1
I think so不能表示認同!
我們上學就學過,我這麼想/我覺得是=I think so, 但口語裡I think so=maybe,我們講過,maybe是一種毫無把握,不清楚的含糊回答,所以你說I think so,就會讓外國人會覺得你在敷衍,不靠譜!
Boss:Did you do your work, Jeff?
你工作做完了嗎?
You:I think so.
我想是吧。
(PS:這樣回答,老闆會瘋的,你到底做沒做完!)
表示認同,可以這樣說
- I thought the same thing.
嗯,我同意
- That's what I was thinking too.
我也是這麼想的
- That makes two of us.
我們想的一樣
I thought the same thing about this plan.
關於這個計劃,我也有同樣的想法。
2
I'll think about it 不是"我會考慮一下"
在大多數外國人的耳朵裡,其實是被作為拒絕的藉口,使用要謹慎。比如你去逛街,服務員想推銷,但你並不想買,直接說no不太禮貌,很多人就委婉的說I'll think about it。對方聽到這話,就會知趣的離開了。
Hey, I have a crush on you, will you go out with me?
我有一點喜歡你,可以和我約會嗎?
I'll think about it.
我再想想(我拒絕)。
考慮一下,該怎麼說?
- Let me think about it.
讓我想一下
- Let's chew this over/chew on this
好好考慮
(PS:chew是咬和嚼,chew over就是反覆咀嚼,比喻反覆考慮)
Let's chew over the idea before making any decisions.
在下結論前,讓我們再討論一次。
3
I think I can't是中式英文!
如果你把"我想我不行"翻譯成I think I can't,小編只能說你的中式英文太嚴重了!在中文裡會把否定放在後面,但英文裡會把否定提前,變成"我不認為我行"。正確說法是I don't think I can
I don't think I can finish this without him.
我覺得沒有他,我一個人完不成。
4
You are a good boss, I think≠我認為你是好老闆!
如果你這樣和同事談話,小心別有用心的人給你打小報告, I think是"我認為",但故意賣弄放句尾,意思就變成,"起碼我這麼想,別人我不保證"把你本想加重語氣,肯定老闆,活生生變成"也就我覺得老闆還行"這種酸酸的話。
更好的表達
- You are a good boss.
我認為您是很好的老闆。
- You are a great writer.
你是很好的作家。
總結:就像whatever, actually一樣,I think也是一個用爛的口水詞,但在口語中,完全可以省去這種畫蛇添足的表達,直接說會更好。下面就教你,替換千年不變的"I think"!
替換"I think"!
- 表達看法
I feel...
我感覺
I figure that...
我覺得
I suppose / guess…
我認為,我估計…
I suppose that was the right thing to do.
我認為那樣做是對的。
- 強調觀點
in my view / for my part
從我的角度看...
as I see it / it seems to me
對我來說是這樣
In my view things won't change
依我看,事情不會改變。
- 不得不發表感受
if you ask me
如果你非得問我
to be honest
坦白說吧
as far as I'm concerned
目前來說我覺得
If you ask me, you're making a big mistake.
如果你非得問,那我告訴你,這是個大錯誤。
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