048_Would_You_Mind?

048_Would_You_Mind?

Asking for permission or making a request using the the phrase ‘would you mind’ can be a little difficult. Nichibei student Miharu ask instructor Carlo James for help.

Kevin:

Hello everyone and welcome to Nichibei Kaiwa Gakuin Podcasting. A great way to review English words and phrases. My name is Kevin Jones.
With us here today to help us with our question is Nichibei instructor Carlo James. Hello Carlo. It’s good to see you.

Carlo James:

Good to see you too.

Kevin:

And here with a question for this episode is Nichibei student Miharu. How are you doing Miharu?

Miharu:

I’m pretty good.

Kevin:

What question do you have for us today.

Miharu:

Well, You know the phrase, ‘would you mind’.

Carlo James:

Sure.

Miharu:

It’s used when you want to ask if it’s alright to do something.

Carlo James:

That’s right. When you want to ask permission> to do something.

Miharu:

Yeah, like if you say ‘Do you mind if I open the window?’

Carlo James:

Yes, that sounds good.

Miharu:

Well I guess I feel a little uncomfortable using that phrase. So I’d like to understand how it’s used and how to answer if somebody says it to me.

Carlo James:

OK. I see your point. That phrase be a little confusing.

Miharu:

I think so.

Carlo James:

Well then, let’s talk about the word mind.
In this phrase mind is a verb.
To mind something is to object to it.
To object is to say >no to something.
So, if you say ‘do you mind if I open the window’ you are saying, ‘do you object if I open the window?’

Miharu:

Could I just say ‘may I open the window?’ or ‘would it be OK if I open the window.?’

Carlo James:

Sure. That would be fine. However, if you say ‘would you mind if I open the window’ it sounds a little more polite.

Miharu:

I see.

Carlo James:

OK. Now let’s give you a chance to practice. Here’s the situation. The music is too loud. You want to turn it down. What would you say?

Miharu:

Would you mind if I turn down the music?

Carlo James:

No, not at all. Go ahead…….good….now here is another situation. You are watching TV with another person. You want to change the channel. What would you say?

Miharu:

Would you mind If I change the channel?

Carlo James:

No, go ahead.

Kevin:

Let’s think about a different use of this phrase. Miharu, imagine you are sitting on an airplane and you are listening to your iPod. The man next to you ask you to turn down your music. He says, ‘Would you mind turning down your music’ ? What is the man asking? Miharu?

Miharu:

In this case, the man was not asking permission to do something, he was telling me to do something!

Carlo James:

Yes. That’s exactly right. We often use the phrase ‘would you mind’ to politely and softly request that someone do something. Let’s give that a try. Here is a situation. The person sitting next to you is going to light a cigarette. You don’t want them to smoke. What could you say?

Miharu:

Would you mind not to smoke?

Carlo James:

Well, that’s almost right. You should use use the verb plus the gerund…ing.

Miharu:

A right. ‘would you mind not smoking?’

Carlo James:

Yes, that’s right. very good.

Miharu:

Thanks, I see. And I have one more question.

Carlo James:

Sure, what is it?

Miharu:

When I asked for permission, like when I asked you ‘ Would you mind if I changed the channel?’
You said ‘No, go ahead.’
So what would you say if you didn’t want to give permission?

Kevin:

That’s a good question but I’m afraid we’ve run out of time. Let’s continue with that on the next episode.

Miharu:

OK, I’ll see you then.

Carlo James:

That should be OK.

Miharu:

Thanks for your help.

Kevin:

Now lets review the phrases from this episode.

Kevin:

Would you mind if I open the window?

Carlo James:

No, not at all.

Kevin:

Would you mind if I changed the channel?

Carlo James:

No, go ahead.

Kevin:

Would you mind not smoking.

Carlo James:

Oh! Of course not.

END