English speaking · lesson 32 of 60 · free

Saying no politely and making requests — English speaking course in Hindi

After this lesson you can say no without hurting anyone, ask people for things politely and say whether you believe something. A soft 'no' and a polite request keep friendships and jobs safe.

1 · Key sentences

Listen, read along (each word lights up) and repeat aloud. The Hindi meaning is under each sentence.

    2 · Words and phrases

    3 · Conversation

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    4 · Say it!

    Read the Hindi, say the sentence in English, then check. Get 3 stars!

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    How to say it

    I'm afraid I can't… / Could you please…? — “Say no softly; ask with could / would”

    1. Soft no: I'm afraid I can't… / Sorry, I have other plans. / Maybe next time. (माफ़ कीजिए, नहीं हो पाएगा)
    2. Request: Could you please + verb? / Would you mind + verb-ing? — Would you mind closing the window?
    3. Belief: I believe you. / That's hard to believe! Doubt: I doubt it. / I'm not sure that is true.

    Use it for: A friend asks for a favour, a boss asks you to stay late, a neighbour plays loud music, someone tells surprising news.

    Worked example: I'm afraid I can't come.

    1. Try each option in the gap: afraid / scared / fear.
    2. I'm afraid = polite way to give bad news, not fear (माफ़ कीजिए, ऐसा है कि…).

    Check: I can say: I'm afraid I can't come. Could you please lower the volume? I doubt it. ✓

    ✏️ Practice

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    🏁 Lesson 32 test

    20 questions. Check each answer, then go to the next one. Get 16 or more right to pass.

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    🖨️ Polite Requests and Refusals Worksheet in Hindi

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