Polite Phrases in English┃Learn American English Pronunciation On the Go

Rachel: Welcome to the Rachel's English Podcast. I'm Rachel, and I make this podcast to help  

non-native speakers learn how to speak English, and understand Americans, and sound more American  

if that's their wish. This week I'm sitting down with my husband David, and we're reflecting on a  

recent trip that we took to Italy where we were struggling to find the phrases to be polite.  

So today we're going to talk about phrases in English that you can use in various settings like  

a restaurant or a store when you're interacting with people who work for the restaurant or store,  

how to be polite, how to ask for things, and how to thank people for things. Let's jump right in.  

David, one thing I'm thinking about is remember in Rome there was that Suppli shop on our street?

David: Right, I do remember that, yes.

Rachel: It was so popular. There were  always ... Any time of day it was crowded.  

David: People were constantly  going in and out, yeah.

Rachel: So we decided okay, obviously we need to eat whatever is in there. (laughs)

David:  Something is going on in there, yeah. Rachel: So one evening I went in,  

it was probably like 9:00 or 10:00,  or no [Stoney 00:01:16], well yeah,  

maybe it was 9:00 or 10:00, and it was really crowded, and I didn't really know how it  

worked. It was just a counter where people  could buy all sorts of deep-fried things-

David: Oh, right. (laughs)

Rachel: And, uh, so I told David, "Okay, I'm  going in." so David and Stony were waiting  

for me outside, and after like 10 minutes I  came back out, and I said, "I can't do it."

David: 'Cause how it works is  very different, there's not a  

line-based system- Rachel: Right, I came out-David: ... in a lot of places like that in Italy.

Rachel: I came out empty-handed. And  what I said was I couldn't do it,  

like my Italian skills aren't good enough to  figure out how to butt in. So actually for  

me there were two things happening there,  there was like culturally I didn't know  

how it worked because no one was like getting behind somebody, there was no f- line forming.

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: And then also I was just way too  intimidated to say ... Like in America what  

would I say in that situation if it was sort of chaos and there was just a, sort of a group of  

people with no sort of sense of line forming? What I would say is I think I was next, or something  

like that. What would you say in a situation  like that in America if let's say you're at a  

grocery store at the deli counter getting some ham sliced thin for some delicious sandwiches.

David: I would, I might say, oh yeah,  I think I was next, but and part of,  

part of what's interesting is that  as a native speaker you have a whole  

range of things that you could say  that have a lot of nuance to them-

Rachel: Right.

David: ... that hopefully we're going  to be able to talk about today in the  

podcast. In other words at the deli  counter I might say, oh, I'm sorry,  

yeah, I was, I was here, thanks, you, you  know, and play it, play it sort of nice-

Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative). David: ... or, you know, um, the  

situation might call for being a little bit more pointed just with a subtle intonation maybe.

Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

David: Like oh- Rachel: Or an-

David: ... yeah, um-

Rachel: ... expression, body  language too would play in  

big here. David: Body language, yeah, right. Rachel: So this is, this is where culturally  

I think we're seeing a difference too between Italy and America. In America like it would  

be very orderly, you would be expected  to get into a line and wait your turn,  

and in Italy it seems just a  little bit more casual than that. 

Whereas in America it seems like you  know if you're approaching a deli counter  

and there's already somebody there that  you kind of stand behind them somewhat.

David: Yeah, mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: Or if it's just a couple it's not a big  deal, but as soon as it started getting like  

more popular, more people there, then there would really be a sense of a line forming.

David: And I think it ... There was  usually some order to it. I realized,  

this is later in the trip where I was a lot  more comfortable, and probably had picked up  

on some of the cultural cues, but when I went to that market in Genoa and got the, the bread-

Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative). David: ... at that bakery.

Rachel: I remember you telling me about ...  David saw this swarm of people. David: Yeah. 

Rachel: And he knew okay, I need to  go buy whatever is being sold there.

David: Right, there were three different  bakeries at the market I think,  

but the one had people swarming around  it. So, you know, I joined the swarm,  

I paid attention to who had swarmed in after me, and everybody else had done that too,  

and so there was, there was some  paying attention to who was there next.

Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative). David: And there was a bit of  

politeness, but it- Rachel: Did it seem- David: ... was also like-

Rachel: ... like the people selling were  paying attention to who was there next,  

or were they relying on you guys to do that?

David: Mostly it was relying on us.

Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

David: I- it was one person, so she was, you know, she's packaging up bread and ringing people up,  

and she didn't have the ability I don't  think to manage the line. But people for  

the most part were, you know, deferential to each other, but there was a sense of like if  

you're going to be in here screwing around,  or don't know what you want or whatever,  

or you're not going to take your turn,  I'll take it if you're not taking it"-

Rachel: Yeah.

David: ... um, there, 'cause there wasn't a line.

Rachel: Which is funny because another  phrase I'm thinking in America that you  

could use if this was happening is  you could say like if the person who  

is selling whatever starts giving you the  attention, I've definitely seen this happen,  

I think she was next. So rather than taking your turn you direct it to whoever had been before you.

David: Yeah, that's a ... Right, that's a good  

phrase. Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative). David: Oh no, she was here first.

Rachel: Right.

David: Well- Rachel: I think she-

David: ... actually- Rachel: ... was next.

David: Yeah, I-

Rachel: She was here- David: ... think she was-

Rachel: ... first.

David: ... here first.

Rachel: Yeah, exactly. So yeah, so tho- those are things that you could, you could use  

in, in that situation. Another thing-

David: You could also say oh,  

actually I was here first- Rachel: Yeah. David: ... if they start to help the  

person who- Rachel: Right. David: ... who- whose turn-

Rachel: And if you're in a  rush and need to get out,  

I think in many cases you would probably  just let that person cut in front you.

David: Well maybe, maybe not.

Rachel: Yeah. I guess it's that's  a personality thing. David: Yeah. 

Rachel: Another thing I was thinking about in this situation is I could've just like as soon  

as I sensed, as soon I saw the guy hand a package across the counter to somebody, and I knew he  

was ready, I could have just sort of blurted out what I wanted. I'll have two Suppli, or whatever.

David: Right, but then that's hard when  you don't know exactly what you want to  

order, or- Rachel: Right, or if you- David: Um-

Rachel: ... had a question about something, like I  

wanted to know is this vegetarian- David: Hmm. Rachel: ... and then I just, I had a hard time  

getting their attention. So the moral of the story is you might have to get aggressive sometimes,  

and just sort of speak up even if you're not a, exactly sure what to say. If you're in a group  

of people, and you need the attention of someone you might have to say, I'd like this, and then  

you can say, oh, is it vegetarian? And then after you get the attention,  

after you've established you're being helped then maybe you can open it up for asking a question.

David: Yeah, I think that's right.

Rachel: Oh, so I ended up not buying anything that evening, but then I did come back the  

next day earlier in the morning when it  wasn't crowded, and I did buy some stuff.

David: Yeah, you were persistent.

Rachel: (laughs) And I felt good about just  getting it done. It was not crowded when I  

went in the next time, and I could ask, "Is this vegetarian?" and he said, "No, it has meat." And  

I said, "Okay, then I'll just have one." This is  all in Italian, I said, "Okay, then I'll just have  

one." Then he packaged it up and I said, "Uh, two." (laughing) and then I had some anyway.

David: And do you think that they were good enough  

for the constant line? Rachel: No. David: I don't know that they were.

Rachel: No.

David: I think they were overrated.

Rachel: No, I think you're right. Uh, but I think I, for what they were for deep-fried street food  

it was something interesting, I've never had one of those before. It was ... I'm glad I did it,  

but no, it's not like that is the meal that  stands out for me in our Italian journey.

David: Right.

Rachel: Um,  

one thing that does stand out is the bread that David got from that vendor in the market in Genoa.

David: Oh man, that was worth  joining the may-lay of people.

Rachel: Yeah, that was worth pushing  through your comfort zone of being  

like I'm in a crowd- David: Oh yeah. Rachel: ... of people, I don't know  

how this works, I'm going to  try to speak Italian anyway.

David: And also, eh, we learned that the bread in  

the Tuscan- the Tuscany Region  they don't use much or any salt-

Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative). David: ... and so the bread wasn't  

that great, and then we had gone north,  and the bread was oh, my God, amazing.

Rachel: Very good bread. Okay, another  situation that I found myself in was  

we were eating out a lot because,  you know, we are, we're traveling,  

and we were often away from the house  sightseeing and stuff during the middle  

of the day. So one thing I found myself wanting to do was ask if a restaurant had a highchair,  

and I knew how to say the word for highchair. I think I even knew how to say do you have,  

but I just, I wasn't sure what was polite,  and I didn't know if it would read like do you  

personally have a highchair when I was meaning  to ask does the restaurant have a highchair.

David: Hmm.

Rachel: So I was struggling with knowing  how to like phrase that really politely,  

and I was thinking about how in American  English like you've said there is subtlety,  

there is nuance, there are lots of different ways you could ask the same question all with a varying  

degrees of formality and politeness. So I've come up with a couple phrases you can use if  

you're walking into a restaurant for example and you want to know do they have a highchair,  

or if you're walking in anywhere and  you want to know if they have something,  

rather than just saying do you have this, which-

David: R- Mm-hmm (affirmative). Rachel: ... might be a little rude.

David: Right, and this is the way more broad than  

highchairs- Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative). David: ... and this is great for everything  

from a hardware store where you're trying  to say, you, (laughs) you need to pick up  

a hammer, or, you know, a restaurant  wondering if they have a certain dish.

Rachel: Right. Do you have gluten-free  pizza or whatever? David: Yeah. 

Rachel: Okay, so I've come up with a couple phrases, let me know what you think. You could  

say, well you could say I need, I need, I need a  highchair, or I need a hammer, do you have one?

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: And that would be a simple  way- David: Mm-hmm (affirmative).  

Rachel: ... I need this, do you have it.  You could also say do you happen to have,  

do you happen to have a highchair? Do  you happen to have gluten-free pasta?

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: And when you were ... When you're  saying do you happen to have I think here  

you're thinking, eh, maybe not, they might  not have it. Like it, you're not sure,  

it doesn't seem too likely  that they would have it.

David: And you're also, again it's a nuance thing, but you're also making them feel good if they do.

Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative). David: Like it's do you happen to have, you would,

you would really be meeting my needs  above and beyond kind of a like do-

Rachel: Right.

David: ... you happen to  have, it's very generous to  

the person that you're asking. Rachel: Right. David: It gives them a lot of room to say no.

Rachel: Right, because it's, when  you're saying do you happen to have  

it's like you're saying I know it's  not likely that you would have it,  

but maybe do you? You do, I'm going  to ask anyway, do you happen to have-

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: ... gluten-free  

focaccia? (laughing) David: Awful. Rachel: Oh, what else? Okay, you could  

also say could you tell me if you have highchairs? Could you tell me if you have gluten-free pasta?

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative), yeah, I, I feel  like that's, um, again there's leaving some room. 

You, you don't quite expect the person to have it, uh, this is you think that they probably do.

Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative), right.

David: This is like you're in a pasta shop,  and could you tell me if you have ravioli  

that was made today- Rachel: Right.

David: ... 'cause you're expecting that  probably they do. Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative). 

David: So it's a little bit, a little bit  more direct than do you happen to have.

Rachel: And, well I also think it's,  

it's also more polite than do you  have ravioli that was made today?

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: Could you tell me if you have, it's a  roundabout way, and it's like the roundabout  

extra words using could or would add politeness. For example this next phrase that I came up with  

is way more extra words, and it's a little  convoluted but it is used, and it's sort of  

extra formal, and m- and polite. Would you be able to tell me if you have pasta that was made today?

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Rachel:  Would you be able to tell me if. 

David: It's ... (laughs) Yeah, now you're  being really generous to the person that  

you're asking 'cause you- you- you're, you're  not even sure that they want to talk to you-

Rachel: Right.

David: ... so would you be able to tell me  if you have, you really, what's the word?

Rachel: I think the would and the  could of the previous sentence,  

could you tell me if you have, would and could have more politeness than do you or just,  

yeah, just saying is there this, do  you have this. Could you tell me if,  

would you be willing to tell me if, no that's  too much. Would you be able to tell me if,  

though that, yeah, there's just an extra layer of politeness with those could, would words-

David: Yeah, right.

Rachel: ... and formality I  would say, it's a little bit  

more formal. David: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Rachel: And especially would you be able  

to tell me if you have. David:  Yeah, I guess formal's the word. 

Rachel: What other word are you thinking of? David: I don't know, formal, polite,  

you certainly don't know the person, you know,  

like you wouldn't, you wouldn't say that to the little corner store that you pop into every day.

Rachel: Right, where they  know you and you know them.

David: Right, that gets to the  next one that we wanted to talk  

about. I mean in a situation like that  where you're familiar you can just,  

you know, pop your head in and  say, hey, do you guys have eggs?

Rachel: Yeah, there you can say do you have, and it's, it's a little bit, it's less blunt,  

it's less lacking nuance because you already know the person, so there's some nuance there  

just in your relationship to the person,  and your friendship with that person.

David: I also ... I'm thinking about how all of  

these are different if you say them  with a smile versus a serious tone.

Rachel: Right, friendly tone.

David: Right, if you go in somewhere and you say in sort of a, a cold tone could you tell me if you  

have ravioli, that's going to put the person on edge a little bit versus a big smile and you say,  

could you tell me if you guys have ravioli today? It's such a difference in how warm your tone is.

Rachel: You know one thing that I've noticed as I've been really studying the voice over  

the past fi- 10 years, and how we use it  in English is that when people want to be  

extra polite and extra friendly they  tend to raise their pitch a little bit.

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: Could you tell me if you  have versus could you tell me if  

you have. David: Right. Rachel: Yeah.

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: So that's another thing  that I noticed you just did.

David: Yeah, and it's something that's good  for, for non-native speakers to know that they,  

if you're in a situation where you're already  uncomfortable, and you know that you need to  

be asking for something raise your tone  a little bit because that's going to be  

experienced by the listener as sort of like  a friendlier, more open way to be asked.

Rachel: Actually, David, because you don't  interact with students every day you don't know  

this, but many students their pitch is already a little too high out of feeling nervousness or  

uncomfortable speaking English. David: Hmm.

Rachel: So actually I would say that  would be a good tip for an American  

who's trying to figure out how to be more polite,  

but for a non-native speaker I don't  think I would necessarily say that.

David: Gotcha.

Rachel: They may notice an American  speaking really high and be like,  

why are they speaking so high-

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: ... and there are a couple of reasons. One is because they're trying to be extra friendly,  

and energized, and positive, and the  other thing is maybe they're nervous  

'cause some Americans also I think they're  pitch goes up some when they're nervous.

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative),  okay, that makes sense.

Rachel: So another situation. I'm thinking about my aunt [Eleanor 00:15:14] who came to visit me  

when I lived in New York City, and she's in  a wheelchair, and I wanted to take her out  

to eat somewhere, and New York City like lots of cities there are a lot of steps. And so she has,  

she had like a really big mechanical, you know, not just a oh, small wheelchair that you can fold,  

but like an extremely heavy wheelchair. There was no way that this thing could be lifted  

up steps with her in it, so she told me, you  know, "Call restaurants and use this phrase,  

do you have a no step entrance?" So when you're calling a restaurant, or a store, or whatever,  

to ask for something and you're not seeing  somebody you could say, you know, hello, do you  

happen to have, again it's do you happen meaning you know it's maybe not very likely. Do you happen  

to have a no step entrance? I mean almost no one in New York City had a no step entrance.

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: You could also say, uh, I'm calling  to see if you have, or I was wondering if you  

have a no step entrance. I was wondering, this is a really common way to ask about something,  

and you could also use this in a store I  think, I was wondering if you guys have-

David: Oh yeah, mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: ... strawberry ice cream?  And I was thinking about it,  

why do we use past tense there instead of I'm wondering if you have? We always say I was,  

and was reduces so it sounds like this,  I was, was, was, I was wondering if.

David: Man, that's tough for a non-native speaker.

Rachel: Well, you know, once you study it,  once you know okay, was is going to be,  

was, was- David: Yeah.

Rachel: ... then, you know,  you practice it, you get it,  

you get it in your body. David: I'm just  thinking about the past tense combined with  

the reduction- Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative). David: ... I mean it's, it's tough, I was.

Rachel: I was wondering if you  have, so the I was is past tense,  

and then the you have is present tense.

David: Yeah, that's a mess.

Rachel: So I don't know why that something we use, but that's a really common phrase. A- again a  

friendly way to that's more polite than saying do you have, I was wondering if you have-

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: ... whatever. Okay, uh,  when we were at a restaurant,  

and we were wanting to get the check to  pay, I knew how to say the check please-

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: ... but there, there are more polite ways to say that if you're willing to learn a few more  

words within a phrase. Uh, one thing that I was thinking about with this that, that makes me laugh  

about how we do it in, in America, one of the really ... Well you can say, we'd like the check,  

or we're ready for the check, but then we  sometimes will add when you get the change.

David: Right.

Rachel: And that (laughs) makes me laugh, it's, wh- what that means is you don't need to rush to  

do this, it's okay if you have other things  you have to do first, like if some table is  

waiting for their food obviously take them  their food before you bring me the check.

David: Yeah, you don't want to come off  

as demanding. Rachel: Right. David: I- And, uh- (laughs)

Rachel: You recognize-

David: ... so- Rachel: ... the server is busy.

David: And we use that to be  passive-aggressive too. You, you  

can say it in a way that's like when  you get the change, eh, I don't know,  

it's almost like not passive-aggressive,  you, you want to to curry favor with them.

Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative). David: Like, l- if the restaurant is super packed,

and it's like when you get the chance,  I know you're busy, but hook me up.

Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative). David: Uh, I know you're busy, but-

Rachel: Yeah.

David: ... like come on, c-  can you get the check for us?

Rachel: I think it is, it does add  an extra layer of poli- politeness,  

niceness, when you get the chance, and it,  it does depend on how you say it, you know-

David: Yeah, you're right, it's mostly-

Rachel: ... with everything- David: ... it's mostly being-

Rachel: ... tone matters. David: ... generous to the server, it's-

Rachel: Yep. David: ... mostly-

Rachel: When you get the chance, it's like saying we don't need to get out of here right now.  

If you did, if you're like running late for the  theater or something you could say, you could say  

something like, uh, we need to get going to make our, our movie, could you bring us the check, or  

whatever, then that's obviously really different than We'd like the check when you get the chance.

David: Yeah, and it's totally appropriate to  say, sorry, we've got to get going. Rachel: Yeah. 

David: We also say, we're all set. Rachel: Yeah, we're all set. If someone comes,  

if the server comes and says, can I  get you anything else, you can say,  

nope, we're all set. We're all set  means we don't need anything more.

David: Or sometimes we'll say, they'll come over  

and say, was there anything else,  and you can say just the check.

Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative), just  the check please, we're all set. Okay,  

I also learned how to say in Italian  toilet? (laughs) single word just like  

the bill? Single word intonation making it  a question. But, and, and if you want to  

learn a whole phrase here you could say,  could you tell me where the bathroom is,  

or we often use the word restroom in America, could you tell me where the restroom is?

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative), and  we pointedly don't say toilet.

Rachel: No, we don't, that's fr- that's  stran- that sounds strange in America,  

and we all get it, but it's like (laughs) for some reason we, we're scared of that word. It's the-

David: Yeah.

Rachel: ... actually thing you sit  on, no way, we're going to reference  

the room instead. David: (laughs) Right. Rachel: Now another thing I was thinking  

about is if you're like at a restaurant,  and you want to know where the bathroom is,  

and you walk up to the bartender, and let's say the bartender is looking at you the whole time  

as you're approaching then you could say  could you tell me where the bathroom is?  

But if the person's not looking at you and  you need to get their attention first it's-

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: ... it's, it's not that polite to  just blurt your question expecting that  

they will look up at you. I think it's  more polite to start with pardon me,  

or excuse me, or even just hi, just an initial  something to get their attention, and then-

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: ... you can ask the question. I was also thinking about walking into a store, and needing  

to get some diapers for Stoney. I didn't know how to say that, I would just walk in and say,  

like, diapers? (laughs) My Italian skills were really pretty bad. But people out there who are  

listening, their English stil- skills are pretty  good, so let's, let's work with some phrases here.  

So if you walk into a store and you see a clerk you could say, Could you tell me where hmm-hmm-hmm  

is, or are? Could you tell me where diapers are?  Could you tell me where the baby food aisle is?

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Rachel: Or you could also just say,  

Do you have diapers, and I've also thought  you could say, Do you guys have diapers?

David: Hmm.

Rachel: Guys, it seems really  casual, but we do use it in  

these settings sometimes to separate like  you the individual from you the store.

David: Yeah, I think that's ...  Uh, we use that a lot. Rachel: Do  

you guys have double A batteries? David: Do you guys have cold beer?

Rachel: Right. Another thing that I've  thought about, you know, do you guys have,  

you could also say do you guys carry,  and that's interesting because, you know,  

we think of the word to carry as like to pick  up and walk with something, but it, we also use  

it for stores a lot to mean is this something they sell. Do you guys carry baby wipes? Do you  

guys carry baby food? Do you guys carry organic milk? Or you could also say do you guys sell.

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: Do you guys sell  pre-made, pre-washed salad bags,  

salad mix (laughing) bags? I'm just trying to think of nice things that someone might sell.

David: (laughs) Those salad bags.

Rachel: (laughs) They're so convenient, you don't  

have to wash- David: That's- Rachel: ... the lettuce.

David: ... terrific.

Rachel: And then if they say, you know,  they'll usually say yes, it's in aisle eight,  

or whatever, or yes, it's down here. If they  don't say that, if they just say yeah, we do,  

then you would then say okay, where are they? But I think it's very unlikely that if you walk  

into a store and ask if they carry something that they would not tell you where it is. They will-

David: Right, there's was.

Rachel: ... say yes, and then  they'll tell you where it  

is. David: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Rachel: Um, now let's go back to  

the deli counter. David: Alright.

Rachel: So it's your turn, you want to get thin sliced honey ham for your sandwiches for the week-

David: Yep.

Rachel: ... and it's your turn.  So rather than just saying a half  

pound of thin sliced honey ham you  could say, I would like, I'd like,  

I'd like a half pound of honey ham,  or you could say, could I please have.

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: Could I please have a  half pound of thinly sliced honey  

ham? David: Uh, we also say I'll take. Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative), I'll take  

a half pound of thin sliced honey  ham. David: Mm-hmm (affirmative). 

Rachel: So there are three phrases that you  can use that just putting those few extra  

words in front of what you want makes it a more polite interaction. And now let's say someone,  

they hand you the honey ham, or they've just told you where diapers are, then you can,  

you can thank them. There are several  ways that you can say thank you.

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Rachel: Thanks so much.

David: Yeah, and this is something that I  really struggled with when we were in Italy  

because I knew how to say thank you, but  there's so m- so much more you can imply.

Rachel: Right.

David: You know, I picked up  then on how to say thanks very  

much- Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative). David: ... but yeah, here I mean I,  

I have a whole range, we have a  whole range of things we could say.

Rachel: Right.

David: Thanks so much, I really appreciate  

it- Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative). David: ... that was so kind of you,  

that meant the world to me, there's all these different variations on what we could say.

Rachel: Yeah, that meant the  world to me would be like okay,  

this person really helped you out. Like let's say I don't know, you're down-

David: Well you have a flat tire-

Rachel: Yeah.

David: ... and somebody comes along and  helps you change your tire- Rachel: Right. 

David: ... oh, that meant  the world, thank you so much.

Rachel: Or let's say someone's giving  you directions, you're totally lost,  

you could say that's so  helpful, thank you so much.

David: Or we say thanks a million.

Rachel: Mm-hmm (affirmative), which they, they say in, in Italy too, remember? David: Yeah, right. 

Rachel: Grazie mille. Well now we know next time  we travel we can sort of think of the phrases that  

we use a lot in English to be polite, and we can learn those in the language rather than, you know,  

we really didn't do a great job preparing before we left on ... Like I started learning Italian,  

but it was more conversational, and it  was like I want this, I would like that,  

and it wasn't so much thank you so much, or could you please tell me where blah-bity-blah is.

David: Mm-hmm (affirmative).

Rachel: So, but hopefully this has  helped the people out there thinking  

about different phrases that you can  use in English to add another level of  

politeness when you're interacting with  somebody at a store, or at a restaurant,  

or something like that. David, thanks for being here and for helping me brainstorm these phrases.

David: Yeah, that was, that was really  fun, and, and like you said next time  

I travel internationally I will  definitely spend some time with  

these kinds of phrases in the language  that I'm, that I'm going to be speaking.

Rachel: Okay guys, that's it for today's  episode, thanks so much for listening. If  

you're not subscribed please consider doing this in the iTunes store or on Stitcher. Also  

leave me a review there, I read them all,  and I love to hear what you guys think of  

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I'm really trying to spread the word about  the podcast, so share your favorite episode,  

say why you liked the episode, and let's see if we can get more people listening, and more  

people learning English. That's it,  guys, we'll see you next week, bye.