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Are YOU BEING RUDE in English!? - Don’t say this!

So, sometimes we have groups of students from the same school in another country. They come to London for a week or two maybe a month to study intensive English.

So, a few years ago, we had this one group of Italian kids and they were super, super cool. And their English teachers they came too, fun fact the students’ English was much better than their teachers’ English. I don’t know how that works. So, anyway one day my colleagues the other teachers they came into the break room and one of them’s like… So rude, OM Gods… Who? Those Italian teachers? Why, what did they do?

haven’t you spoken him? They’re like I want this, I need this, Italians, so rude.

This isn’t because Italians are rude, maybe they are.

I’m not Italian, I don’t know. Italians, are you rude? I don’t think you are, even if you are with that pizza, you can afford to be a little bit rude. It’s fine. But, yeah, no, this is, this is a language mistake of course. Is, so, if you want something don’t simply say I want this or I need this. Give me it that sounds too direct and impolite. No one likes that. Instead say these things.

[Music] First of all you always want to start with a sorry. I know we’re English. we always say sorry for everything it’s kind of weird. Sorry, about that. Anyway, if you’re near something and you want this person to give you this thing, say this. Sorry, can you pass me the thing? Or, sorry, can you hand me the thing? Or a bit less polite sorry can give me the thing? That one can sound a bit too direct or impolite. So, be careful with that one. Or you could say, oh sorry, can I have the thing please?

Of course end with a please we are British we like to be ridiculously polite. Now, maybe you want someone to do something which takes a lot of effort. Maybe, they have to go far to get something maybe they have to buy something in these situations, it always helps to be extra polite.

So, say this one, sorry, would you mind, getting me a… Would you mind,? this sentence this structure is brilliant, it just means is it a problem to bla bla bla. But, notice the grammar changes. Would you mind the verb in -ing form? Would you mind getting? For example, would you mind going? Would you mind doing?

So, their answer if it’s not a problem they will say, no I don’t mind. That’s fine. or, No it’s not a problem. Another really nice polite way to ask for something is this, ah, sorry, can I trouble you for some help with thing? This one is less common, but it sounds very polite. it sounds very nice. Can I trouble you for blah blah blah or can I trouble you to blah blah blah. So, can I trouble you to try some of those expressions in the comments? Please, so be polite. Please have fun. thank you for watching, so much and now I’m sorry for taking your time today.