怎样开口请人帮忙_市民英语

    谁也不是万能的,所以不管是在工作中还是生活中,我们总是会有请人帮忙的时候。
    按照汉语的语用习惯,问对方忙不忙是有求于对方的一种“先行词”,问别人“are you busy?”更多是表示关心的一种方式。不过也有老外在请你帮忙前会先问你忙不忙的。
    有求于人时用什么话开始好呢?其实可以开门见山地说“mr. lee, could you do me a favor?”或者“i wonder if you could do me a favor?”注意,用过去时要比用现在时客气得多;再客气一点,还可以说“i had been wondering if you could help me.”或“i beg a favor of you.”颇有点官腔。
    很正式的请求用语以前还有“may i venture to ask you for a favor?”或“please excuse me to make bold to ask you to do me a favor.”这些用法显得有点迂腐,现在已没有人这样说了。如果只是想问个问题,耽误对方几分钟,也可以说“could you spare me a few minutes, mr. lee?”
    上面这些都是比较正式的请求,更正式的书面语可以说“we/i would be very much obliged if you could/would…(很有点”万分感激“的意思)”如果是很熟的朋友之间,可以用比较随便的口气,如:be a sport and lend me a hand(这里sport意为“气量大度的人”),请别人帮忙还可以说“would you give me a hand?”(问异性would you give me your hand? 则是求婚。)
    至于向陌生人问时间,可以说“excuse me, but could you tell me what time it is now? ”现在也趋向于简单明了,很少说“would you be kind enough to tell me the time?”一类的话了。