* 17 Particular Conversational Matters (p.5 of 9)
17.28�� When you offer a person to enter in front of you
You first.�� Listen�� A �You go first and I will follow you.��� <At the doorway the son told his father, �You first�.>
After you.�� Listen�� <Jim opened the door for Bill and said, "After you".>
Ladies first.�� Listen�� <�Let�s swim�, suggested Jane. �Ladies first�, said Bob and made a gesture indicating that Jane should get in the water first.>
Be my guest.�� Listen�� A �You go first as guests do.��� <Tom said, �Here�s the entrance. Be my guest.�>
17.29�� When you wish a person well (on various occasions)
Best wishes!�� Listen�� <I received a birthday present and postcard from my sister. She wrote, �Best wishes!�>
All the best!�� Listen�� A �I wish you all the best!��� <When my business partner learned about my promotion, he dropped me a line, �Congratulation! All the best!�>
Good luck!�� Listen�� <�This contest is tough. Good luck!�>
Congratulations!�� Listen�� <�Dear son, I�m glad you graduated from college. Congratulations!�>
Have a good time!�� Listen�� A �Have an enjoyable time!��� <�I�m off to a party.� � �Have a good time!�>
Have fun!�� Listen�� A �Have a merry and amusing time!��� <�I�m leaving to the zoo with a group of my classmates.� � �Have fun!�>
Have a ball!�� Listen�� A �Have a good time!��� <�I�m going to a school reunion.� � �Have a ball!�>
Enjoy yourself!�� Listen�� <�Tonight, I�m going to a bar with my friends.� � �Enjoy yourself. Don�t drink too much, though.�>
Happy birthday!�� Listen�� <When I entered the dark room, the guests turned the light on and shouted, �Happy birthday!� >
Many happy returns!�� Listen�� A �Let there be many happy returns of this day!��� <�Congratulations on your birthday. Many happy returns!�>
�and many, many more.�� Listen�� A ��and many more good wishes to you.��� <After wishing happy birthday to my sister, the guests said ��and many, many more.�>
Happy anniversary!�� Listen�� <The guests congratulated my father, �Happy anniversary!�>
17.30�� When you return somebody's good wishes or polite words
Same to you.�� Listen�� A �I wish you what you are wishing me.��� <�Good luck.� � �Same to you.�>
Likewise.�� Listen�� A �The same from me to you.��� <�Best wishes to you!� � �Likewise.�>
You too.�� Listen�� <�Have a nice day!� � �You too.�>
17.31�� When you promise a person to wait
I'll wait for you.�� Listen�� <�Don�t be too late. I�ll wait for you.�>
I'll be waiting for you.�� Listen�� <�After the reception return home at once. I�ll be waiting for you.�>
I'll stay up for you.�� Listen�� <�Don�t get drunk. On the way back, take a taxi. I�ll stay up for you.�>
I'll sit up and wait.�� Listen�� <�I can�t go to bed until you come back home. I�ll sit up and wait.�>
17.32�� When you ask somebody to leave things as they are
Leave it alone.�� Listen�� A �Don�t touch it.��� <�You don�t need to wash the car today. Leave it alone. You have more important things to do.�>
Don�t bother.�� Listen�� A �Since it is too much trouble, don�t do it.��� <�Should I unload the truck today?� � �No, don�t bother. You can do it tomorrow.�>
Don�t bother about it.�� Listen�� A �You don�t need to deal with it.��� <�It�s not a serious trouble. Don�t bother about it.�>
Let it be.�� Listen�� A �You can�t change the situation, so don�t deal with it.��� <�I can�t get over his rude remark. I need to do something about it.� � �Let it be. He didn�t mean any harm.�>
Let it go.�� Listen�� <�He jeered at me in the presence of my colleagues! Can you believe that?� � �Let it go. You�ll find a way to get even with him.�>
There is no need to.�� Listen�� A �There is no need to do it.��� <�We might as well make this payment ahead of time.� � �There is no need to. We don�t even have the bill yet.�>
Don't make waves.�� Listen�� A �Don�t instigate trouble.��� <�It wouldn�t be wise to escalate this conflict. Don�t make waves.�>
Don't rock the boat.�� Listen�� A �Don�t disturb the situation unnecessarily.��� <�You don�t need to fight with your business partners over petty issues. Don�t rock the boat.�>
Live and let live.�� Listen�� A �Don�t interfere with other people�s business.��� <�Our political party needs opposition. There should always be political opposition. That�s the name of the game. Live and let live.�>
Let sleeping dogs lie.�� Listen�� A �Don�t stir up a troublesome situation.��� <�Nobody needs to know the truth about what happened that day. Let sleeping dogs lie.�>
17.33�� When you request a person to give you a physical object
Give it to me.�� Listen�� <�I need the cell phone urgently. Give it to me.�>
Hand it over.�� Listen�� <�Come on! It�s mine! Hand it over.�>
Let me have it.�� Listen�� <�This piece of cake looks nice. Let me have it.�>
Let it go.�� Listen�� <�Don�t hold my arm. Let it go.�>
Let go of that.�� Listen�� <�Don�t hold on to my bag. Let go of it.�>
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