HEYGOW
Softening & hinting 100
100
phrases
Softening a statement
10
Saying no without saying no
10
Hinting
10
Not committing
10
Deferring to someone
10
Pushing back gently
10
Asking a delicate question
10
Regret and second thoughts
10
Thanks with weight behind it
10
Closing a conversation well
10
我个人觉得不太合适。
wǒ gèrén juéde bú tài héshì.
— personally I'm not sure it fits
可能是我想多了。
kěnéng shì wǒ xiǎng duō le.
— maybe I'm overthinking it
这样说可能不太好。
zhèyàng shuō kěnéng bú tài hǎo.
— perhaps I shouldn't put it like that
我只是随口一说。
wǒ zhǐshì suíkǒu yì shuō.
— I was only thinking aloud
你别往心里去。
nǐ bié wǎng xīn lǐ qù.
— please don't take it personally
恕我说句实话。
shù wǒ shuō jù shíhuà.
— if I may be blunt
我不是那个意思。
wǒ búshì nàge yìsi.
— that's not what I meant
话虽这么说。
huà suī zhème shuō.
— that said, though
我保留一点意见。
wǒ bǎoliú yìdiǎn yìjiàn.
— I have some reservations
这只是我的看法。
zhè zhǐshì wǒ de kànfǎ.
— that's just how I see it
我看看再说吧。
wǒ kànkan zài shuō ba.
— let me see - meaning probably not
恐怕有点困难。
kǒngpà yǒudiǎn kùnnan.
— I'm afraid that may be difficult
我尽量吧。
wǒ jǐnliàng ba.
— I'll do what I can - no promises
到时候再联系。
dào shíhou zài liánxì.
— let's be in touch nearer the time
这次就算了吧。
zhè cì jiù suàn le ba.
— let's leave it this time
我怕不太方便。
wǒ pà bú tài fāngbiàn.
— it might not be convenient
我得回去商量一下。
wǒ děi huíqù shāngliang yíxià.
— I'll have to check with the others
再考虑考虑。
zài kǎolǜ kǎolǜ.
— let me mull it over
你另请高明吧。
nǐ lìng qǐng gāomíng ba.
— you'd better ask someone abler
心领了，谢谢。
xīnlǐng le, xièxie.
— the thought is enough, thank you
你懂我的意思吧。
nǐ dǒng wǒ de yìsi ba.
— you know what I mean
我就不多说了。
wǒ jiù bù duō shuō le.
— I'll leave it there
时间不早了啊。
shíjiān bù zǎo le a.
— it's getting late, isn't it
你自己想想吧。
nǐ zìjǐ xiǎngxiang ba.
— have a think about it yourself
我这么说你明白吗？
wǒ zhème shuō nǐ míngbai ma?
— do you follow what I'm getting at?
有些话不用说破。
yǒuxiē huà búyòng shuōpò.
— some things needn't be spelled out
你看着办吧。
nǐ kàn zhe bàn ba.
— use your judgement
我提醒你一句。
wǒ tíxǐng nǐ yí jù.
— a word of warning
这里面有文章。
zhè lǐmiàn yǒu wénzhāng.
— there's more to this than meets the eye
大家心里都清楚。
dàjiā xīn lǐ dōu qīngchu.
— everyone knows perfectly well
据我所知是这样。
jù wǒ suǒ zhī shì zhèyàng.
— as far as I know, yes
好像是这么回事。
hǎoxiàng shì zhème huí shì.
— that seems to be the case
我不敢肯定。
wǒ bù gǎn kěndìng.
— I wouldn't swear to it
原则上是可以的。
yuánzé shàng shì kěyǐ de.
— in principle, yes
基本上没问题。
jīběn shàng méi wèntí.
— broadly speaking it's fine
要看情况而定。
yào kàn qíngkuàng ér dìng.
— it depends on the circumstances
目前还说不准。
mùqián hái shuō bu zhǔn.
— it's too early to say
大致是这个方向。
dàzhì shì zhège fāngxiàng.
— roughly along those lines
不排除这个可能。
bù páichú zhège kěnéng.
— I wouldn't rule it out
我说不好。
wǒ shuō bu hǎo.
— I couldn't say
还是您有经验。
háishi nín yǒu jīngyàn.
— you're the one with the experience
听您的准没错。
tīng nín de zhǔn méicuò.
— we can't go wrong following you
我向您请教。
wǒ xiàng nín qǐngjiào.
— I'd value your advice
您太谦虚了。
nín tài qiānxū le.
— you're being too modest
这是您应得的。
zhè shì nín yīngdé de.
— you've earned it
请您多批评。
qǐng nín duō pīpíng.
— please tell me where I'm wrong
哪里比得上您。
nǎlǐ bǐ de shàng nín.
— I'm nowhere near your level
承蒙您抬举。
chéngméng nín táiju.
— you flatter me
承您照顾了。
chéng nín zhàogù le.
— you've looked after me well
我一定尽力。
wǒ yídìng jìnlì.
— I'll give it everything
话是这么说，不过……
huà shì zhème shuō, búguò...
— that's true, but...
我倒觉得不一定。
wǒ dào juéde bù yídìng.
— I'm not so sure, actually
换个角度看呢？
huàn ge jiǎodù kàn ne?
— what if we look at it differently?
您说的有道理，只是……
nín shuō de yǒu dàolǐ, zhǐshì...
— you have a point, only...
这样是不是太急了？
zhèyàng shì bu shì tài jí le?
— isn't this a bit hasty?
我担心行不通。
wǒ dānxīn xíng bu tōng.
— I worry it won't work
能不能再商量？
néng bu néng zài shāngliang?
— could we discuss it further?
我提个不同意见。
wǒ tí ge bùtóng yìjiàn.
— let me offer a different view
恐怕事情没那么简单。
kǒngpà shìqing méi nàme jiǎndān.
— I'm afraid it isn't that simple
我们再看看数据。
wǒmen zài kànkan shùjù.
— let's look at the numbers again
有件事想问你。
yǒu jiàn shì xiǎng wèn nǐ.
— there's something I want to ask
方便问一下吗？
fāngbiàn wèn yíxià ma?
— may I ask, if it's all right?
如果不介意的话。
rúguǒ bú jièyì dehuà.
— if you don't mind my asking
我不是有意打听。
wǒ búshì yǒuyì dǎtīng.
— I'm not prying
不想说也没关系。
bù xiǎng shuō yě méi guānxi.
— you needn't answer
这话可能有点冒昧。
zhè huà kěnéng yǒudiǎn màomèi.
— this may be presumptuous of me
你最近还好吗？
nǐ zuìjìn hái hǎo ma?
— have things been all right?
需要人帮忙就说。
xūyào rén bāngmáng jiù shuō.
— say the word if you need help
我不会跟别人说。
wǒ búhuì gēn biéren shuō.
— it won't go any further
你慢慢说，不着急。
nǐ mànmàn shuō, bù zháojí.
— take your time, there's no rush
早知道就不去了。
zǎo zhīdào jiù bú qù le.
— if I'd known I wouldn't have gone
我有点后悔了。
wǒ yǒudiǎn hòuhuǐ le.
— I regret it a bit
当时应该说清楚。
dāngshí yīnggāi shuō qīngchu.
— I should have been clearer at the time
现在说这些也晚了。
xiànzài shuō zhèxiē yě wǎn le.
— it's too late to say that now
要是能重来一次。
yàoshi néng chóng lái yí cì.
— if only I could do it over
我犹豫了很久。
wǒ yóuyù le hěn jiǔ.
— I hesitated for a long time
事已至此。
shì yǐ zhì cǐ.
— what's done is done
我只能接受了。
wǒ zhǐ néng jiēshòu le.
— I've no choice but to accept it
以后小心一点。
yǐhòu xiǎoxīn yìdiǎn.
— I'll be more careful next time
吃一堑长一智。
chī yí qiàn zhǎng yí zhì.
— a fall in the pit, a gain in your wit
这份情我记下了。
zhè fèn qíng wǒ jì xià le.
— I won't forget this kindness
多亏了你。
duōkuī le nǐ.
— it's thanks to you
要不是你，我就麻烦了。
yàobushì nǐ, wǒ jiù máfan le.
— without you I'd have been stuck
真不知道怎么感谢。
zhēn bù zhīdào zěnme gǎnxiè.
— I don't know how to thank you
以后有事尽管说。
yǐhòu yǒu shì jǐnguǎn shuō.
— call on me any time
我一定报答你。
wǒ yídìng bàodá nǐ.
— I'll make it up to you
让你费心了。
ràng nǐ fèixīn le.
— you went to a lot of trouble
感激不尽。
gǎnjī bú jìn.
— I'm endlessly grateful
你帮了大忙了。
nǐ bāng le dà máng le.
— you've been a huge help
这杯我敬你。
zhè bēi wǒ jìng nǐ.
— this one's to you
那就这么定了。
nà jiù zhème dìng le.
— that's settled then
我们保持沟通。
wǒmen bǎochí gōutōng.
— let's keep each other posted
今天聊得很愉快。
jīntiān liáo de hěn yúkuài.
— it's been a good talk
剩下的下次再说。
shèngxià de xiàcì zài shuō.
— the rest can wait for next time
辛苦大家了。
xīnkǔ dàjiā le.
— thank you all for your work
我先告辞了。
wǒ xiān gàocí le.
— I'll take my leave
有消息我通知你。
yǒu xiāoxi wǒ tōngzhī nǐ.
— I'll let you know if anything comes up
路上注意安全。
lùshang zhùyì ānquán.
— get home safely
代我问候家人。
dài wǒ wènhòu jiārén.
— give my regards to the family
后会有期。
hòuhuì yǒuqī.
— until we meet again