."或"It's beyond me.",你的教師一定會驚訝不已的。
9. The meeting was scheduled for two hours, but it is not over yet.
會議原定兩個小時,不過現(xiàn)在還沒有結束。
10. Would you care to see it/sit down for a while?
你要不要看/坐一會呢?
11. I'm supposed to go on a diet/get a raise.
我應該節(jié)食/漲工資。
12. I'm afraid that it's not going to work out.
我恐怕這事不會成的。
13. Do you mind if I take tomorrow off?
你介意我明天請假嗎?
14. It really depends on who is in charge.
那純粹要看誰負責了。