Ch 41 · Lesson 17Spanish · Chapter 41 · Lesson 17 · Grammar primer
Thanks, and a polite no
, , , , a ; and how to soften a refusal: , ...; no; , ...
The short version
Soften a no before you say it
, .
Why?Hide
A bare no is correct but cold. Open with , ..., ... or , ..., and the refusal itself can stay short.
Thanking and replying
Thanks scale up, and each has a ready reply:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| thanks |
| thank you very much |
| thanks a million |
| you' welcome |
| don't mention it |
| thank you (to a friend) |
| of course, it's the least I could do |
and turn the thanks back: "no, thank YOU".
Softening a no
A flat no is correct and chilly. Signal the no first, so it does not sting:
| Opener | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| I'm sorry | , . | I'm sorry, but I can't today. |
| I'm afraid | . | I'm afraid not. |
| I'd love to | , . | I'd love to, but I have to work. |
| I wish I could | , . | I wish I could, but I can't. |
The opener does the work, so the no itself can stay short.
Going further: The politeness ladder at a glance and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
Practice
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10-question session
One question at a time, mixed across the exercises in this lesson. Miss one and it comes back round before the end.
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