نه گفتن به انگلیسی

Saying NO

Hi everyone. It’s Jennifer here with another lesson to help you boost your conversation skills in English. If you find these lessons helpful, I hope you’ll remember to like them and also consider sharing them with others. My goal is to reach as many learners as possible, and you can help me do that.

Well, in this video we’ll consider ways to say no. Is it easy for you to do that? It can be hard to say no to requests and invitations because we don’t want to hurt other people’s feelings or appear rude or uncaring.

But the simple truth is that we can’t say yes to everything. Often we don’t say no directly to an invitation. We express that we want to say yes, but something is stopping us from doing so.

We say. I’d like to but I can’t sorry. Thank you I wish I could but I can’t. Notice how we can add a thank you or an apology to our refusal. Often the thing that prevents us from accepting an invitation is another commitment or other plans. In that case, we can say. Maybe some other time or can I take a rain check? For example: Sorry this weekend my parents are visiting, maybe some other time. That sounds like fun can I take a rain check? I have to work extra hours tomorrow otherwise I jump at the chance.

You can also explain that you have other plans without giving specific details. I’m sorry I have something else that day. I already have a plan, I’m sorry. I have another commitment, I’m sorry. Again you can always tag on your thanks or “thanks for thinking of me.”

If you’re declining an opportunity to join some kind of activity either in your personal or professional life, you can say rather casually: I’m sorry I’m gonna pass on this or thanks for the offer but I’m going say no this time.

As for a request for help, there can be a variety of reasons for your refusal. Most often we’re just too busy. I think if you speak with kindness then your refusal should be accepted.

Here are some suggestions, I’d love to help but I can’t right now. I have a lot going on right now, I’m sorry I truly am. I wish I could help you out, but just I don’t have the bandwidth right now.

When people say they don’t have to bandwidth for something, they’re saying they’re not available. They don’t have the ability to take on something else. A very informal expression is “no can do.” It means it’s impossible for me to do what you want. Sorry, no can do. This is a flat-out refusal.

And as I said, it’s very informal. So be careful how you use it. Sorry no can do.

All the examples that I’ve been sharing are conversational. Refusing or declining in more formal English would require other structures such as. Thank you very mush for the offer unfortunately I have to decline. We could have a funny lesson on rude refusals, But I’ll hold off on that for now.

I think if you feel the need to respond with a strong refusal to a ridiculous or inappropriate request, then it’s probably better to walk away and not even dignify that kind of request with a response. Okay, let’s look again at some of the key expressions from this lesson.

I’d love to but I can’t, I’m sorry.

Thank you I wish I could, but I can’t.

Maybe some other time.

Can I take a rain check?

I’m sorry I have something else that day.

I already have another plans.

I have another commitment.

I’m sorry I’m gonna pass on this.

Thanks for the offer, but I’m going to say no this time.

I’d love to help, but I can’t right now.

I have a lot going on right now, I’m sorry, I truly am.

I wish I could help you out, but I just don’t have the bandwidth right now.

Sorry no can do

Well, we’ll end here.