8 Essential English Phrases for Conversation - Improve Conversation Skills

交談用的8個基礎英文片語 — 提升交談技能

Hi I'm Martin.

嗨，我是Martin。

Welcome to Oxford Online English.

歡迎來到Oxford Online English。

In this lesson, you can learn some essential phrases to help you understand native speakers

在本節課裡，您可以學到一些基礎的 片語來幫助您理解母語人士，

and sound more natural when you speak English.

並在您說英文時聽起來更自然。

When you’re talking to a native English speaker, do you sometimes find they use phrases

在您和一位母語人士交談時， 有時您發現他們使用您

and questions which you haven’t heard before?

之前沒聽到過的片語和問題嗎？

If you’ve learned English in classrooms, there are probably many simple but important

如果您沒有在教室裡聽過，有可能有 很多您不熟悉的簡單

phrases that you aren’t familiar with.

但重要的片語。

We’ll show you a few of these useful phrases to help you understand and speak to native

我們會告訴您這些有用的片語裡 的一些，來幫助您理解

English speakers.

母語人士並和他們交談。

Let’s start with a question.

我們從一個問題開始。

What have you been up to?

What have you been up to?

Have you heard this question before?

您之前有聽過這個問題嗎？

What does it mean?

那意思是什麼？

How would you answer it?

您會怎樣回答那個？

I ask students this question all the time, and they never know what it means.

我整天都在問學生們這個問題， 他們從不知道那是什麼意思。

So how should you answer it?

那麼，您應當怎麼回答？

What have you been up to? is like asking What have you been doing recently?

“What have you been up to?” 像是問您最近在做什麼？

It’s a common question after you say hello to someone, especially if you haven’t seen

在您和某人說“hello”之後，那是一個 常見的問題，特別是，如果

that person in some time.

您有一段時間沒看到那個人了。

For example:

例如：

Hey!

Hey!

Hi, Martin!

Hi, Martin!

Long time no see.

Long time no see.

How’s life?

How’s life?

Good!

Good!

What about you, what have you been up to?

What about you, what have you been up to?

Oh, not much, just busy with work and the usual things.

Oh, not much, just busy with work and the usual things.

Here are some other answers you could give.

這裡是您可以給出的一些其他的回答。

Someone asks you What have you been up to? and you could say:

某人問您“What have you been up to?”， 您可以說：

I’ve just got back from my holiday.

I’ve just got back from my holiday.

I’ve been pretty lazy recently, to be honest.

I’ve been pretty lazy recently, to be honest.

I’ve been working so hard I haven’t had much time for anything.

I’ve been working so hard I haven’t had much time for anything.

What about you; what have you been up to?

What about you; what have you been up to?

Hey Martin, what common phrases do your students need?

Hey Martin, what common phrases do your students need?

Actually, I dunno.

Actually, I dunno.

I’d have to think about it.

I’d have to think about it.

Have you heard or seen the word dunno before?

您之前有聽到過或看到過 單字“dunno”嗎？

It’s a short form of don’t know.

那是“don’t know”的短形式。

I dunno means I don’t know.

“I dunno”意思是我不知道。

But actually, English has lots of these, like gonna for going to, wanna for want to, and

但是，實際上，英文有大量這樣的， 像是“gonna for going to”、

so on.

“wanna for want to”，以及諸如此類的。

However, words like gonna are generally used in a sentence.

然而，像“gonna”這樣的單字一般 來說用在句子裡。

That makes it easier to work out the meaning.

那樣理解意思更容易。

Dunno can be used as a one-word answer.

“Dunno”可以用來當做 一個單字的回答。

In my experience, this can be confusing for many non-native speakers!

在我的經驗裡，很多非母語人士 會在這點搞混！

For example:

例如：

Is he coming to the wedding?

Is he coming to the wedding?

Dunno.

Dunno.

What time is it?

What time is it?

Dunno.

Dunno.

What does hold on mean?

What does hold on mean?

Dunno.

Dunno.

Really?

Really?

Okay, well Martin can’t help me.

Okay, well Martin can’t help me.

What about you?

What about you?

What does hold on mean?

“hold on”意思是什麼？

Have you heard this before?

您之前有聽到過這個嗎？

Actually, I do know!

實際上，我知道！

Hold on means wait.

“Hold on”意思是等等。

You might hear it on the phone.

您也許在電話裡聽到它。

You call a company to ask a question, and you might hear:

您打給一家公司，問一個問題， 您也許聽到：

Can you hold on for a moment, please?

Can you hold on for a moment, please?

This is like saying can you wait for a moment?

這像是說“can you wait for a moment?”

It’s also common during conversation.

那在交談裡也是常見的。

If the person you’re talking to says something you don’t understand, or that you don’t

如果正在與您交談的人說某些您 不知道的或你不同意的

agree with, you can say hold on to show this.

事情，您可以說“hold on”來表明這個。

For example:

例如：

So, you start by multiplying the matrices together to get your vectors…

So, you start by multiplying the matrices together to get your vectors…

Hold on, what does any of that mean?

Hold on, what does any of that mean?

Anyway, I told them that we’d be there on Saturday morning…

Anyway, I told them that we’d be there on Saturday morning…

Hold on, I thought we said we were going on Sunday!

Hold on, I thought we said we were going on Sunday!

You can see that you can use hold on to interrupt someone else if they say something you don’t

如果其他人說某些您不理解或 您不同意的某些事情，

understand, or that you don’t agree with.

您可以看到您能使用“hold on”來打斷他們。

It’s a very useful and common phrase!

那是很有用並常見的片語。

All this teaching’s making me thirsty.

All this teaching’s making me thirsty.

Want a cup of tea?

Want a cup of tea?

Yeah, might as well.

Yeah, might as well.

If you ask someone a question, and they answer might as well, what are they saying to you?

如果您問某人一個問題，他們回答 “might as well”，他們和您說什麼？

Might as well means there’s no reason to say no.

“Might as well”意思是 沒理由說不要。

So, it’s like saying yes, or why not?

所以，那像是說“yes”或“why not?”

It can also be used to say yes to something when you don’t feel enthusiastic.

當您不熱衷時，那也能用 來”對某些事情說“yes。

For example, imagine you miss a train.

例如，想像您錯過了一班列車。

You have to wait five hours for the next one.

您不得不等下一班列車五個小時。

Your friend asks if you want to go to the cinema.

您的朋友問您是否 想去電影院。

You don’t like the film which your friend suggested, and you don’t want to watch it.

您不喜歡您朋友建議看的電影， 您不想看它。

But, you have five hours until your train, and there’s nothing else to do, so you say,

但是，到下一班列車來，您有五個小時，沒有 其他事情能做的，所以您說

yeah, might as well.

yeah, might as well.

Might as well isn’t always negative like this, though.

不過，“Might as well”不是總是 像這個一樣是否定的。

It can be used to say yes to something you actually want to do.

它能用來對某些您實際上 想做的事情說“yes”。

For example, imagine you’re waiting for a bus.

例如，想像您在等一輛公車。

Your friend says, Why don’t we walk?

您的朋友說為什麼我們不步行呢？

You think about it.

您考慮它。

It’s not far.

那不遠。

You don’t know when the bus will come, and it’s a beautiful, sunny day.

您不知道什麼時候公車會來，那是 一個陽光明艷的日子。

So, why not?

所以，為什麼不要呢？

You say, Yeah, might as well!

您說”Yeah, might as well!“

I’m getting kind of tired.

I’m getting kind of tired.

We should take a five-minute break.

We should take a five-minute break.

What do you reckon?

What do you reckon?

We’re only halfway!

We’re only halfway!

We can take a break later.

We can take a break later.

What do you reckon? can have more than one meaning.

“What do you reckon?”可以 有超過一種以上的意思。

Like all of these phrases, it’s very common in spoken English!

像所有這些片語那樣， 那在英文口說裡很常見！

First, it can mean do you agree?

首先，它可以意思是“do you agree?”

For example:

例如：

Our plane’s at six.

Our plane’s at six.

We need to be at the airport at 4.30, so we should leave here at two.

We need to be at the airport at 4.30, so we should leave here at two.

What do you reckon?

What do you reckon?

Here, I make a suggestion—we need to leave at two—and I’m asking you if you agree

Here, I make a suggestion—we need to leave at two—and I’m asking you if you agree

with my suggestion or not.

with my suggestion or not.

You can also use what do you reckon to ask what’s your opinion?

您也能使用“what do you reckon”來詢問 “what’s your opinion?”

For example:

例如：

Maybe I should quit and look for a new job, but I’m not sure.

Maybe I should quit and look for a new job, but I’m not sure.

What do you reckon?

What do you reckon?

Here, I’m asking what you think: should I quit and look for a new job, or should I

Here, I’m asking what you think: should I quit and look for a new job, or should I

stay where I am?

stay where I am?

I want to know what you think.

I want to know what you think.

What do you reckon is almost always used as a fixed phrase.

“What do you reckon”幾乎總是 作為一個固定片語使用。

Generally, you don’t add anything after it.

一般來說，在它之後， 您不添加任何東西。

Can we have that break now?

Can we have that break now?

In a bit!

In a bit!

You’re at work.

You’re at work.

You ask your colleague to send you something.

您請您的同事發送某些東西給您。

She says, Yeah, I’ll get it to you in a bit.

她說“Yeah, I’ll get it to you in a bit.”

What does she mean?

它是什麼意思？

In a bit means a short time later.

“In a bit”意思是等一下下。

In our example, your colleague is saying she’ll send you what you need a short time later.

在我們的事例裡，您的同事說她會等一下 發送給您您要的東西。

So, she’s saying that she’ll do it, but not right now.

所以，她說她會做， 但是，不是現在。

You might also hear in a little bit.

您也許也聽到過“in a little bit”。

Where else could you use this phrase?

您還能在其他什麼地方使用這個片語？

Let’s see some more examples:

我們再看一個例子：

When will my computer be fixed?

When will my computer be fixed?

We’re working on it now.

We’re working on it now.

It should be done in a bit.

It should be done in a bit.

Can you come back in half an hour?

Can you come back in half an hour?

Want to go for dinner?

Want to go for dinner?

I’m not hungry right now, but we can go in a bit.

I’m not hungry right now, but we can go in a bit.

So, that’s fixed, we’ll meet at six?

So, that’s fixed, we’ll meet at six?

Yup, see you in a bit!

Yup, see you in a bit!

You can also use the phrase see you in a bit to say goodbye to someone if you know you’re

如果您知道您很快就會去看 他們，您也能使用片語

going to see them in the near future.

“see you in a bit”來和某人說再見。

Bad news, Martin.

Bad news, Martin.

Oh, what’s that?

Oh, what’s that?

I don’t think we’ll have time for that break.

I don’t think we’ll have time for that break.

How come?

How come?

Martin just asked me a question.

Martin剛剛問我一個問題。

Do you remember what he said?

您記得他說什麼了嗎？

He asked how come?

他們“how come?”

What is this, and how can you answer it?

這是什麼意思？我要怎樣回答？

Asking how come is like asking why?

問“how come”像是問“why?”

The meaning is the same.

意思是一樣的。

However, you can’t use it in every situation.

然而，您不能在每一種情形下都用它。

You can use how come to ask why if someone tells you something surprising, disappointing

如果某人告訴您一些令人吃驚的、 失望的或生氣的事情

or annoying.

您能用“how come”來問“why”

Did you hear?

Did you hear?

They cancelled the wedding.

They cancelled the wedding.

No way!

No way!

How come?

How come?

He didn’t get me anything for my birthday.

He didn’t get me anything for my birthday.

Really?

Really?

How come?

How come?

I have to leave three hours early today.

I have to leave three hours early today.

That’s not easy.

That’s not easy.

How come?

How come?

Well, we have one more useful phrase to look at.

好，我們再看看一個 有用的片語。

You’ve finished most of the lesson.

您完成了課程的大部分。

How did you find it?

How did you find it?

This is another very common question which is often misunderstood!

這是另一個很常見的 易被誤解的問題！

How did you find it means what did you think?

“How did you find it”意思是“what did you think?”

It’s like asking did you like it?

那像是問“did you like it?”

You can use this question to ask about many different things.

您可以用這個來問 很多不同的事情。

For example:

例如：

How did you find the film?

How did you find the film?

I heard you’ve started aikido lessons.

I heard you’ve started aikido lessons.

How are you finding it?

How are you finding it?

How have you found the course so far?

How have you found the course so far?

You can see that you can use this question in different times and verb tenses.

您可以看到您能在不同的動詞時態 和型態來使用這個問題。

So, how can you answer?

那麼，您能怎樣回答呢？

How did you find the film?

How did you find the film?

It was kind of boring, actually.

It was kind of boring, actually.

I heard you’ve started aikido lessons.

I heard you’ve started aikido lessons.

How are you finding it?

How are you finding it?

Really interesting!

Really interesting!

I was never interested in martial arts, but it’s actually very fun.

I was never interested in martial arts, but it’s actually very fun.

How have you found the course so far?

How have you found the course so far?

It’s challenging, but very useful.

It’s challenging, but very useful.

So, how did you find this lesson?

那麼，您覺得本節課怎樣？

If you want more practice with these phrases make sure you check out the full version of

如果您要做這些片語的更多練習， 您要在我們的網站上

this lesson on our website: Oxford Online English.com.

查看本節課的完整版本： Oxford Online English.com.

You can find a quiz to help you practice these phrases as well as many other free English

和其他的免費英文課程一樣， 您可以看到有一個隨堂測驗來

lessons.

幫助您練習這些片語。

Thanks for watching!

感謝觀看！

See you next time!

下次見！