Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 162 of 240

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Soften the no in Traditional Chinese

Yi-Jun wants you to talk to Mr. Wang this week about the lease. You like the lane, but the timing feels early, and you disagree in good humour.

Learn six cushions that let you push back without shutting a friend down. First show you heard them, then add your point.

A-Li sits at the back with his soy milk still unfinished. Nobody reads the fortune slip today.

By the end of this lesson

Soften a no by adding a cushion before you disagree.

  • 我懂你的意思，但___I see what you mean, but ___.
  • 我可能錯了，不過___I may be wrong, but ___.
  • 我不是說你錯，只是___I'm not saying you're wrong, just ___.
  • 我可以補充一下嗎？May I add something?
  • 也有道理，但___That's reasonable too, but ___.
  • 我想換個角度看I'd like to look at it from another angle.

Scene — a lease timing chat

Saturday afternoon at Banyan Breakfast. Yi-Jun drops by after a client call, with the lease on her mind. Maya is not ready to talk to Mr. Wang this week.

A-Li occupies two stools at the back, soy milk still unfinished. The disagreement stays light; the fortune slip stays in the till.

Saturday afternoon inside Banyan Breakfast, Maya and Yi-Jun sit at a front table in a light disagreement while A-Li the yak fills two stools at the back beside unfinished soy milk.

Learn — cushions before a no

These six lines put a cushion in front of a no. Listen, then say each one aloud.

Notice how 但 and 不過 open your own point after you have shown you heard them.

  1. Maya gives a small nod then lifts a halt-palm over her soy-milk cup while Yi-Jun listens with arms loosely folded.

    我懂你的意思，但___

    I see what you mean, but ___.

    When to use it: Use this when you heard their point and still disagree.

    但 opens your own side after you accept theirs.

    Say it: 懂 rises before the third tone in 你.

  2. Yi-Jun taps the closed folder and shrugs one shoulder while Maya turns toward the scooters outside.

    我可能錯了，不過___

    I may be wrong, but ___.

    When to use it: Use this to lower your stance before you disagree.

    不過 works like 但, and it often sounds a little softer.

    Say it: 了 is a light neutral tone after 錯.

  3. Maya turns both open palms toward Yi-Jun and angles her chair away from the closed folder, peacemaking without yielding.

    我不是說你錯，只是___

    I'm not saying you're wrong, just ___.

    When to use it: Use this when you want to disagree without blaming them.

    只是 adds your point after you protect their face.

    Say it: 不 rises before the fourth tone in 是.

  4. Maya looks up from her cup and lifts a small hand to add something while Yi-Jun twists in the chair toward her.

    我可以補充一下嗎？

    May I add something?

    When to use it: Use this to ask for a turn before you disagree.

    一下 makes the request smaller and more polite.

  5. Parked scooters fill the afternoon street outside while Maya and Yi-Jun stay soft at the table inside, Maya turned toward the street.

    也有道理，但___

    That's reasonable too, but ___.

    When to use it: Use this when their point is fair, and you still have another.

    也 marks that you grant their point as well as yours.

  6. Maya half-rises and rotates the closed folder on the table as if to study it from a new side, while Yi-Jun watches seated and Dr. Chen returns to the shut till.

    我想換個角度看

    I'd like to look at it from another angle.

    When to use it: Use this to shift the view before you disagree.

    個 is the measure word before 角度 in this chunk.

    Say it: 我 rises before the third tone in 想.

Story — waiting on the lease

Yi-Jun wants Maya to talk to Mr. Wang this week. Maya is not ready, and she softens each no.

Listen for the cushions before her own point. They stay friends.

  1. Saturday afternoon at Banyan Breakfast. Yi-Jun has the lease on her mind.
  2. Yi-Jun租約下個月到期，你這週要不要跟王先生說？The lease ends next month. Do you want to talk to Mr. Wang this week?
  3. Maya我懂你的意思，但現在有點早。I see what you mean, but it's a bit early now.
  4. Yi-Jun你不同意喔？榕樹巷這麼方便，晚了就沒了。You don't agree? Banyan Lane is so convenient. If you're late, it'll be gone.
  5. Maya我不是說你錯，只是我想先想清楚。I'm not saying you're wrong, I just want to think it through first.
  6. Yi-Jun續約很簡單，這週講就好。Renewing is simple. Just talk this week.
  7. Maya我可以補充一下嗎？May I add something?
  8. Yi-Jun可以啊，你說。Sure, go ahead.
  9. Maya我想換個角度看。I'd like to look at it from another angle.
  10. Yi-Jun怎麼說？How so?
  11. Maya我想先問清楚租金，這週有點趕。I want to get the rent clear first. This week feels a bit rushed.
  12. Yi-Jun有道理。租金先問清楚比較好。That makes sense. It's better to get the rent clear first.
  13. Maya也有道理，但太晚講也不好。That's reasonable too, but talking too late isn't good either.
  14. Yi-Jun那你先傳訊息給他？Then will you message him first?
  15. Maya我可能錯了，不過當面講比較好。I may be wrong, but talking in person is better.
  16. Yi-Jun好喔，那我陪你去。Okay, then I'll go with you.
  17. Maya好啊，先把這杯喝完。Sure. Let's finish this drink first.

Practice — a softer no

Work through short exercises on these cushions. Pick the line that keeps the disagreement kind.

After each answer, read why the others fail, then say the right line again.

0 of 10 done

  1. What does it mean?

    我懂你的意思，但___

  2. Fill the gap

    May I add something?

    我可以____一下嗎？

  3. What do you say?

    Yi-Jun is stuck on one plan. Use the line that says you'd like to look at it from another angle.

  4. What did you hear?

  5. Swap the word

    You want to lower your stance before you disagree about the lease.

    我可能錯了，_______

  6. Pick the reply

    Yi-Jun says:

    你是說我錯了嗎？

    Are you saying I'm wrong?

    And you reply with:

  7. Build the line

    I'd like to look at it from another angle.

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Match the pairs

    Traditional Chinese

    我懂你的意思，但___Drop the English here
    我可能錯了，不過___Drop the English here
    我可以補充一下嗎？Drop the English here
    也有道理，但___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?

    Use the line that says your view is a bit different.

  10. What does it mean?

    有道理

Say it — your cushions

You play Maya. Yi-Jun is sure about the lease timing; you are not. Listen to each cue, then say the cushion out loud.

Tap the microphone when it is your turn. You can replay her line first.

  1. Yi-Jun brings up the lease over drinks at Banyan Breakfast.
  2. Yi-Jun你這週要不要跟王先生說？Do you want to talk to Mr. Wang this week?
  3. Maya (you)Finish the cushion: you see what she means, but it is a bit early now.

    我懂你的意思，但___

    I see what you mean, but ___.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
我懂你的意思，但___I see what you mean, but ___.
我可能錯了，不過___I may be wrong, but ___.
我不是說你錯，只是___I'm not saying you're wrong, just ___.
我可以補充一下嗎？May I add something?
也有道理，但___That's reasonable too, but ___.
我想換個角度看I'd like to look at it from another angle.
Next: lesson 163Going along with it

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Today's cushions are in Yak Cards with more lines for disagreeing kindly.

Review two or three cards a day so a soft no comes out in time.

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