“我英语不好”千万别说成“My English is poor”

1.用英语怎么说？
How to say in English?✖
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？

2、你是做什么工作的呢？
What's your job?✖
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。

所以你要问：
目前您是在上班吗
Are you working at the moment？

接下来才问：
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？

3.  这个春节你回家吗?
如果有歪果仁问你
Will you be going back home for the Spring Festival?
你的回答是什么呢？
Of course!✖
Sure. / Certainly.✔

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?”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。

4. 这个价格对我挺合适的。
The price is very suitable for me.✖
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.

5. 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。

所以说“我很忙，脱不开身”可以说：I'm tied up.
或者：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。
I haven’t English name.✖
I don’t have an English name.✔

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。

同样的句式：
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。
I think I can't.✖
I don't think I can.✔

这一组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”。

8. 我的舞也跳得不好。
I don't dance well too.✖
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。

甚至英语的思维直接踊跃到：我不是一个好的舞者。

9. 现在几点钟了?
What time is it now?✖
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，因为不可能问what time was it yesterday或者what time is it tomorrow。

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，在有时间限制的时候特别合适

10. 我的英语很糟糕。
My English is poor.✖
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

如果是美国人，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。

以后和外国同行交流，可以实事求是地说：我的英语还不算十分流利，但至少我在进步。

11. 我没有经验
I have no experience. ✖
I am afraid I don't know much about that. ✔

I have no experience这句话听起来古里古怪，因为只需要说：I am not really an expert in this area.就行了。

12. 你周五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? ✔

join往往是指参加俱乐部或者协会，
如：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。

13. 他的身体很健康
His body is healthy.✖
He is in good health.✔
You can also say: He’s healthy.✔

14. 价钱很昂贵/便宜。
The price is too expensive/cheap.✖
The price is too high/ rather low.✔

15. 我们下了车
We got off the car.✖
We got out of the car.✔

16. 车速快了
The speed of the car is fast.✖
The car is speeding.✔
Or: The car is going too fast.✔

17. 我很喜欢它
I very like it.✖
I like it very much.✔

18. 我觉得右手很疼
I feel very painful in my right hand.✖
My right hand is very painful.✔
Or: My right hand hurts(aches).✔

19. 别理她
Don't pay attention to her.✖
Leave her alone.✔

20. 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.✔