雖然「我不知道」只是僅僅四個中文字,但如果只會說 I don’t know 的話是絕對不夠的,因為在不同場合、不同情緒的情況下用法會不一樣!這次文章將分成通用篇、組員討論篇、生活回話篇、老闆老師回答篇來介紹,一起來挑戰看看你會幾種「我不知道」的說法吧!
通用篇
1. I don’t know.
2. I’m not sure.
3. I have no idea.
(感覺上會比 I don’t know 更強烈一點)
4. I haven’t a clue.
5. I haven’t got a clue.
A: Excuse me, do you know when the bus will come?
不好意思,請問你知道公車什麼時候來嗎?
B: Oh, I haven’t got a clue. I’m a foreigner, too.
噢,我也不知道,我不是本地人。
6. I haven’t the faintest idea.
7. I haven’t got the faintest idea.
I don’t know 其實有更多你不知道的用法!
雖然單回 I don’t know. 很枯燥乏味,但是只要在後面加上一個小子句,感覺就不一樣!除了能表達更準確的意思之外,還能隨著後面子句的變化去形容不同的人/事/時/地/物喔。快來看看國外老師怎麼說!
組員討論篇
被問到不會的東西,如果只回 I don’t know 的話,很容易讓人覺得你沒耐心、不禮貌(但是人家剛好就只會說 I don’t know 而已嘛不然是要怎樣…哭哭)這樣真的超 NG !為了不讓對方誤解你的意思,就要學會下面這些代替語句,因為有加上 find out、check on sth. 等等動作,承諾了你待會會補做的事情,不但會讓你聽起來誠意滿分,還能好感度 up up !
1. Let me check on that.
2. I’ll get back to you on that one.
3. I’ll find out and let you know.
4. Let me find out for you.
5. I’ll double check and let you know.
6. That’s a really good question. Let me check on that.
7. That’s a really good question. I’ll find out.
8. I haven’t looked at that yet.
A: Hey, could you tell me how to write this homework?
嘿,你可以告訴我要怎麼寫這作業嗎?
B: I haven’t look at that yet, but I’ll finish it by Monday.
我還沒寫耶,不過我會在禮拜一前弄完。
9. That requires a bit more research first.
10. I’m going to investigate that further.
11. I’m not 100% sure on that.
12. I can find out for you.
13. Let me look that up for you.
14. I don’t have that information here right now.
15. There are several possible answers, I’ll need more information first.
16. That’s something I want you to find out for yourself!
生活回話篇
1. What do YOU think?
2. What do you suggest?
3. How should I know?
4. Don’t ask me.
5. Search me.
(很口語的一句話,可不是「搜我」,而一樣是「我不知道」!)
6. Who knows?
7. It’s anyone’s guess.
(大家都在猜=我也不知道)
A: Do you know when humans would extinct?
你知道人類什麼時候會滅絕嗎?
B: It’s anyone’s guess.
不知道。
8. Your guess is as good as mine.
(這句話適用在問的人跟回答的人知道的東西一樣多的時候)
9. Not as far as I know.
10. I’ve been wondering the same thing!
11. I haven’t had time to think that through yet.
12. It beats me.
(就像被咬了一口「呃啊!我不知道!」)
Why did she say that to me? It beats me.
她幹嘛對我說這個?毫無頭緒啊!
老闆老師回答篇
無論是在辦公室老闆不時神來一筆,問一個超詫異的問題;還是在學校上課的時候,老師突然點名要你回答,這種在毫無準備的情況下即便腦袋空空,也千萬不能只回 I don’t know 啊!不然老闆/老師就會覺得你敷衍了事,根本沒有上進心;不過,只要你能在後面多加一句話或換個說法,效果馬上從負面逆轉成正面!快來學學要怎麼在這種尷尬時刻回答得漂亮吧。
1. That’s an important question and I don’t want to give you a half answer. Let me get back to you on that by the end of the day.
這問題很重要,我也不想給您半調子的答案。給我點時間,我會在今天結束前給您答案。
2. Let me be sure I understand which information you’re looking for…
能讓我再次確認您想要的資料是關於___方面嗎?
3. I want to be sure and give you the correct information. Let me check.
我想要再次確認之後給您完整的資訊,等我一下。
4. That’s not my area of expertise, I’ll ask…
這方面我不是專家,但我會向___詢問。
5. Great question. I’m just not familiar enough with ___ to hazard a guess. Let me connect you with…
好問題,但我希望在還不熟悉的情況下不去胡亂解釋。讓我幫您聯絡___吧。
6. That’s a timely question because I’m currently gathering information on ___…
這問題來得真巧!我最近正好在搜集這方面的資料。
7. I’m probably not the best person to answer ___.
我可能不是這方面的專家。
8. I can answer that in part, but would like to consider it further and get back to you.
我能回答這部分的問題,但希望您能讓我仔細思考一遍之後再回覆給您。
9. It could be one of many possibilities, I’ll look into it.
這問題有很多影響因素,我會回去仔細研究。
10. I can’t remember off the top of my head. I’ll get back to you on that.
我臨時想不起來,可以等等向您回報嗎?
11. I’m not sure I’m the best person to answer that.
我不確定我是不是最能回答好這問題的人。
12. That’s exactly what I’m seeking to answer.
這也正是我在尋找的東西。
13. Based on what we know today, my thoughts are…
依據現在的理解,我認為…