怎样开口请人帮忙
谁也不是万能的,所以不管是在工作中还是生活中,我们总是会有请人帮忙的时候。按照汉语的语用习惯,问对方忙不忙是有求于对方的一种“先行词”,英语问别人“Are you busy?”更多是表示关心的一种方式。不过也有老外在请你帮忙前会先问你忙不忙的。
有求于人时用什么话开始好呢?其实可以开门见山地说“Mr. Lee, could you do me a favor?”或者“I wonder if you could do me a favor?”注意,用过去时要比用现在时客气得多;再客气一点,还可以说“I had been wondering if you could help me.”或“I beg a favor of you.”颇有点官腔。
很正式的请求用语以前还有“May I venture to ask you for a favor?”或“Please excuse me to make bold to ask you to do me a favor.”这些用法显得有点迂腐,现在已没有人这样说了。如果只是想问个问题,耽误对方几分钟,也可以说“Could you spare me a few minutes, Mr. Lee?”
上面这些都是比较正式的请求,更正式的书面语可以说“We / I would be very much obliged if you could/would…(很有点“万分感激”的意思)”如果是很熟的朋友之间,可以用比较随便的口气,如:Be a sport and lend me a hand(这里sport意为“气量大度的人”),请别人帮忙还可以说“Would you give me a hand?”(问异性Would you give me your hand? 则是求婚。)
至于向陌生人问时间,可以说“Excuse me, but could you tell me what time it is now? ”现在英语也趋向于简单明了,很少说“Would you be kind enough to tell me the time?”一类的话了.
Annabel 编辑.
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