Look, we are having a small dinner for some of our clients and friends after this. Why don't you join us?

我們晚上要跟客戶還有一些朋友吃晚餐，要一起來嗎？

That's very kind of you. I'll just check with my associate whether they have other arrangements for us.

你人真好，不過我可能得先跟我的合夥人確認一下行程

Well, your associate is most welcome to join us too.

我們也歡迎你的合夥人一起加入我們！

Thank you. Excuse me.

謝謝，稍等我一下

Walter.

華特

This is Sam Eriks from Eriks Imports. He has very kindly invited us to a dinner.

這是艾瑞克進口商的山姆艾瑞克，他邀請我們一起共進晚餐

Yes, would you like to join us?

是的，你是否願意加入我們呢？

Unfortunately I have another engagement, but thank you for the invitation.

真不巧，我還有別的事情，但還是謝謝你邀請我

Well, perhaps you could join us after that for a drink?

或許我們之後可以一起喝一杯？

Sounds great, I'd be happy to. Where shall we meet?

聽起來不錯，我很樂意。我們要在哪裡見呢？

How about the lounge bar here, at about ten?

不如就這間酒吧如何？大概10點？

I'll see you then. Excuse me.

好的，那到時候見，我先走一步

Lin. Victor's joining us for dinner.

琳，維特會和我們共進晚餐

Oh, wonderful.

哦，好啊

I hope you don't mind.

希望你不介意

Of course not, you're most welcome.

當然不介意，我們很歡迎你

Well, shall we make a move?

那我們走吧？

Would you mind if I just say goodbye to a few people?

你不介意我去跟其他人打聲招呼再走吧？

-No problem. We'll see you outside in a few minutes. -Okay.

-沒問題，我們等等見 -好

Let's look at invitations. How do you go about inviting someone to something?

我們今天來看有關邀請的英文，你要怎麼邀請別人呢？

How does Sam invite Victor to his dinner?

我們來看看山姆是怎麼邀請維特一起共進晚餐的

Look, we're having a small dinner for some of our clients and friends after this. Why don't you join us?

我們晚上要跟客戶還有一些朋友吃晚餐，要一起來嗎？

Spoken invitations in this kind of situation are semi-formal. It's more like a suggestion than a formal invitation.

口頭上的邀請比較像是半正式的邀約或提議

There are a few different phrases you can use. Practise them with Sam.

這裡有些例句練習，舉山姆為例：

Why don't you join us?

要一起來嗎？

Perhaps you could join us?

或許你會想一起來？

It would be great if you could join us.

你能來就太好了

Would you like to join us?

你是否想一起來共進晚餐？

Notice that even though, "It would be great if you could join us" is not in a question form, it is still being used as a question.

值得注意的是「你能來就太好了」雖然不是問句，它還是可以被當作一個邀約用

Notice also how we use could and would in polite invitations, not can or will.

還有，我們基於禮貌會使用 "could" 還有 "would" 而不是 "can" 或是 "will"

How does Victor reply?

那維特是怎麼回答的呢？

That's very kind of you.

你人真好

He says, "That's very kind of you."

他說：「你人真好」

When replying to an invitation, first thank the other person for the invitation, then give your answer.

當你要回覆一個邀請時，你可以先謝謝邀請你的人，再給予你的回覆

Here's Victor with some different ways of doing this:

我們來看看維特是怎麼做的

Thank you.

謝謝你

That's very kind of you.

你人真好

That sounds good.

聽起來不錯

And you can put them all together, like this:

你也可以把這些都連在一起說

Thank you, that's very kind of you, it sounds good.

謝謝，你人真好，這聽起來很不錯

After thanking the person who asked, you need to give an answer, either accept the invitation, or don't accept the invitation,

跟這個人道謝後，你要給予你的回覆，你是要答應，或者拒絕

or give a reason why you can't answer.

或是你有什麼沒辦法馬上給予答覆的理由

What does Victor do?

我們來看看維特是怎麼做的

That's very kind of you. I'll just check with my associate whether they have other arrangements for us.

你人真好，不過我可能得先跟我的合夥人確認一下行程

Victor says he has to check with someone else.

維特說他必須先跟別人確認

If there are other arrangements, Victor would make an excuse.

如果有別的安排，維特就必須拒絕這邀請

When refusing an invitation, you should give a reason. Look at this:

當你要拒絕這個邀請時，你必須要給出理由，我們來看以下的例子：

Would you like to join us?

要一起來嗎？

-No thanks. -Oh, right.

-噢不了 -喔，好

It's rude just to say no without a reason, and the reason should be a good one. Look again.

拒絕別人卻不給理由是很沒禮貌的，而理由也不能隨便亂給

Would you like to join us?

你願意加入我們嗎？

-No thanks, it doesn't sound very interesting. -Oh.

-不，謝了，聽起來很無聊 -喔

Sam would rightly be offended by that reply.

山姆馬上會覺得被冒犯

So what are some ways of making a polite excuse? Listen to Walter.

那我們要怎麼有禮貌的拒絕別人呢？我們來看看華特是怎麼做的：

Yes, would you like to join us?

你願意加入我們嗎？

Unfortunately I have another engagement, but thank you for the invitation.

真不巧，我還有別的事情，但還是謝謝你的邀請

Walter doesn't need to say what his other engagement, or appointment is, just that he has already made another commitment.

華特不需要特別說明他有什麼其他的邀約，只要表明他還有事情就好了

Notice that he still thanks Sam for the invitation.

注意到他還是有謝謝山姆邀請他加入晚餐

Practise with Walter some other ways of making an excuse.

我們來跟華特一起練習其他的拒絕方法

Unfortunately I have another engagement.

真不巧，我還有別的約

I'm afraid I have another commitment.

恐怕不行，我還有別的事情要處理

I can't I'm sorry. Perhaps another time?

我不行，真抱歉，還是我們可以再另外約時間？

By saying, "Perhaps another time", Walter is being polite and friendly, rather than just declining the invitation.

這裡華特用到 「還是我們可以再另外約時間」，是一種更有禮貌且友善的表現

Notice that he says, "I can't". This implies that he has another commitment, without having to say what that commitment is. This is acceptable in business.

注意到他說「我不行」的時候，並不需要特別說明理由，而這在職場上是可以被接受的

Sam and Walter make another arrangement. Watch how they do this.

山姆跟華特另外約時間時，又是怎麼做的呢？

Well, perhaps you could join us after that for a drink?

或許我們之後可以一起喝一杯？

That sounds great. I'd be happy to. Where shall we meet?

聽起來真不錯，我很樂意，我們要約在哪裡呢？

How about the lounge bar here, about ten?

不如就這間酒吧如何？大概10點？

I'll see you then.

到時候見

Sam says, "Perhaps you could join us after that for a drink?"

山姆說：「或許我們之後可以一起喝一杯？」

By saying perhaps he is leaving the invitation open. Walter is under no pressure to accept.

這裡用 "perhaps"(或許、還是)會比較輕鬆，不讓受邀人感到壓力

Practise these phrases using perhaps with Sam.

我們來聽聽山姆的例句：

Perhaps you'd like to join us later?

「或許」你想要等等再加入我們？

Perhaps you'd be interested in meeting us for breakfast?

「還是」你會想跟我們共進早餐？

Perhaps we could meet later in the week?

「或者」我們幾天後再說？

Notice that Sam says you'd. Perhaps "you'd like to join us later".

注意到這邊山姆用的是 "you'd"

You'd is short for you would.

這是英文 "you would" 的縮寫

Walter accepts and they make the arrangement. Notice the slightly less formal way Walter accepts.

華特接受邀請並且開始計劃行程，這裡可以稍微不那麼正式

That sounds great. I'd be happy to. Where shall we meet?

聽起來真不錯，我很樂意，我們要在哪裡見面？

You can use these simple phrases to accept the invitation. Practise them.

你也可以利用簡單的英文句子來答應邀請，我們來練習看看

That sounds great.

聽起來真不錯

Sounds good.

不錯啊

I'd love to.

好啊，我很樂意

I'd be happy to.

好啊，我們走

Walter says, "Where shall we meet?" You can use shall or will,

華特說：「我們要約在哪裡見呢」，這裡可以用 "shall" 或是 "will"

but shall we is a common usage in questions, simply because it is easier to say than will we.

只不過 "shall we" 比起 "will we" 是比較順口也比較常用的組合

Shall is also used when asking for, or making suggestions. Let's look at how Sam makes the arrangement:

"Shall" 這個字也可以用來問問題或者提議，我們來看山姆是怎麼提議的：

-How about the lounge bar here, at about ten? -I'll see you then.

-不如就在這間酒吧如何？大概10點？ -那到時候見

By asking, "Where shall we meet?" Walter is leaving the details of the arrangement up to Sam.

當華特說：「我們要約在哪裡見呢」，就是把決定權交給了山姆，

Sam gives a place and a time, but because this is an informal meeting, he doesn't make it sound like an appointment.

山姆提議了時間地點，不過這只是口頭的提議，不需太過正式

He says, "How about the lounge bar?"

他說：「不如就這間酒吧如何？」

How about invites the other person to say if it is not convenient.

這裡用 "how about" （不如）便有著提議、詢問另一方意見的意思

And he says, "At about ten?" as a question.

還有，他說「大概10點？」是以開放性的方式提議

This also leaves room for the other person to suggest a different time.

這樣華特就可以再針對時間提議

Practise these two phrases with Sam.

來看看山姆是怎麼說的

Listen carefully to Sam's voice, and whether he uses a rising or falling tone.

這裡要特別注意山姆的語調，是上揚或是下降

How about the lounge bar here? About ten?

不如就這間酒吧如何？大概10點？

Walter confirms the arrangement by saying, "I'll see you then." This is now a definite commitment, and an end to the arrangement.

華特回答：「那到時候見」也就是確定了赴約

Notice how the stress is on the word then, to confirm that the time is definite.

注意這裡的重音加強在 "then" （到時候）這個字上，也就是確定10點是他可以的時間

Try saying this: "I'll see you then."

試試看唸這句：「那到時候見」

Let's have a look now at the end of the scene. There are some more useful phrases.

我們再來看最後一幕，還有很多例句可以學習的

Lin, Victor is joining us for dinner.

琳，維特待會會跟我們共進晚餐

Oh wonderful.

哦，好啊

I hope you don't mind.

希望你不介意

Of course not, you're most welcome.

當然不會，我們很歡迎你

Well, shall we make a move?

那我們走吧？

Would you mind if I just say goodbye to a few people?

你不介意我去跟其他人打聲招呼再走吧？

-No problem, we'll see you outside in a few minutes. -Okay.

-沒問題，我們等等見 -好

Victor says, "I hope you don't mind". It's a polite way of asking for someone else's approval.

維特說：「希望你不介意」，這是個有禮貌、具試探性的用法

But Lin can't really say no, since Victor is listening.

但在這裡琳也不能拒絕，因為維特就在場

But Lin politely confirms the arrangement. Practise how she does this:

但是琳可以很有禮貌地接受他加入晚餐，我們來看她是怎麼答覆的：

Of course not.

當然不介意

You're most welcome.

我們很歡迎你

What are the main points we've learned today?

我們今天學到的重點有什麼呢？

When inviting someone informally, make it sound like a suggestion.

當你想輕鬆一點的邀請別人，你可以用「提議」的方法

That way, if someone can't accept, they don't feel so bad.

這樣，對方如果要拒絕也不會太不好意思

"Why don't you join us?" instead of, "I invite you to join us."

像是「要不要一起來？」聽起來就比「我想邀請你加入我們」輕鬆多了

And if you need to make an excuse, don't just refuse an invitation, give a reason, and apologize.

而當你拒絕別人時，你可以給出理由並且說聲抱歉

"I'm sorry, I have another commitment."

「抱歉，但我先跟別人約好了」

When confirming details, use an upward inflection.

要確認赴約的時間地點，可以用上揚的語調

"About ten." sounds like an order. But, "About ten?" is asking whether it's convenient for the other person.

「10點」就聽起來像在命令人，而「大概10點？」聽起來就舒服多了

That's all for today on the Business of English. See you next time.

這就是今天的商業英文！我們下次見！