中国人最易犯错的20句英语
1. 这个价格对我挺合适的。
The price is very suitable for me.×
The price is right.
Note:suitable(合适的、相配的)最常见的用法是以否定的形式出现在告示或通知上,
如:下列节目儿童不宜。The following programme is not suitable for children在这组句子中用后面的说法会更合适。
2. 你是做什么工作的呢?
What’s your job? ×
Are you working at the moment?
Note:what’s your job这种说法难道也有毛病吗?是的。因为如果您的谈话对象刚刚失业,如此直接的问法会让对方有失面子,
所以您要问:目前您是在上班吗?Are you working at the moment?接下来您才问:目前您在哪儿工作呢?
Where are you working these days?或者您从事哪个行业呢?What line of work are you in?顺带说一下,
回答这类问题时不妨说得具体一点,不要只是说经理或者秘书
3. 用英语怎么说?
How to say? ×
How do you say this in English?
Note:How to say是在中国最为泛滥成灾的中国式英语之一,这决不是地道的英语说法。
同样的句子有:请问这个词如何拼写?How do you spell that please?请问这个单词怎么读?How do you pronounce this word?
4. 明天我有事情要做。
I have something to do tomorrow? ×
Sorry but I am tied up all day tomorrow.
用I have something to do来表示您很忙,这也完全是中国式的说法。因为每时每刻我们都有事情要做,躺在那里睡大觉也是事情。
所以您可以说我很忙,脱不开身:I’m tied up.还有其他的说法:I’m sorry I can’t make it at that time.
I’d love to, but I can’t, I have to stay at home.
5. 我想我不行。
I think I can’t. ×
I don’t think I can.
Note:这一组然是个习惯问题,在语法上称为否定前置,这就是汉语里面说“我想我不会”的时候,英语里面总是说“我不认为我会”。
6. 我的舞也跳得不好。
I don’t dance well too. ×
I am not a very good dancer either.
Note:当我们说不擅长做什么事情的时候,英语里面通常用not good at something,英语的思维甚至直接踊跃到:
我不是一个好的舞者。
7. 现在几点钟了?
What time is it now? ×
What time is it, please?
Note:What time is it now这是一个直接从汉语翻译过的句子,讲英语的时候没有必要说now,因为您不可能问
what time was it yesterday, 或者what time is it tommorow?所以符合英语习惯的说法是:请问现在几点了?
还有一种说法是:How are we doing for time?这句话在有时间限制的时候特别合适
8. 我的英语很糟糕。
My English is poor. ×
I am not 100% fluent, but at least I am improving.
Note:有人开玩笑说,全中国人最擅长的一句英文是:My English is poor.实话说,我从来没有遇到一个美国人对我说:
My Chinese is poor. 无论他们的汉语是好是坏,他们会说: I am still having a few problem, but I getting better.
当您告诉外国人,您的英语很poor,so what(那又怎么样呢),是要让别人当场施舍给我们一些英语呢,还是说我的英语不好,咱们不谈了吧。
另外一个更大的弊端是,一边不停的学英语,一边不停地说自己的英语很poor,这正像有个人一边给车胎充气,又一边在车胎上扎孔放气。
我坚信,先不谈别的,如果您现在就苦下功夫,把这本薄薄的《
英语54321》吃通吃透,您的英语水平立即就会迅速的提高。
所以您再也不用说:我的英语很poor. 您可以实事求事地说,我的英语还不算十分流利,但至少我在进步。
9. 你愿意参加我们的晚会吗?
Would you like to join our party on Friday? ×
Would you like to come to our party on Friday night?
Note:join往往是指参加俱乐部或者协会,如:join a health club; join the Communist Party.事实上,
常常与party搭配的动词的come 或者go。如go a wild party,或者come to a Christmas Party。
10. 我没有经验。
I have no experience. ×
I am I don’t know much about that.
Note:I have no experience这句话听起来古里古怪,因为您只需要说:那方面我懂得不多,或者这方面我不在行,就行了。
I am not really an expert in this area.
11. 我没有男朋友。
I have no boyfriend. ×
I don’t have a boyfriend.
12. 车速快了。
The speed of the car is fast. ×
The car is speeding. Or “The car is going too fast.”
13. 这个春节你回家吗? Will you be going back home for the Spring Festival?
是的,我回去。Of course! (这一句是错的)
当然。Sure. / Certainly.(这种说法是正确的)
以英语为母语的人使用of course的频率要比中国的学生低得多,只有在回答一些众所周知的问题时才说of course。
因为of course后面隐含的一句话是“当然我知道啦!难道我是一个傻瓜吗?”因此,of course带有挑衅的意味。在交谈时,
用sure或certainly效果会好得多。同时,of course not也具挑衅的意味。正常情况下语气温和的说法是certainly not.
14. 他看到她很惊讶。
He looked at her and felt surprised.×
He looked at her in surprise.
15. 我读过你的小说但是没料到你这么年轻。
I have read your novels but I didn't think you could be so young. ×
After having read your novel, I expected that you would be older.
16. 她脸红了,让我看穿了她的心思。
Her red face made me see through her mind.
Correct: Her red face told me what she was thinking.
17. 看到这幅画让我想到了我的童年时代。
The sight of these pictures made me remember my own childhood.
Correct: Seeing these pictures reminded me of my own childhood.
18. 我在大学里学到了许多知识。
I get a lot of knowledge in the university. ×
I learned a lot in university.
19. 黄山正在读书。
Samuel is reading a book. ×
Samuel is reading.
20. 她由嫉妒转向失望。
She was so jealous that she became desperate. ×
Jealousy drove her to despair