去美国旅行时,跟老外朋友去咖啡厅…… 对着店员说I want a cup of coffee,店员听懂了,但旁边的朋友皱起眉头,没说错啊?咋了?
几个例子分享一下,英文绝非直译:
1 她是新来
she came here newly.(×)
she's new here. (√)
介绍新来的同事,可别嘴快说成she came here newly,我们要改掉中式英文,而且newly是最近、最新的,通常用来形容事物的。
在公司这片区域里,她在这里是最新来的人,应该是she's new here.
She is new here, so we know nothing about her.
她是新来的,所以我们对她一无所知。
2 我要一杯咖啡
I want a cup of coffee. (×)
I would like a cup of coffee. (√)
我们从小被灌输,want就是要的意思,出去买东西脱口而出I want,这样表达很不礼貌。
would表示愿意、喜欢的意思,would like to do 才是表达想要的意思,所以正确的表达是I would like a cup of coffee。
I would like a cup of coffee after a hard day's work.
经过了一天辛苦的工作,我想来杯咖啡。
3 现在几点钟?
What time is it now?(×)
What time is it,please?(√)
What time is it now?是中式英语,英文中并没有这种表达,在这里的now是多余的,当你问时间时肯定是问现在几点钟。
Excuse me, ma'am. What time is it, please?
小姐打扰一下,请问现在几点了。
4 我很喜欢它
I very like it. (×)
I like it very much. (√)
I very like it是在中国最为泛滥成灾的中国式英语之一,这绝不是地道的英语说法,连语法也是错。like是动词,但very后面不加动词,只能修饰形容词和副词。
The fish tastes wonderful. I like it very much.
这鱼的味道好极了,我很喜欢吃。