Shadowing Practice: How to Say NO! - Learn English Speaking with Video

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When you have to say no, sometimes you want to add nuance.
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How can you say no without being rude?
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Also, what do
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Americans really mean when they say, I don't think so?
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Do they mean no?
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There are lots of ways you can say no while being kind and showing appreciation.
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When I was living in Germany, I was frustrated that I didn't have any phrases to use in these kinds of situations.
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I wished I had various ways to say no or to turn down an invitation.
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Today, we're going to go over lots of ways to say no in English, in various situations.
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Situation 1.
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You're out to eat, and you've eaten, and your server asks if you'd like dessert, or if you'd like to see a dessert menu,
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or if there's anything else you'd like to order.
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You could say a simple, no thank you, or no thanks, or I don't think so.
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We use I don't think to mean we're not sure.
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Rachel, do they sell diapers at the corner store?
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I don't think so, but I'm not sure.
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Are they open late?
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I don't think so.
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Again, that means probably not, but I'm not 100 % sure.
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So if we're asked if we know something, and we're not sure, we can say I don't think so.
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But if we're asked if we want something, I don't think so means no. Do you want to try this on in another size?
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I don't think so.
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Do you want dessert?
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I don't think so.
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Do you want to super -size that order?
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I don't think so.
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Situation two.
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Someone asks you to do something you don't want to do or can't do.
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This could be a colleague at work asking you to do work on a project, or someone, say, at church, asking if you can do something.
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Can you help plan the retreat this year?
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This is, someone asks you to do something extra, to take on an extra task or extra work.
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Not something social, we'll get to that in a minute.
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Here are some phrases you could use to turn down something like this.
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Sorry, I've got too much going on already.
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Sorry, I can't take on any extra work.
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Sorry, I can't take on any extra work.
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Take on a phrasal verb.
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Sorry, I can't take on any extra work.
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Sorry, I don't have time.
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Sorry, I don't have time.
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That one is nice and simple.
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Sorry, I don't have time.
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Unfortunately, I'm not going to have time to do that.
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Unfortunately, I can't take that on.
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Using the word unfortunately shows that you have some level of disappointment.
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It's something you'd like to do, or you can see that it would be good for you to do,
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Or you can see that you're disappointing someone by saying no. Unfortunately, I can't.
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You could also say, I'd like to, but I've got too much on my plate to take that on.
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Too much on my plate.
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That's an idiom that means you're busy.
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And last week, I did a video that went over 16 different ways to say you're busy.
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Often when you decline something, you add that you're busy or what your plans are.
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So check out that video if you haven't already you'll learn some great phrases to use when you need to decline something.
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You could say, I don't think I can make that work.
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I don't think I can make that work.
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Again, we're using I don't think here to mean no.
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It's sort of a softer way than just saying a flat no. Rachel, can you help set up for the event on Monday?
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I don't think I can make that work.
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Sorry.
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Hey, can you stay tonight for a client phone call?
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I don't think I can make that work.
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I have to pick up my kid at 6.
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You could say, not this time, if it's something you're interested in in the future.
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You could even say something like, not this time, but please ask me again.
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I'd like to try to do that next time.
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You could also try showing your appreciation.
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For example, thanks for thinking of me, but I can't.
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Or, I'm honored, but I can't.
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Or, I'd really like to, but I can't make it work this time.
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These all have but.
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This kind of statement plus but, is something we would use a lot in social situations with friends, too.
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That brings us to situation three.
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A friend asks you to do something social, but you can't.
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Maybe you're too busy, or you've already got plans.
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You could say, I wish I could but, and your excuse.
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I wish I could but we have guests in town then.
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Or, I wish I could but I'm busy tonight.
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So, I wish I could plus your excuse.
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I could replace I wish I could with I'd love to.
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Or, that sounds lovely.
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That sounds lovely but I'll be out of town.
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Or, I already have plans.
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Or, but I'm helping my friend move that day.
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You could also say, I'd like to.
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I'd like to, but I'm not free tonight.
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I'd like to, but I'm not free tonight.
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Oh, it's out of tune.
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I'd like to, but I really can't make it work this time.
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Or, what about this one?
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Shoot, that sounds fun.
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Sorry I can't make it.
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Or, sorry I can't come.
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You get the idea.
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Situation 4.
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You get a phone call, a sales call, someone wants to talk to you about switching phone companies,
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or you're walking down the street and someone wants to sell you something, or have you give money to their charity.
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You can be brief.
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You can simply say, sorry, or not today, or I'm not interested, thanks.
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There are lots of different ways to express no.
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Memorizing some of these phrases will make it easier for you to decline an invitation, or not to do something you're asked to do.
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It feels nice to have creative ways to express yourself other than a blunt NO, doesn't it?
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Here's last week's video on ways to say you're busy.
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Lots of really useful phrases and idioms there.
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If you've already seen that one, then check out another Rachel's English video in the suggested videos.
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And don't forget to subscribe if you haven't already.
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What other situations do you need English phrases for?
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Let me know in the comments below.
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That's it and thanks so much for using Rachel's English.

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Woordenschat en spreektips bij deze les

Deze spreekles is gebaseerd op de video “How to Say NO!”. Deze woorden komen het vaakst terug: situation, phrases, busy, extra, wish. Deze video bevat 108 zinnen en 1088 woorden om na te spreken. Het gesproken deel duurt 6:28. De spreker praat in een natuurlijk tempo van ongeveer 168 woorden per minuut, dicht bij een alledaags gesprek. 87% van de woorden hoort bij de 3.000 meest gebruikte Engelse woorden, dus de woordenschat is goed te volgen.

Belangrijke woorden in deze video

15 woorden uit de video die het leren waard zijn, met uitspraak en betekenis:

WoordUitspraakBetekenis
phrase zelfstandig naamwoord/ˈfɹeɪ̯z/uitspraak
decline werkwoord/dɪˈklaɪn/afnemen, terugvallen
dessert zelfstandig naamwoord/dɪˈzɝt/dessert, nagerecht
invitation zelfstandig naamwoord/ɪnvɪˈteɪʃən/uitnodiging
appreciation zelfstandig naamwoord/əˌpɹiː.ʃiˈeɪ.ʃən/waardering
server zelfstandig naamwoord/ˈsɝvɚ/server
charity zelfstandig naamwoord/ˈtʃæɹɪti/liefdadigheidsinstelling, goed doel
tune zelfstandig naamwoord/tjuːn/melodie
menu zelfstandig naamwoord/ˈmɛn.juː/menu
rude bijvoeglijk naamwoord/ɹuːd/grof, onbeschoft
retreat zelfstandig naamwoord/ɹɪˈtɹiːt/terugtocht, aftocht
subscribe werkwoord/səbˈskɹaɪb/abonneren
disappointment zelfstandig naamwoord/ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntmənt/teleurstelling
colleague zelfstandig naamwoord/ˈkɒliːɡ/collega, medewerker
blunt bijvoeglijk naamwoord/blʌnt/stomp, bot

Phrasal verbs die je zult horen

WoordBetekenis
check out werkwoordonderzoeken
pick up werkwoordoppakken, optillen

Zinnen om te herhalen

Korte, volledige zinnen uit de video die je in alledaagse gesprekken kunt gebruiken:

  • How can you say no without being rude?
  • Americans really mean when they say, I don't think so?
  • I don't think so, but I'm not sure.
  • Do you want to super -size that order?
  • Can you help plan the retreat this year?

Grammatica in deze video

De structuren die de spreker het meest gebruikt, met de exacte woorden uit de video:

StructuurIn de video
Voorwaardelijke zinnen if + zin, will/would + werkwoord — een voorwaarde en het gevolgif there's anything else you'd like · if you haven't already you'll learn
Present perfect have/has + voltooid deelwoord — iets uit het verleden dat nu nog teltyou've eaten · you've already seen
Toekomst met “will” will + werkwoord — een besluit, belofte of voorspellingwe'll get · you'll learn · I'll be
Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — iets dat nu of in deze periode gebeurtwe're using · I'm helping · you're walking

Uitspraak om op te letten

De spreker gebruikt 82 samentrekkingen en verkorte vormen, zoals don't, can't, you're. Spreek ze kort uit, zoals je ze hoort.

  • De klanken “sh” en “zh”: invitation /ɪnvɪˈteɪʃən/, appreciation /əˌpɹiː.ʃiˈeɪ.ʃən/
  • Lange woorden — let op de klemtoon: invitation /ɪnvɪˈteɪʃən/, appreciation /əˌpɹiː.ʃiˈeɪ.ʃən/, disappointment /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪntmənt/

Klanken die Nederlandstaligen lastig vinden:

  • Stemhebbende eindmedeklinker — /b/, /d/, /g/, /z/, /v/ niet verscherpen: phrase /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/, rude /ɹuːd/, subscribe /səbˈskɹaɪb/, colleague /ˈkɒliːɡ/, verb /vɝb/

Zo oefen je met deze video

  1. Luister de hele video één keer zonder te spreken en noteer de woorden die je niet kent.
  2. Begin op 0,75× snelheid, spreek zin voor zin na en ga terug naar normale snelheid zodra het makkelijk gaat.
  3. Neem jezelf op en vergelijk met het origineel; let daarbij op woorden als phrase, decline, dessert.

Wat is de Shadowing-techniek?

Shadowing is een wetenschappelijk onderbouwde taalleermethode die oorspronkelijk is ontwikkeld voor professionele tolkentraining en gepopulariseerd door polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. De methode is eenvoudig maar krachtig: je luistert naar native Engelse audio en herhaalt het onmiddellijk hardop — als een schaduw die de spreker volgt met slechts 1–2 seconden vertraging. In tegenstelling tot passief luisteren of grammaticadrills, dwingt shadowing je hersenen en mondspieren om echte spraakpatronen tegelijkertijd te verwerken en te reproduceren. Onderzoek toont aan dat het de uitspraaknauwkeurigheid, intonatie, ritme, verbonden spraak, luisterbegrip en spreekvaardigheid aanzienlijk verbetert — waardoor het een van de meest effectieve methoden is voor IELTS Speaking-voorbereiding en echte Engelse communicatie.

Shadowing-techniek: lees de volledige stap-voor-stap-gids →