Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 161 of 240

New here? This is lesson 161 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.

Start hereHow this works

I disagree in Traditional Chinese

A new mural has gone up on the wall by Banyan Breakfast. Auntie Lin loves the bright colors. You are not so sure.

Learn how to disagree politely in Taiwan Mandarin: say your view is different, hold back a little, or agree only in part.

Then listen as Maya and Auntie Lin look at the mural and choose to differ. A-Li's soy milk is still unfinished on the table.

By the end of this lesson

Disagree politely, say your view is different, and agree only in part.

  • 我的看法不太一樣My view is a bit different.
  • 我不太同意I don't quite agree.
  • 這不一定都對That isn't necessarily always right.
  • 也許吧，不過___Maybe, but ___.
  • 我同意一部分I agree in part.
  • 這點我不太確定I'm not sure about this.

Scene — a new mural

The lane outside Banyan Breakfast has a new mural. Auntie Lin stands in the doorway and likes the bright paint. Maya is not convinced.

A-Li sits on two stools with his soy milk still waiting. Nobody needs to settle the fortune today; they only need to disagree without a fight.

A new mural covers the breakfast-shop wall in the morning lane while Auntie Lin stands in the doorway, Maya holds back in the street, and A-Li the yak waits on two stools with soy milk untouched.

Learn — polite disagreement

These six lines let you disagree without sounding harsh. Listen, then say each one.

Notice how 不太 and 一部分 keep the tone polite when you do not share the whole view.

  1. Maya stands in the sun with her head tilted and one palm open, offering Auntie Lin a different view of the mural.

    我的看法不太一樣

    My view is a bit different.

    When to use it: Use this when your opinion differs and you want to say so politely.

    看法 names the view, and 不太一樣 keeps the contrast gentle.

    Say it: 不 before a fourth-tone 太 is spoken with a rising second tone.

  2. From behind Auntie Lin in the doorway, Maya lifts a stopping hand before the bright mural, not quite agreeing that the colors are better.

    我不太同意

    I don't quite agree.

    When to use it: Use this to disagree without sounding too strong.

    不太 before a verb makes the disagreement milder than a blunt 不.

  3. Maya turns toward the mural and holds still, not accepting that every pattern must mean good luck.

    這不一定都對

    That isn't necessarily always right.

    When to use it: Use this when not every part of a claim is right.

    不一定 means not necessarily, so you push back without a hard no.

    Say it: The 一 in 一定 is spoken with a rising second tone before the fourth.

  4. Maya's hands hedge and point at a crowded patch of mural colors while Auntie Lin's hand presents the same wall.

    也許吧，不過___

    Maybe, but ___.

    When to use it: Use this to concede a little, then add what you actually think.

    不過 after 也許吧 turns the sentence toward your real point.

    Say it: 吧 is a light neutral tone after 也許.

  5. Maya stands in profile, nodding once and pinching thumb and finger, agreeing only in part.

    我同意一部分

    I agree in part.

    When to use it: Use this when you share only some of the other person's view.

    一部分 means a part, so you agree without taking the whole idea.

  6. From above, Maya pauses by one patch of the mural, unsure about the colors, while Auntie Lin watches from the doorway and A-Li the yak still waits with soy milk.

    這點我不太確定

    I'm not sure about this.

    When to use it: Use this when one detail still does not sit right with you.

    這點 points to one specific issue, not the whole topic.

Story — agreeing to differ

Listen as Maya and Auntie Lin talk about the new mural. They like different things, and they say so politely.

A-Li stays at the back table. His drink is still not finished.

  1. A new mural is on the wall by Banyan Breakfast.
  2. Auntie Lin你對這件事有什麼看法？What's your view on this?
  3. Maya我的看法不太一樣。My view is a bit different.
  4. Auntie Lin顏色很亮比較好吧？The bright colors are better, right?
  5. Maya我不太同意。I don't quite agree.
  6. Auntie Lin大家說畫上的每個圖案都代表好運。Everyone says every pattern on the mural stands for good luck.
  7. Maya這不一定都對。That isn't necessarily always right.
  8. Auntie Lin阿傑說這很吉利。A-Jie says this is very lucky.
  9. Maya也許吧，不過顏色有點多。Maybe, but there are a few too many colors.
  10. Auntie Lin你也覺得主題不錯嗎？Do you also think the theme is nice?
  11. Maya我同意一部分。I agree in part.
  12. Auntie Lin顏色呢？What about the colors?
  13. Maya這點我不太確定。I'm not sure about this.
  14. A-Li豆漿還沒喝完。The soy milk still isn't finished.
  15. Auntie Lin好啦，看法不一樣也沒關係。All right, it's fine if our views differ.
  16. Maya對啊，這樣也好。Yeah, that's fine too.

Practice — say it another way

Work through short tasks to pick, build, and reply with polite disagreement.

After each one, read why the other options fail, then say the right line again.

0 of 11 done

  1. What does it mean?

    我的看法不太一樣

  2. What do you say?

    Auntie Lin says the bright mural is better. You don't quite agree.

  3. Fill the gap

    That isn't necessarily always right.

    這不____都對

  4. What did you hear?

  5. Build the line

    I agree in part.

    Tap the words in order.

  6. What do you say?

    A-Jie says the mural is lucky. Concede a little, then add that there are a few too many colors.

  7. Swap the word

    Turn the strong agreement into a mild disagreement.

    我____同意

  8. Match the pairs

    Traditional Chinese

    我的看法不太一樣Drop the English here
    我不太同意Drop the English here
    這不一定都對Drop the English here
    我同意一部分Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Traditional Chinese, or tap one and then the other.

  9. What do you say?

    You want Auntie Lin's view on the new mural.

  10. What does it mean?

    我覺得這是個好主意

  11. Pick the reply

    Auntie Lin says:

    看法不一樣也沒關係，對吧？

    It's fine if our views differ, right?

    And you reply with:

Say it — your view

You play Maya and talk with Auntie Lin about the mural. Listen to each cue, then disagree or hedge out loud.

Tap the microphone to speak. You can replay her line before your turn.

  1. Maya and Auntie Lin look at the new mural.
  2. Auntie Lin你對這件事有什麼看法？What's your view on this?
  3. Maya (you)Tell her your view is a bit different.

    我的看法不太一樣

    My view is a bit different.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
我的看法不太一樣My view is a bit different.
我不太同意I don't quite agree.
這不一定都對That isn't necessarily always right.
也許吧，不過___Maybe, but ___.
我同意一部分I agree in part.
這點我不太確定I'm not sure about this.
Next: lesson 162Soften the no

Save your progress — it’s free

Keep your place in the course and see which lines you’ve learned.

Want the next lesson in your inbox?

Get the next lesson by email, one a day.

Where should we start?
Join the newsletter

Daily lesson emails are coming soon. Newsletter subscribers get them first.

Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Today's polite disagreement lines are in Yak Cards with more ways to say what you think.

Review a few disagreement cards each day so a polite no comes easily.

Open Yak Cards