当你有重要事要打断别人的谈话或工作,最好先礼貌地问句:May I have a word with you? (我可以和你谈一会吗?)。虽然是a word,但不是只说一个字而已,而是一段很简短的对话,或可以说:May I have a quick word with you? / May I have a word in your ear? 通常有这样的要求,谈话内容可能比较私人或秘密,或者也可以用A word if you don't mind.(只是一句话,如你不介意)。
对话
A: Julie, may I have a word with you, please?
B: Sorry, I'm a bit tied up at the moment. Can we talk later?
A: You said that earlier and I've been waiting all afternoon. I only need 5 minutes to go over this.
B: , please take a seat.
甲:茱莉,我可否和你谈一会吗?
乙:对不起,我现在很忙,可否迟些再谈?
甲:你较早前已这样说过,而我已等了整个下午,我只需要5分钟就足够了。
乙:好吧,请坐。
May I have a word with you?即‘我可否和你谈谈吗?’A word两字可不可以改作words? 改作words,意思就完全不同了。To have a word with somebody. 是‘和某人谈谈’,To have words with somebody. 则是‘和某人吵架’,例如:He had words with his wife last night. (他昨晚和妻子吵架)。
又请看以下两句有什么分别:He had white hair、He had white hairs。 按hair泛指毛发,是不可数名词,例如:I find her shoulder-length hair very beautiful.(我觉得她及肩的头发很美丽)。但是,一根毛发却是可数名词(countable noun),例如成语to hang by a hair即‘系于一发’,His life is hanging by a hair. 等于‘他生死悬于一发’。He had white hair.是说‘他满头白发’,He had white hairs.则是说‘他头上有些白发’。