English - Simple & Polite Expressions

Thank you. That helps a lot!

After someone starts speaking more slowly for you, thank them with this phrase. You can use it in many other situations, too: A: Ben, could you please make the font bigger? It's hard for me to read the words. B: Sure! I'll change it from size 10 to 16. How's this? A: Thank you. That helps a lot!

Nice to meet you.

After you learn each other's names, it's polite to say this phrase. A: Hi Mizero, I'm Laurent. B: Nice to meet you, Laurent. A: Nice to meet you too.

Where are you from?

Ask this question to find out which country someone is from. You answer this question with "I'm from ~." A: Nice to meet you, Louise. So, where are you from? B: I'm from France.

How do you spell that?

English spelling can be tricky, so make sure to learn this question. You could also ask someone, "Could you spell that for me?" A: My name is Robbertah Handkerchief. B: How do you spell that?

Hi! I'm [Name]. (And you?)

Here's an informal greeting you can use when you meet new friends. If the person doesn't tell you their name, you can ask "And you?" or "And what's your name?" Hi! I'm Mizero. And you?

That sounds great.

If you like an idea, you can say this. "Great" can be replaced with any synonym, such as "awesome," "perfect," "excellent" or "fantastic." A: My mom is baking cookies this afternoon. We could go to my house and eat some. How does that sound? B: That sounds fantastic!

How does that sound?

If you suggest an idea or plan, use this phrase to find out what others think. We could serve breakfast at 6, and then start setting up for the coffee break. How does that sound?

What's your phone number?

If you want to keep in contact with someone you just met, ask this question to find out their phone number. You might also hear people use the more casual "Can I get your ~?," as in, "Can I get your phone number?" Example: It would be great to meet up again sometime. What's your phone number?

How can I help you?

If you work in customer service, you'll use this phrase a lot.

Could you repeat that please?

If you'd like someone to say a word, question or phrase again, use this question. Since "to repeat" means "to say again," you can also ask, "Could you say that again please?"

What do you like to do in your free time?

Instead of asking for someone's job title, I prefer to ask what they enjoy doing. The responses (answers) are usually much more interesting! A: So John, what do you like to do in your free time? B: I love painting and gardening. I picked two buckets of tomatoes last week!

(Oh) never mind!

Let's say someone doesn't understand an idea you're trying to explain. If you've explained it over and over and want to stop, just say "oh, never mind." You can now talk about something else!

What do you do?

Most adults ask each other this question when they meet. It means what do you do for a living (what is your job). A: What do you do, Louise?B: I am a teacher

Thanks so much!

This is a simple sentence you can use to thank someone, For example: Thanks so much for visiting us.

I'm learning English.

This simple phrase tells people that English is not your native language. If you're a total beginner, add "just started" after I: "I just started learning English."

Could you please talk more slowly?

Use this like in this example: A: You can give us a call any weekday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at five five five, two five zero eight, extension three three— B: I'm sorry, could you please talk more slowly?

I'm sorry.

Use this phrase to apologize, whether for something big or small. Use "for" to give more detail. For example: I'm sorry for being so late.

I don't understand.

Use this phrase when you don't understand what someone means. Sorry, I don't understand. The idea seems confusing!

I'll be with you in a moment.

When someone wants to see you, use this phrase if you need a minute to finish something first. If a client is waiting at a store, you can also use this phrase to show that their turn is next. You can replace "moment" with "minute": "I'll be with you in (just) a minute."

What does _____ mean?

When you hear or see a new word, use this phrase to ask what it means. A: What does "font" mean?B: It's the style of letters, numbers and punctuation marks when you type. A common font in the USA is Times New Roman.

What do you mean?

When you understand the words one by one, but not what they mean together, use this question. You can ask it whenever you're confused about what someone is telling you. A: The Smiths do have a really nice house, but the grass is always greener on the other side. B: What do you mean? A: I mean that if we had the Smith's house, we probably wouldn't be happier. We always think other people have better lives than us, but other people have problems too.

What do you think?

When you want to hear someone's opinion on a topic, use this question. I'm not sure if we should paint it red or black. What do you think?

Excuse me...

You can also say this phrase to politely get someone's attention. For example: Excuse me, sir, you dropped your wallet. Excuse me, do you know what time it is?

I really appreciate!

You can also use this phrase to thank someone. Use "for" to give more details For example, you might say: I really appreciate your understanding

What time is our meeting?

You can use this question's structure to ask the time of a meeting.