What should I say... *用于委婉表达难以启齿的事情,一时找不到合适的词,争取考虑时间的情况。
How should I put this...
How should I put it...
我真不知道该说什么好……
I don't know quite how to put this.
You said you wanted to talk to me...
(听说你有话要对我说……)
Well, I don't know quite how to put this... (嗯,我真不知道该说什么好……)
I don't know how to say this.
I'm not sure how to put this.
这可让你问着了。
Beats me. *回答不了别人的提问时,“哎呀!这可糟了”、 “怎么说呢”、 “不知道呀”的语气。
What's the population of Narita? (成田市有多少人口呀?)
Beats me. (这可让你问着了。)
I can't answer that. (我可答不上来。)
叫什么来着?
What do you call it? *一时想不出要说的东西的名字的时候。口语中常发音为Whatchamacallit?
What would you call it? *把“do”换成“would”则用于另外一种场合。意思是“你管它叫什么?”
让你问住了。
You've got me. *回答不上来问话时。
Who's the prime minister of Canada? (加拿大的总理是谁?)
You've got me. (让你问住了。)
●催促别人说话
你说点什么吧!
Say something.
Say something. (你说点什么吧!)
I'm speechless. (我连话都说不出来了。)
A penny for your thoughts. *这是惯用表达方式,用于当对方在考虑什么的时候。直译是“给你一便士也好,请告诉我你在想什么。”
我想知道得详细一些。
Tell me more (about it).
I want to know more about it in detail.
I'd like to know more details. *比较有礼貌的说法。
你的旅行怎么样?
How was your trip?
How was your trip? (你的旅行怎么样?)
It was terrible. (太糟糕了。)
我在认真地听呢。
I'm all ears. *“聚精会神地听”。
会开得怎么样?
How was the meeting?
How was the meeting? (会开得怎么样?)
We didn't accomplish much. (没什么结果。)
继续说呀。
I'm listening. *在对方停止谈话时,向对方表示“请继续说下去,我在呢”或“我听着呢”。
Keep talking.
我很想听听那件事。
I'd like to hear the story.
Did you hear about my trip? (你听说我旅行的事了吗?)
Not yet. I'd like to hear the story. (没呢。我很想知道。)
I'd like to know the story.
I'd like to hear about it.
我们只是闲聊一会儿。
We had small talk. *small talk “闲话,不着边际的话”。
电影怎么样?
How was the movie?
How was the movie? (电影怎么样?)
I really enjoyed it. (我觉得很有意思。)
那部戏有意思吗?
Did you enjoy the play?
Did you enjoy the play? (那部戏有意思吗?)
No, it was dull. (真没劲。)
我想现在就谈谈那件事。
I want to talk about it now.
Let's talk about it later. (那事我们以后再谈吧。)
I want to talk about it now. (我想现在谈。)
说吧,说吧。
Shoot! *动词shoot有“发射,射击”的意思,但在口语中也可以用来催促对方,“请说吧”、“说吧,说吧”。
I need to tell you something. (我有事要告诉你。)
Shoot! (说吧,说吧。)Go ahead.
What's on your mind.
咱们说英语吧。
Let's talk in English.
Let's speak in English.
咱们聊会儿天吧!
Let's have a chat.
抓重点的说。
To the point, please. *用在说话人说一些无关痛痒的事,或没有时间听完说话人要说的事情以及不想听的场合。
Stop beating around the bush. *常用短语。
Get to the point, please.
今天过得怎么样?
How was your day?
How was your day? (今天过得怎么样?)
Exhausting. (我已经精疲力尽了。)
●转换话题
我们换个话题吧!
Let's change the subject.
Okay, okay, I'll pay you back next week... (好吧,好吧,下星期我还你钱……)
Let's change the subject. (那,我们换个话题吧。)
Let's talk about something else.
Let's talk about something different.
I'd rather talk about something else. (能不能换个别的话题。)
言归正传。
Let's get back to the subject.
Let's get back to the subject. (言归正传。)
Yes, let's. (对。)
Let's get back to the point.
Let's get back on track.
我现在不想谈那件事。
I don't want to talk about it now.
I'd prefer not to talk about it. (我不想谈论那件事。)
那事儿以后再说吧。
Let's talk about it later.
We're playing golf this Sunday, right? (我们这个星期天要去打高尔夫球,对吧?)
Let's talk about it later. (那事儿以后再说吧。)
另外我们说说……
To change the subject...
I can't believe it. (真让人难以相信。)
To change the subject... (另外我们谈点儿别的吧。)
好了,玩笑就到此……
Well, all joking aside,...
Ha, ha, that's a good one! (哈,哈,这个玩笑真有趣。)
Well, all joking aside, let's get to work. (好了好了,玩笑归玩笑,快去干活儿吧。)
Well, seriously,...
顺便提一下……
By the way,...
It was really fun. (真的特好玩。)
By the way, how is John? (顺便问一下,约翰怎么样了?)
Well,...
Now,...
你刚才说什么来着?
You were saying? *说话过程中话题改变时。
Continue.
Carry on.
Please go on.
啊,我想起来了。
That reminds me.
The party gonna be great! (那个舞会一定会很棒。)
Oh, that reminds me. I can't go. (啊,我想起来了,我去不了。)
别说了。
Let's stop talking.
I'm tired of talking. (我都说累了。)
I don't want to talk anymore. (我不想说了。)
那事儿我听过了。
I've heard the story before. *用于对方重复说一件事时。
You've already told me.
I'm sick and tired of hearing that. (我耳朵都听出老茧了。) *sick and tired of... “对……腻透了”。
I've heard enough about it (already).*加already起强调作用。
I don't want to hear about it anymore. (我再也不想听那件事了。)
这件事别再说了。
Let's drop the subject. *drop 除了“落下”之外,还表示“(问题、事件、话题等)完了、结束、停止”。
Let's drop it.
I don't want to talk about it anymore. (我再也不想说那件事了。)
别那么大声说。
Don't say it so loud.
Don't say it so loud. (别那么大声说。)
I thought you were hard of hearing. (我以为你没听见呢。)
Don't say that kind of thing so loudly. (那种事别那么大声嚷嚷。)
(Please) lower you voice. (小点儿声。)
●下决心
我已经决定了。
I've decided.
I've decided to move. (我已经决定搬家了。)
Really? (真的?)
I've made up my mind.
I've come to a decision.
一切都看你的了。
It's up to you. *up to... “应该……做”、“随便……”、“全由……负责”。
What should we do tonight? (今天晚上我们干点儿什么?)
It's up to you. (一切都看你的了。)
It depends on you.
It's completely up to you. *稍微强调的语气。
It's all up to you. *比较强调的说法。
你决定吧!
You decide.
Do you want to go out or stay home? (你想出去,还是在家?)
You decide. (你决定吧!)
这是关键性的一点。
This is the important point.
This is the main point.
This is crucial. *语气稍重。
这是我个人的问题。
This is my personal problem.
Let me help you. (我来帮助你吧。)
This is my personal problem. (这是我个人的问题。)
This is my private affair.
这是生死攸关的大事。
It's a matter of life and death. *事情非常重大时用。
It's extremely important. (这是一件极其重要的事。)
是去是留,随你。
You're free to go or stay.
You're free to leave anytime.
I'm not keeping you here.
已经无可挽回了。
There's no turning back.
Are you going to patch things up? (你们打算和好吗?)
No, there's no turning back. (已经不能挽回了。)
We can't turn back now.
走一步看一步吧!(到时候再说吧!)
Let's play it by ear. *这是句固定说法,直译是“凭耳朵来演奏”,意为“顺其自然,走一步看一步”。
Should we go to the party tonight? (我们今天晚上是不是该去参加聚会?)
I don't know. Let's play it by ear. (我不知道,到时候再说吧。)
Let's leave everything to chance.
Let's just see what happens. (看情况吧。)
我确信我能做好。
I'm sure I can do it. *表示说话人有把握。
Are you sure you can do it? (你真的可以做吗?)
Yes, I'm sure I can do it. (我确信我能做好。)
I certainly can do it.
I believe I can do it. (我相信我能干。)
我仍然无法决定我该做什么。
I'm still unable to decide what to do.
What are you going to do? (你打算做什么?)
I'm still unable to decide what to do. (我仍然无法决定该做什么。)
I'm still undecided. (我还下不了决心。)
I still can't decide what to do. (我还无法决定我该干什么。)
I'm still unsure. (我仍然没有把握。)
我跟着她。
I'll follow her.
I'll go after her.
我们拧成一股绳地去干。
Let's all get together and act as one.
Let's work together as a team.
反正,也得干。
I have to do it anyhow. *anyhow表示“反正”、“无论如何”。
I must do it anyway.
机不可失,时不再来。
It's now or never. *直译“现在不做,将来永远没机会了。”
Should I go to college? (我应该去上大学吗?)
Yeah, it's now or never. (当然,机不可失,时不再来。)
No time like the present. *直译是“没有像现在这样的时间了”。
Seize the day. *直译“把握今天”。多在军队中用。
Carpe diem. (不必担忧未来,及时行乐。) *出自拉丁语,英语中也常使用。
越早越好。
The sooner, the better.
When should I go? (我什么时候去?)
The sooner, the better. (越早越好。)
碰碰运气看。
I'll take a chance.
Can you jump over the river? (你能跳过那条河吗?)
I'll take a chance. (碰碰运气看。)
I'll take a gamble.
I'll go for it. (我大胆试一试。)
I'll give it a try. (试试看。)
再拿出点勇气来。
Have more guts!
我们总得想办法完成。
Let's finish it somehow. *somehow “想方设法”、“不管怎样”。
It's getting late. (已经这么晚了。)
Let's finish it somehow. (我们总得想办法完成。)
Let's try our best to finish it. (竭尽全力完成。)
Let's get it over with. (赶快把它做完吧。)
值得一试。
It's worth a try. *worth “有价值”、“值得”、“也许不顺利”或“做起来太勉强,但值得一试”。
I don't think I can beat him. (我想我赢不了他。)
Well, it's worth a try. (但,值得一试。)
我们必须同心同德。
We must function as one mind and one body.
We have to work together.
We must be a team.
We have to cooperate with each other. (我们必须相互协助。)
你等着瞧吧。
You just wait.
豁出去了。
It's all or nothing. *这是一句短语,最好能记住。
We're betting all of our money. (我们把所有的钱都赌上吧。)
Yeah, it's all or nothing. (好吧,孤注一掷。)