English at Work: Polite Requests
職場英文：禮貌提出請求
Welcome back to English at Work. We're still in Anna's first week in the busy offices of Tip Top Trading.
歡迎回到〈職場英文〉篇。現在是 Anna 在「頂尖貿易公司」辦公室忙進忙出的第一週。
How's it going, Anna?
一切都還好嗎，Anna？
Everything's still so new to me. I keep needing to ask people for help!
每件事情對我來說都還是很陌生。我得一直請別人幫忙!
Well, that's only natural at the beginning. To ask people politely for help, use the words "would" and "could." You can also use the word "please," but don't make the mistake of thinking that's enough to make what you say polite.
這在剛開始的時候是很自然的。想要有禮貌地請人幫忙，可以用「would」和「could」。妳也可以用「please（請）」這個字，但不要誤會這樣講就夠有禮貌了。
Uh, okay.
呃，好。
Hello, Anna!
哈囉，Anna!
Oh, hi, Paul!
喔，嗨，Paul!
I was wondering if you could do something for me.
我在想妳能不能幫我做件事情。
Yes, of course.
好哇，當然可以。
Would you be able to print out a file for me? It's a document on CBL—Convincing Bananas Limited. They're one of our suppliers. The file should be on the system, and could I have it in the next 10 minutes, please, as they're on their way here for a meeting?
妳能幫我印出一份檔案嗎？那是一份 CBL 的檔案（Convincing Bananas 有限公司）。他們是我們其中一個供應商。檔案應該在系統裡面，我可以在十分鐘內拿到嗎？在他們來這裡開會之前？
Yes.
好的。
Oh, no! I've no idea how to find it. Tom?
喔，糟了!我完全不知道要去哪裡找檔案。Tom？
Uh. Ask Denise. She should know.
呃。問 Denise。她應該知道。
Okay, thanks, Tom. I'll ask her.
好的，謝了，Tom。我去問她。
I'd warned her, you know. I said, "Victoria, if you don't change your hairdresser—"
我警告過她了。我說：「Victoria，如果妳再不換一個髮型設計師－－」
Denise?
Denise？
"One day, you'll... Hold on a moment."
「有一天，妳會...等我一下。」
Anna?
Anna？
Please email me the background file of CBL.
請將 CBL 的背景資料寄給我。
Uh...
呃...
Thank you.
謝謝。
Who does that girl think she is? Anna...new girl... I told you about her. Yes. With the saucepans. That's the one. She's only been here five minutes, and she's already acting like the Queen of Sheba.
那女孩以為自己是誰呀？就是 Anna...那個新來的...我以前跟妳講過。對。帶鍋子的那個。就是她。她才來這裡沒多久，就當自己是示巴女王了（註）。
Oh, and Denise, please send it to me within five minutes. Paul needs it soon. Thank you.
喔，還有，Denise，請五分鐘內寄給我。Paul 馬上就需要那份資料。謝謝。
Well, honestly!
傻眼耶!
Ha, ha. Good to see who's the boss, eh, Denise?
哈哈。妳現在知道誰是老大了齁，Denise？
Really!
天哪!
Uh, Anna. I think you've upset Denise.
呃，Anna。我想妳惹 Denise 不高興了。
Upset Denise?
惹 Denise 不高興？
You were a bit rude when you asked her for help.
妳剛剛請她幫忙的時候有點沒禮貌。
Was I?
我有嗎？
Remember what I said, Anna. Just using "please" to ask someone to do something can sound a little rude.
記得我剛剛說的，Anna。只用「請」來請別人幫忙做事情會聽起來有點沒禮貌。
Oh.
噢。
Instead of saying "Please send me the file," you could say "Could you possibly send me the file?" or "Would you mind sending me the file?"
比起說「請將檔案寄給我」，妳可以改成說「妳能將檔案寄給我嗎？」或「可以請妳將檔案寄給我嗎？」
Oh! English is so confusing. I'll try to remember that.
喔!英文也太讓人困惑了。我會努力記得。
Oh, no! The printer isn't even set up!
喔，不!印表機根本還沒設定好!
Tom?
Tom？
Yeah?
怎麼了？
Please help me with... I mean, could you possibly help me with the printer?
請幫我...我是說，你可以幫我看一下印表機嗎？
Uh...I really need to finish this email. It's to a really important new client.
呃...我真的得寫完這封 email。這是要寄給一個很重要的新客戶的。
But it's really urgent! Would you mind writing your email later?
但這真的很緊急!你能不能等一下再寫你的 email 呢？
Okay, since you asked so nicely. Let's have a look.
好吧，既然妳問得這麼客氣。我們來看看吧。
Well, it's a good thing Anna has understood how to use "could" and "would" to ask for things before she upsets anyone else.
幸好 Anna 已經了解要怎麼用「could」和「would」來請求別人幫忙了，免得又惹得其他人不開心。
Let's hear those phrases again:
我們再聽一次這幾個句子吧：
I was wondering if you could do something for me.
我在想妳能不能幫我做件事情。
Would you be able to print out a file for me?
妳能幫我印出一份檔案嗎？
Could I have it within 10 minutes, please?
我可以在十分鐘內拿到嗎？
Could you possibly help me with the printer?
你可以幫我看一下印表機嗎？
Would you mind writing your email later?
你能不能等一下再寫你的 email 呢？
The printer seems to be working well, but how well are Anna and Denise working together? Are these two going to be enemies?
看起來印表機運作得很順暢，但 Anna 和 Denise 之間的合作關係會如何呢？這兩個人會不會變成敵人呢？
Really! "Denise, do this. Denise, do that." I'm telling you, Sharon, I've almost had enough! I get treated like some kind of servant!
真是夠了!「Denise，做這個。Denise，做那個。」我告訴妳，Sharon，我已經快受不了了!我簡直就像什麼僕人一樣!
註：在希伯來聖經記載中，示巴女王（Queen of Sheba）是一位東非的女王，勢力龐大。
