必学!20个特别地道的英语用法
爱思英语编者按:从日常生活中学来的语言才是最生动鲜活的。混迹国外多年的网友给我们整理了一些外国人常用的但国内教科书上难见到的地道英语表达,快来看看吧。 1. I'm good I'm good除了可以用来回答How are you?,表示“我很好”之外,还常用于: - Do you want some chips with your sandwich? - Do you have any questions? 也可用作委婉拒绝。 - Do you wanna go to a strip club? 2. Go by 在课堂自我介绍时,有时会说中文名,然后英文名。 Instead of saying "My Chinese name is xxx, and my English name is xxx.", 你可以这样说: My name is xxx (中文名), and I go by xxx (英文名). Go by即“被叫做,人们常叫我……”,“To be called; be known”。例如: Our friend William often goes by Billy. 一些美国学生不乐意用自己的原名,而偏好昵称,也可以用go by来表达: My name is Catherine, and I go by Cat. 3. Appreciate it! 在美国,每次下公交车的时候,大家都会礼貌地对司机表示感谢,有次看到四个小哥鱼贯而出,每个人表达感谢的语句都不同。除了常见的"Thank you very much!","Thanks a lot!"以外,我觉得最好听的就是“Appreciate it!" Appreciate it,完整意思就是: I appreciate what you have done for me. 4. Have a good one 美国人很喜欢互相道好,无论认识不认识。每次和人说再见的时候(可能是下班,结完账离开超市,下课等等),往往会对同事/收银员/老师……说声"Have a good day / night / weekend"之类的。 还有种更简易的表达,即"Have a good one!",简单顺口,客套必备。 如果你再懒一点,还可以省掉one的一个辅音,直接说,Have a good'un! 5. 状语前置 这是种B格很高的表达方式,在每张美元背面都有一句话"In God We Trust"(如下图):
正常语序是:We trust in God. 6. Without further ado 这句在YouTube视频里经常听到,那些YouTubers在视频开头往往先介绍这个视频是干什么的,再顺便扯几句近期生活,然后在切入正题之前,有时会用这么一句"Without further ado, let's get started."这句话的意思就类似于“废话少说,让我们开始吧。” Ado是“废话、耽搁”的意思。 7. Figure 当想表达“我觉得/我认为/我猜”的时候,有个很好用的表达就是“I figure..." 例如: I figure it'll rain tomorrow. 在这里figure是比think更好的选择,它多了一层推想的意思,此外,figure是更加口语化的不正式的表达。 8. Petite/plus size/fair/tan 这几个都是形容外貌的,就放在一起说。 在形容人个子矮的时候,short可能不够委婉,一般说petite,这个词多指女生娇小。 在形容人胖的时候,fat明显不够委婉,可以说plus size。 在形容肤色时,长得白和黑不是white和black(涉嫌种族歧视,慎用!),而是pale/fair(形容白),tan/dark形容黑。 9. Email礼貌用语 用于邮件开头: I hope this email finds you well. 用于结尾: Any response will be appreciated. 通常正文是找对方询问事情。 Please feel free to let me know if there should be any question. 通常正文是上交文件、材料,或者回答问题等。 It would be great/the best if you could... 这就是传说中比"Could you please..."还要更加委婉的请求式句型了。 10. No problem 在国内学到的是: - Could you help me with xxx? 而在国外听到的往往是: - Thank you! 有时甚至: - Oh sorry! 11. Shoot 除了“射击”之意,还有以下日常用法: Whenever you need help, just shoot me an email. - I've collected some negative comments on you. I was shooting for100, but 98 is ok. Oh shoot...(其实就是Oh s**t! 的委婉说法) 12. 告别时用语 I'll leave you be. I'm off. 例句: - Well, it's been a great party. Good-bye. Got to go. I've got to dash. 13. Off the hook 意为“从麻烦中脱身”,可以想象一条鱼脱离鱼钩的样子。 He paid all the fines so he's finally off the hook now. My sister broke up with her fiance, so I'm off the hook for buying her a wedding present. 此外,《绝望主妇》里面Bree问她儿子Andrew,现在年轻人还说"Awesome"吗?Andrew告诉她,他们现在都说"Off the hook"了,可见,这个词组也有Cool、awesome之意。 14. Hands down 有“绝对,毫无疑问”之意。可以这样联想,因为毫无疑问,所以不会举手提问,也就是hands down。 My favorite TV show is hands down Friends. Hands down Ben Rowan is a git. 15. Though 大家都熟悉though用于句首和句中表转折,但可能不太了解它放在句末的用法。 - Do you want me to get you a cup of coffee? 另外一个用法常在网络上看到,通常是小女生为了吸引人们关注她提到的某个事物,在句末加上一个though,并没有实际意义,例如: (一只狗打了一个喷嚏,然后全身狂抖) That sneeze though.(重音在sneeze) 16. Sure/Of course 当时初中学英语的时候记得这两个词经常一起出现,表达“当然”,一直模模糊糊地认为他们是一个意思,后来慢慢地才了解到他们的用法的区别。 Sure一般用来表达欣然同意对方的提议,意为“好呀”: - Can I give you a call? - Would you like to get a cup of coffee or something? 而of course则有“那当然了”,“不用多说”的意味在里面: There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. - What do you do now? 17. 模糊语气 在表达“差不多”,“接近”,“……的样子” ,“之类的”等模糊的意思时,除了nearly, approximately, almost, kind of, sort of 等词汇外,更口语的说法还有or so,-ish,...something等: He has worked in the company for a year and two months or so. After dinner I had 30 cherries or so. That movie was good-ish. That color is blue-ish. Let's meet around 9-ish. 30 books every twenty-something girl must read. Wanna a cup of water or something? 18. Sense Sense的意思非常多,有“……感”,“意思/意识”,“目的”等,无法和一个中文词汇完全对应。国内用到a sense of的标配经常是a sense of humor,其实它可以使用的范围非常广。 What is the sense of going out in the rain? (意为“目的”) The purpose of the meeting is to let you get a sense of how we work. Does that make sense to you? 19. 没听懂对方的话时 听不懂或没听清对方的意思,这种状况常常发生,不论你是不是native speaker。除了Sorry? Excuse me? Could you repeat that? 以及英语课本里教的I beg your pardon? 可以用来要求对方再说一遍外,还可以这样告诉对方你没听清: - !#%^*>??#^& -#%^&^$(!_+?>< 20. A touch of 意为"一点儿", 但是不是比a little, a bit of听起来要更有画面感? "Chinese White Tie" means White Tie with a touch of China. 另外,生了小病也可以用这个词。 I have a touch of flu and need some rest. |