把汉语翻译成英语,并且表述给老外听,这是我们在语言交流中最常遇到的情况了。可你知道吗?下面这25个句子,你在日常生活中有可能说错哦!
1. 你是做什么工作的呢?
False: What’s your job?
True: Are you working at the moment?
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。
2. 我很喜欢它。
False: I very like it.
True: I like it very much.
3 这个价格对我挺合适的。
False: The price is very suitable for me.
True: The price is right.
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。
4. 用英语怎么说?
False: How to say in English?
True: How do you say this in English?
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。
5. 明天我有事情要做。
False: I have something to do tomorrow.
True: 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 afraid I can’t make it at that time. I,d love to, but I can’t,I have to stay at home.
6. 我没有英文名。
False: I haven’t English name.
True: I don’t have an English name.
许多人讲英语犯这样的错误,从语法角度来分析,可能是语法功底欠缺,因为have在这里是实义动词,而并不是在现在完成时里面那个没有意义的助动词。所以,这句话由肯定句变成否定句要加助动词。明白道理是一回事,习惯是另一回事,请您再说几话:我没有钱;I don’t have any money. 我没有兄弟姐妹;I don’t have any brothers or sisters. 我没有车。I don’t have a car.
7. 我想我不行。
False: I think I can’t.
True: I don’t think I can.
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”。以后您在说类似的英语句子的时候,只要您留心,也会习惯英语的说法的。
8. 我的舞也跳得不好。
False: I don’t dance well too.
True: I am not a very good dancer either.
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。
9. 现在几点钟了?
False: What time is it now?
True: What time is it, please?
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
10. 我的英语很糟糕。
False: My English is poor.
True: I am not 100% fluent, but at least I am improving.
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'm 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,如果现在就苦下功夫,把EPTIP系列教材吃通吃透,您的IT职业英语水平立即就会迅速的 提高。您以后和外国IT同行交流时再也不用说: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。
11. 你愿意参加我们的晚会吗?
False:Would you like to join our party on Friday?
True: Would you like to come to our party on Friday night?
Join往往是指参加俱乐部或者协会,如:join a health club; join the 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。
12. 我没有经验。
False:I have no experience.
True: I am afraid I don’t know much about that.
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.
13. 我没有男朋友。
False: I have no boyfriend.
True: I don’t have a boyfriend.
14. 他的身体很健康。
False: His body is healthy.
True: He is in good health.
You can also say: He’s healthy.
15. 价钱很昂贵/便宜。
False: The price is too expensive/cheap.
True: The price is too high/ rather low.
16. 我们下了车。
False: We got off the car.
True: We got out of the car.
17. 车速快了。
False: The speed of the car is fast.
True: The car is speeding. Or: The car is going too fast.
18. 这个春节你回家吗? Will you be going back home for the Spring Festival?
False: 是的,我回去。Of course! (这一句是错的)
True: 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。
19. 我觉得右手很疼。
False:I feel very painful in my right hand.
True: My right hand is very painful.Or: My right hand hurts(aches).
20. 他看到她很惊讶。
False: He looked at her and felt surprised.
True: He looked at her in surprise.
21. 我读过你的小说但是没料到你这么年轻。
False: I have read your novels but I didn't think you could be so young.
True: After having read your novel,I expected you would be older.
22. 她脸红了,让我看穿了她的心思。
False:Her red face made me see through her mind.
True: Her red face told me what she was thinking.
23. 看到这幅画让我想到了我的童年时代。
False:The sight of these pictures made me remember my own childhood.
True: Seeing these pictures reminded me of my own childhood.
24. 别理她。
False: Don't pay attention to her.
True: Leave her alone.
25. 我在大学里学到了许多知识。
False: I get a lot of knowledge in the university.
True: I learned a lot in university.