Episode 7
Picture this, you meet with your friends and would like to go to a coffee shop. One of them suggests: Why don’t’ we go to Starbucks? How do you respond to that suggestion?
- Suggestions that we like
You can use these expressions to respond to suggestions that you like:
A: We could go to a bar. B: That’s a great idea.
A: Why don’t we have Chinese? B: Sure
A: Let’s go to that coffee shop that serves coffeetails. B: That sounds great!
By the way, there is a coffeeshop that sells coffeetails, like cocktails but with coffee. It’s a little hole in the wall in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I was actually going to another coffee shop but I kind of got lost and ended up going to this little café called “Graft café”. If you ever go to Chiang Mai and are a coffee lover, I highly suggest you check out this tiny, unique coffee place.
So, if someone suggests going to Graft café, I will always say That’s a great idea! Or That sounds great!
- Suggestions we don’t like
You won’t always want to accept a suggestion. For example: There’s a Peruvian dish I hate called “Olluquito”. If someone suggests having Olluquito for lunch, I would probably say: “I don’t know. I don’t really like that dish”.
To respond to suggestions that you don’t like you can use these expressions:
A: We could have a pizza or something. B: I don’t know. We had pizza last weekend.
A: Why don’t we have an early dinner? B: I guess we could but then I’ll get hungry again by midnight.
A: Let’s have vegetarian. B: Maybe, but you know it’s hard to find good vegetarian restaurants here.
A: Why don’t we have pasta? B: I guess we could, but we’re in Thailand you know? Thai food makes more sense.
If someone suggests going to a vegetarian restaurant in my city, I wouldn’t be so excited about it because there aren’t really good vegetarian restaurants and the few good ones are kind of expensive. Chiang Mai, on the other hand, is well-known for offering good and affordable vegetarian food. Here I had the best Pad Thai made with papaya noodles; it was absolutely delicious.
After making a negative response, people usually offer an explanation or excuse:
A: We could just work remotely and go backpacking for a few months. B: I don’t know. I’d like to, but it’s not that easy. I doubt my boss would agree to that. (a little dosis of reality there).
I guess
You can use I guess when you’re not 100% sure about something or if you don’t want to sound 100% sure. It can make what you say sound softer:
A: We could just work remotely and go backpacking for a few months. B: I guess it’s not that easy.
A: Let’s go window shopping. B: Maybe. It’s actually kind of risky, though. I guess I could end up buying something I can’t afford.
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