Word for favoring someone

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When you ask for a favor from someone, you actually request them or ask them to do something beneficial for you. To do so, you must use convincing expressions so that they do you that favor. Remember! Unless you ask for a favor from someone appropriately, you can’t expect to get it.

In this post, I’ll share some expressions that can help you ask for favors in English from your friends, family members, teachers, colleagues, bosses, and others.

“Would you please do me a favor?” and “Can I ask you for a favor?” are the two most common expressions to ask for a favor in English. While asking for a favor, you are expected to be polite in your choice of words, tone, and body language. You should also be minimalistic and specific about the favor you ask for. 

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Here is a table that shows different expressions that you can use to ask for a favor from someone. Later in the post, I’ll discuss these expressions in detail with specific examples. Also, I’ll give some essential tips so that you can ask for a favor in English appropriately.

Common Expressions for Asking a Favor in English

Can/ Could/ Will/ Would	you/ you please	do me a favor?
Can/ Could/ May/ Should	I/ I possibly	ask for a favor?/ ask for a favor from you?/ bother you to ask for a favor?/ trouble you to ask for a favor?
Would/ Will/ Do	you mind	doing me a favor?
Would/ Will	it be ok/ it cause trouble for you	if I ask for a favor?
Is	it ok/ it alright	if I ask for a favor from you?
Please	do	a favor./ a favor for me./ this favor for me.

When you ask for a favor from someone, you may follow similar expressions of making polite requestsand asking for permission. Here are the links where you can find my other articles on them.

To ask a favor from someone, you may ask for permission for whether you should ask for any favor or not. However, you can also directly ask for a favor. In most cases, we use interrogative sentencesto ask for a favor. Here I am sharing 100+ example sentences that you can use to ask for a favor in English.

Asking for a Favor with “Would you…?”

• Would you do me a favor?
• Would you call him on my behalf?
• Would you give me some money?
• Would you do this for me?
• Would you take care of my child today?

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You can simply replace the modal “would” with “could,” “can,” and “will” to form some other expressions to use for asking for a favor in English. Here are the examples.

Asking for a Favor with “Could you…?”

• Could you do me a favor?
• Could you send him the gift on my behalf?
• Could you take some food for me too?
• Could you play as my substitute?
• Could you bake the cake today? I’m feeling unwell.

Asking for a Favor with “Can you…?”

• Can you do me a favor?
• Can you talk to him on my behalf?
• Can you lend me some money?
• Can you sit beside me? I don’t feel well.
• Can you help with my assignment?

Asking for a Favor with “Will you…?”

• Will you do me a favor?
• Will you meet him on my behalf?
• Will you give me the notes?
• Will you help me with cooking?
• Will you put my clothes in your bag too?

Asking for a Favor with “Would you please…?”

To sound more polite, you can add “please” to all the above sentences just after “you.” Here are some examples of using “please” with the above expressions.

• Would you please do me a favor?
• Would you please return my books today?
• Could you please call him right now?
• Can you please accept my invitation?
• Will you please keep it a secret?

Asking for a Favor with “Could I…?”

• Could I ask for a favor from you?
• Could I ask you to let me know the review committee’s decision?
• Could I take your pet with me?
• Could I call you when needed?
• Could I have your umbrella?

You can simply replace the modal “could” with “can,” “may,” and “should” to form some other expressions to use for asking for a favor in English. Here are the examples.

Asking for a Favor with “Can I…?”

• Can I ask for a favor?
• Can I have some money for a short time?
• Can I go with you to Europe?
• Can I use your laptop?
• Can you give me access to your Wi-Fi?

Asking for a Favor with “May I…?”

• May I ask for a favor from you?
• May I join you?
• May I get the job?
• May I leave early today?
• May I ask you to help me write the e-mail?

Asking for a Favor with “Should I…?”

• Should I ask for a favor?
• Should I text you if I’m in trouble?
• Should I expect you on the weekend?
• Should I take it from you?
• Should I share my problems with you?

Asking for a Favor with “Could I possibly…?”

To sound more polite, you can add “possibly” to all the above sentences just after ”I.” Here are some examples of using “possibly” with the above expressions.

• Could I possibly ask for a favor from you?
• Could I possibly return your books a few days later?
• Can I possibly expect your gracious presence at the event?
• May I possibly take your car?
• Should I possibly have your bag for the tour?

More Expressions with “Could I…?” or “Could I possibly…?”

• May I trouble you by asking for a favor?
• Could I possibly bother you by asking a favor?
• Can I possibly trouble you to return your laptop tomorrow?
• May I bother you about taking your iPad tonight?
• Could I trouble you by asking for some money for a few days?

Asking for a Favor with “Would you mind…?”

• Would you mind doing me a favor?
• Would you mind cooking for all of us?
• Would you mind informing him of the matter on behalf of all of us?
• Would you mind giving me the previous version of the software you bought last year?
• Would you mind if I ask for a favor?

You can simply replace the modal “would” with “will” and “do” to form some other expressions to use for asking for a favor in English. Here are the examples.

Asking for a Favor with “Will you mind…?”

• Will you mind doing me a favor?
• Will you mind writing my letter?
• Will you mind doing this for me?
• Will you mind if I use your pen?
• Will you mind if I ask for a favor?

Asking for a Favor with “Do you mind…?”

• Do you mind taking me with you?
• Do you mind giving me the payment now?
• Do you mind removing this from here?
• Do you mind if I ask you to make my submission?
• Do you mind if I request you leave this seat for my mother?

Asking for a Favor with “Would it be ok…?”

• Would it be ok if I ask for a favor from you?
• Would it be ok using your computer?
• Would it be ok calling you if I face any difficulty doing it?
• Would it be ok if I pay the bill later?
• Would it be ok if you allow me to join the next session?

You can simply replace the modal “would” with “will” to form some other expressions to use for asking for a favor in English. Here are the examples.

Asking for a Favor with “Will it be ok…?”

• Will it be ok going there later?
• Will it be ok if I use your name as a reference?
• Will it be ok if I send the products tomorrow?
• Will it be ok joining you next month and finish the project?
• Will it be ok if I take your bike today?

Asking for a Favor with “Would it cause trouble for you…?”

• Would it cause trouble for you to do me a favor?
• Would it cause trouble for you if I stayed here for a few days?
• Would it cause trouble for you if I invited my best friend too?
• Would it cause trouble for you to help me with my project?
• Would it cause trouble for you to invite them on my behalf?

You can simply replace the modal “would” with “will” to form some other expressions to use for asking for a favor in English. Here are the examples.

Asking for a Favor with “Will it cause trouble for you…?”

• Will it cause trouble for you to help my brother?
• Will it cause trouble for you if I ask you to proofread the document?
• Will it cause trouble buying some groceries for me while coming back home?
• Will it cause you trouble if I return the books later?
• Will it cause you trouble if you leave this room for us?

Asking for a Favor with “Is it ok…?”

• Is it ok to take a lift to your car?
• Is it ok to ask for a favor from you?
• Is it ok taking the confirmation from you?
• Is it ok if I listen to your lecture?
• Is it ok if I play instead of you?

You can simply replace the word “ok” with “alright” to form other expressions to ask for a favor in English. Here are the examples.

Asking for a Favor with “Is it alright…?”

• Is it alright if I ask for a favor from you?
• Is it alright if I expect you to help to finish my work?
• Is it alright to work with you so that I can learn some new things?
• Is it alright to go with you?
• Is it alright if I ask for help to complete this?

Asking for a Favor with “Please do…”

Rather than using interrogative sentences, we can also use imperative sentencesto ask for a favor from someone. Let’s see some examples.

• Please do me a favor.
• Please lend me some money.
• Please allow me to stay here for a few days.
• Please find me a good job.
• Please help me.

You can check my other article by clicking hereto find more similar examples.

9 Tips on Asking for a Favor from Someone

1. Politeness is the key. No matter who you are asking a favor from, your choice of words, voice tone & body languageshould be polite.
2. It’s never shameful to ask for a favor from the people surrounding you. If you genuinely need a favor, ask for it immediately. Don’t procrastinate.
3. Be considerate about what you should ask for or not. Keep your favors as little and less as possible and consider if favoring you may impact their life badly.
4. Be specific and straightforward about what kind of favor you expect.
5. Show reasons why you need this favor and why they should do it. Always try to convince them with some polite arguments.
6. Approach the right person at an appropriate time to ask for a favor.
7. Give them enough time to think about the favor you asked for. Don’t put pressure or make them bound. Leave space for them to escape if they want to.  
8. Accept rejection happily, as no one is bound to do favors. Show your gratitude and compliment themeven for just listening to you.
9. Don’t just keep asking for favors from others; offer them some, too, when possible.

A Sample Conversation on Asking for a Favor in English

The following is a conversation between Shelly and Ron in which they ask for favors from each other in different ways.

Shelly: Hey, Ron. How much have you finished on your assignment?

Ron: I’m almost done. What about you?

Shelly: About fifty percent, I guess. Can I ask you for a favor?

Ron: Sure, go ahead.

Shelly: Would you mind helping me finish my assignment? I’m stuck with those tedious equations. 

Ron: That wouldn’t be a problem since I’ve got a little left. Can I see your draft?

Shelly: Yeah. Here you go. 

Ron: Hmmm… I’ll help you out with these. They’re not so difficult. 

Shelly: Thanks, Ron. Now, tell me if I could give you a hand with something. 

Ron:  I haven’t got much left…. hang on! I forgot the Executive Summary part. Will it cause much trouble if I ask you to help me with that?

Shelly: Are you kidding me? Not at all. 

Ron: Wonderful! Could you share with me photocopies of these pages? 

Shelly: Why not? 

Ron: Okay. One more thing. May I get your e-mail address in case we need to communicate regarding our progress?

Shelly: A good idea. I’ll give you mine, and you give me yours. 

Takeaway Words

Tedious (adjective) = an uninteresting or dull activity

Kidding; main form, kid (verb) = to joke or make fun of something or someone

Progress (noun) = a developmental stage of a task

In Conclusion

We live as social beings; thus, we ask for help from others. We ask for favors at different times from the people surrounding us. I shared several examples of expressions that may help you appropriately ask for a favor in English in this post.

Thanks for reading!

Happy learning!

There are some days when everything goes smoothly.

And then, there are days where nothing seems to go right.

Your tasks are difficult, you are behind schedule, yet another urgent task pops up… Your palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy.

That’s the moment when you should reach out and ask someone for help.

In this blog post, we’ll learn how to ask for a favor professionally and how to get the other person to say ‘Yes’.

Why it’s important to ask for a favor?

Asking for a favor can feel awkward and nerve-wracking. But, we all need help sometimes — and there’s no shame in that.
If you never ask for help and attempt to do everything by yourself, here are some of the possible outcomes:

• Ending up stressed and overworked
• Poorly done tasks 
• Prolonged deadlines
• Feeling alienated from your coworkers 
• Feeling ashamed if you make a mistake (which is not unlikely when you’re not sure of how to do something)

If you want to get the job done better, faster, and easier, ask someone for help. 

Your results and performance won’t be the only things that will improve — helping each other nourishes relationships and builds trust within your team. It almost goes without saying, but asking others for help means that you are also willing to give others a hand when they need it.

Do you worry that others will see you as incompetent if you ask for help? 

In a positive work environment, asking your coworkers for help is not seen as a sign of weakness or unskillfulness, but quite the opposite — it shows self-awareness and willingness to improve and do your job right.

Tips for asking for a favor professionally

How to ask for a favor in the workplace?

Here are some things to keep in mind.

Determine who’s the right person to ask

First things first — make sure you’re asking the right person for a favor.

Imagine going through the whole hassle just to find out that what you’re asking is out of their expertise — or there’s someone else who could’ve given you better insight. You’d waste both your and their time.

To prevent that, do your research and/or ask around who’s the best person to reach out to when you need help. 

❗ Important: Once you find the right person, don’t forget to acknowledge their expertise. If you particularly like some of their work, you can mention it — everyone likes a genuine compliment. Besides, asking people for a favor because you know they’re skillful at something sounds better than asking them for a favor because the task is boring/difficult.

Introduce yourself

If the person you are contacting for a favor is not someone you’re regularly working with, briefly introduce yourself. 

You don’t need to share your whole life story (check the next tip!), but let them know:

• Who you are — i.e. the position you hold in a company,
• What you are currently working on, and
• What’s your connection to them (as to why you chose them to help you).

Give all necessary information, but be concise

Your message should be short and sweet. 

Include all necessary details, such as:

• Deadlines, 
• Materials needed,
• What exactly you need them to do, 
• Specific details, etc. 

But, be concise. 

Work environments are fast-paced and people are busy. 

Don’t ramble and make the recipient spend too much time to get to the point.

Another thing to bear in mind is to format your message properly — make it clear and easy to read.

❗ Important: Don’t forget to proofread your message! Check if there are some grammatical errors and misspelled words, as well as if you included all the attachments.
Double-check if all provided information is correct (especially names and numbers).

Ask in advance

Be considerate — ask for a favor as early as possible or as soon as you realize you need it. 

People should have enough notice to be able to plan their time and possibly juggle around their schedule so they can fit you in. 

This is especially important if you’re asking for a bigger favor — the earlier you do it, the better. 

If you do it last minute, the likelihood of them saying ‘Yes’ dramatically decreases.

Be polite

I feel like Captain Obvious for saying this, but you should be polite. “If you’re mean to people, they won’t want to help you” isn’t a groundbreaking new discovery — I know you already know this — but I still feel obligated to mention it. 

Assuming we all know how to not be rude to others, here are some additional tips for being a considerate team member:

• Phrase it as a question, rather than you giving them a task — and don’t forget “please” and “thank you”.
• Don’t ask people for a favor if you see they’re super busy with other tasks, on a coffee/lunch break, or on their day off. 
• Give them an “escape route” (e.g. “I completely understand if you’re too busy” or “If you for any reason don’t feel comfortable, it’s okay”). A lot of people have trouble with saying ‘No’. If you give people an opportunity to decline, they won’t feel like they’re in the uncomfortable situation of feeling obligated to say ‘Yes’, even though they know they’ll end up overworked.

Let’s see how the request would look following these tips:

“Hey, this article needs proofreading.” ❌

“Hey, can you please proofread this article for me? The deadline for my article is tomorrow and you’re the best proofreader on our team. If you’re busy too, I understand. Thank you so much in advance!” ✅

Show your gratitude

There’s nothing worse than going out of your way to help someone and they end up being ungrateful. Always show your appreciation to those who gave you a hand, and be sincere and genuine about it. 

After all, if you want your relationships (both work and personal) to be beneficial, you have to put the effort into maintaining and nourishing them.

Imagine if you helped someone and they ignored you after they got what they needed from you — you’d be hurt and you’d never want to help them again.

So, depending on the size of the favor and how close you are to the person who did you a favor, you can:

• Thank them in person and tell them how much it meant to you,
• Send them a thank you card/email/message,
• Take them out to lunch, or
• Anything else you think it’s appropriate.

How to get people to say ‘Yes’ to your favor question

By now, you probably have a pretty good idea of how to ask someone for a favor.

But, do you know how to get them to say ‘Yes’?

Let’s go over some tricks (backed up by psychology) that can help you increase your chances of people agreeing to do what you’ve asked them.

Have a ‘Yes’ mindset

Mindset matters. 

If you go into this thinking they will 100% say ‘No’, don’t even ask. In other words, don’t approach people with a mentality that you must be bothering them or wasting their time.

Our thoughts affect our actions, and our actions shape our reality. 

Ask for a favor with a mindset that they’ll say ‘Yes’, and you will:

• Have more confidence,
• Be more convincing, and
• Be less uncomfortable and awkward.

Provide a reason

Tell people why you need that particular favor. 

After all, research conducted in 1979 by Ellen Langer at Harvard illustrated the power of the word “because”.

Langer made people ask if they could cut the line to use a busy copy machine on a college campus. 

Some just asked if they could use the machine, some of them added a valid reason (“because I’m in a rush”), and some of them just added… well, a reason (“because I have to make copies”).

Results were the following:

• When research participants just asked to cut the line without providing a reason, 60% of the people complied.
• When they added a reason (whether it was the compelling one or not), the compliance increased to 93–94%.

So, providing any reason will help. 

But, the most convincing reason is explaining how performing the favor benefits the recipient of the question. 

Think of it as making a sales pitch — a good salesperson won’t make you buy their product by telling you how much it will help them. 

Unless you have a connection to that particular salesperson as a person, you don’t really care.

They convince you to buy from them by telling you how you benefit from it and what it can do for you.

So, if you need to convince someone to do you a favor, make sure to explain what they can gain from it.

Try a compliance tactic

Do you need a big favor or a small favor? 

Try the foot-in-the-door technique if the former is the case or the door-in-the-face technique for the latter situation.

The foot-in-the-door technique

The foot-in-the-door (FITD) technique was coined by Johnathan Freedman and Scott Fraser of Stanford University in 1966. 

It’s a compliance tactic that aims at getting someone to agree to do something big by first getting them to do something smaller (but of similar nature). 

If they have already agreed to do you a small, reasonable favor, they would find it more difficult to refuse a bigger favor. 

According to the self-perception theory, FITD is effective because internal thoughts drive people’s behavior, while external pressure is not as powerful.

People like to stay consistent in their beliefs and actions — which is why it’s important for two favors to be connected.

For example, if you want people to donate to a cause that’s important to your organization, asking them to follow the company’s social media (as a first, small favor) won’t do much.

However, asking them to sign a petition related to the cause might give better results.

The door-in-the-face technique

On the other hand, if you need a small favor, try the door-in-the-face technique (DITF). 

It’s the opposite of FITD: 

• First, you ask for a big favor the other person will probably turn down (slam the door in your face, metaphorically speaking). 
• Then, you follow up with the smaller, much more reasonable request. 

The fact that they declined you the first time increases the likelihood of complying with the second request.

Again, two requests should be of similar nature.

Let’s see how DITF would work in our example of raising money for an important cause. 

You would have to ask for a larger donation than you would normally expect — let’s say $100 per person. 

When they start making excuses (not many people would downright refuse to give money to charity), ask them if they can at least give $10–15. They will be much more likely to comply.

Use the Rule of reciprocity

According to Robert Cialdini, psychologist and academic: 

“People will help if they owe you for something you did in the past to advance their goals. That’s the rule of reciprocity.“

He also quoted archeologist Richard Leakey, who stated that the urge to reciprocate is the essence of our humanness: 

“We are human because our ancestors learned to share their food and their skills in an honored network of obligation.” 

That is a tendency that transcends cultures and societies.

Social psychology aside, it’s (common) knowledge we’ve all learned at some point: you have to give something to get something. 

Do favors for others and they’ll be more likely to want to do you favor.

If you get a ‘No’, respect it

You can follow every single one of our tips, but, if someone has their heart set on saying ‘No’, that’s what their answer will be. 

You can do everything right and still get rejected — that’s life.

If that happens, don’t take it personally. 

They may already have too much on their plate or feel underqualified to do the task successfully.

Respect their answer, thank them nevertheless, and think about your next move — what are your other options to solve the problem? 

Example of asking for a favor professionally via email

In most workplaces, email communication is still a prevalent form of communication. 

So far, we’ve provided plenty of phrases that can be used to ask for a favor in person or via a team messaging app, but emails have their own etiquette.

Keeping everything we’ve mentioned in mind, here’s the formula you can use to ask for a favor via email:

Here’s how it could look like put together:

❗ Important: Don’t forget to add a relevant email subject.

Conclusion: When you need help, ask for it

Sometimes, you need to ask for help if you want to get the job done well and on time.

Just remember to:

• Be polite and considerate
• Include all necessary information
• Be relaxed and confident
• Show gratitude

And, the most important thing of all — if you want help from others, make sure you return the favor when they need it. After all, good work relationships are a two-way street, beneficial for both parties.  

Updated on September 23, 2018

Asking for a favor refers to asking someone to do something for you. Use these phrases to politely ask for a favor. When someone asks you for a favor, you’ll have to either grant it (say yes) or refuse it (say no). Pay special attention to the form of the verb used in each case.

Asking a Favor

Could / Would you do me a favor?

Could you do me a favor? is used to find out if someone will do a favor for you as a way to begin the conversation. The form Would you do me a favor? is more formal.

• Would you do me a favor?
• Could you do me a favor?

Could you please + verb

Use the simple form of the verb (do) to ask for help with specific actions such as asking for help in daily situations.

• Could you please take me to work?
• Could you please lend me a hand?

Could you possibly + verb

Use the simple form of the verb to ask for help with specific situations while being extremely polite.

• Could I possibly take some time off to help?
• Could you possibly work overtime today?

Could I ask / bother / trouble you + infinitive

Use the infinitive form of the verb (to do) to ask for a favor in formal situations.

• Could I ask you to help my brother?
• Could I bother you to give me a ride to work?
• Could I trouble you to open the door for me?

Would you mind + verb + ing

Use the gerund form of the verb (doing) to ask for a favor in everyday situations.

• Would you mind closing the window?
• Would you mind cooking dinner tonight?

Would it be too much trouble for you + infinitive

Use this form with the infinitive to ask for a favor in very formal situations.

• Would it be too much trouble for you to let me come in late tomorrow?
• Would it be too much trouble for you to take a look at this letter?

May I + verb?

Use the simple form of the verb with «may» when the favor you’re asking requires permission.

• May I leave class early?
• May we use your telephone?

Granting a Favor

If you would like to say «yes» to someone who asks you for a favor, you can grant the favor using these phrases:

• Sure
• No problem.
• I’d be happy to help you.
• It would be my pleasure.
• I’d be glad to help out.

It’s common to ask for more specifics when granting a favor. For instance, if your friend asks you to help him out with a project, you might ask some follow up questions to get an idea of what is needed.

• Would you mind giving me a hand?
• I’d be happy to help you. What do you need help with?

Refusing a Favor

If you are unable to help out and need to say «no», you can refuse a favor with these responses:

• I’m afraid I can’t.
• Sorry, but I’m unable + infinitive
• Unfortunately, I’m not able + infinitive.
• Regrettably, I can’t + verb

Saying «no,» is never fun, but sometimes it’s necessary. It’s common to offer a different solution to try to help out even if you can’t do the favor.

• Could I ask you to help me with my homework?
• Unfortunately, I’m not able to do that.
• Why not?
• Regrettably, I can’t do math very well, so I won’t be able to help.

Practice Dialogues

Use these dialogues to practice asking for a favor, granting favors, and refusing favors.

Asking for a favor which is granted

Peter: Hi Anna. I’ve got a favor to ask. Would you mind cooking dinner tonight? I’m kind of busy.
Anna: Sure, Peter. What would you like for dinner?
Peter: Could I trouble you to make some pasta?
Anna: That sounds good. Let’s have pasta. Which type of sauce should I make?
Peter: Would it be too much trouble to make a four cheese sauce?
Anna: No, that’s easy. Yum. Good idea.
Peter: Thanks Anna. That really helps me out.
Anna: No problem.

Mark: Hey, could you please help me with the homework?
Susan: I’d be glad to help out. What seems to be the problem?
Mark:: I don’t get this equation. Would you mind explaining it to me?
Susan: No problem. It’s difficult!
Mark: Yeah, I know. Thanks a lot.
Susan: Don’t worry about it.

Asking for a favor which is refused

Employee: Hello, Mr. Smith. Could I ask you a question?
Boss: Sure, what do you need?
Employee: Would it be too much trouble for you to let me come in at 10 tomorrow morning?
Boss: Oh, that’s a little difficult.
Employee: Yes, I know it’s last moment, but I have to go to the dentist.
Boss: I’m afraid I can’t let you come in late tomorrow. We really need you at the meeting.
Employee: OK, I just thought I’d ask. I’ll get a different appointment.
Boss: Thanks, I appreciate it.

Brother: Hey. Would you mind letting me watch my show?
Sister: Sorry, but I can’t do that.
Brother: Why not?
Sister: I’m watching my favorite show now.
Brother: But I’m going to miss my favorite game show!
Sister: Watch it online. Don’t bother me.
Brother: Could you please watch your show online, it’s a rerun!
Sister: Sorry, but I’m unable to do that. You’ll just have to watch it later.

Practice Situations

Find a partner and use these suggestions to practice asking for favors, as well as granting and refusing favors as shown in the examples. Make sure to vary the language you use when practicing rather than using the same phrase over and over again.

Ask someone to …

• loan you $50 for the weekend
• help you with your homework
• assist you with some paperwork such as filling out a form
• give you a ride
• check your writing or correct your grammar
• practice speaking English with you
• cook a meal
• let you take a day off work

More English Functions

Asking for, granting, and refusing favors are types of language functions. There is a wide range of English language functions such as making suggestions, giving advice and contrasting ideas that you can learn.

1. Would you please _____ me a ride?

2. Would you mind _____ me with my homework?

3. May I _____ your phone?

4. I’d be happy _____ you a hand with your homework.

5. I’d be glad _____ you to the party.

6. I’m afraid I can’t _____ you any advice on that.

7. Sorry, but I’m unable _____ dinner this evening.

8. Would it be too much trouble _____ a few questions?

Asking for a Favor in English: Lesson and Quiz

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Asking for a Favor in English: Lesson and Quiz

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Asking for a Favor in English: Lesson and Quiz

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If you’ve just joined a company there are most certainly quite a lot of things that you don’t know. Even if you’ve been with an organization for several years, there probably STILL are a lot of things that you don’t know – whether you’d like to admit this or not. The reality is that we’re bound to face a situation where we need the support of someone else.

For many of us, asking for favours is not something that we enjoy doing. It can give us a feeling of obligation – like we are indebted to the person that has helped us. It might also hurt our egos. Many of us take a lot of pride in being experts, so it’s only natural that we want to help others; not receive support.

The funny thing is that asking for favours can actually improve your likability and can strengthen relationships.

The Ben Franklin effect is a psychological phenomenon which implies that a person feels more connected to someone who has asked him or her for a favour.

There are several possible reasons for this. First, when someone asks you for a favour, you feel good! It gives you a sense pride knowing that out of all the people that person could have come to, they came to you. This could be either because they trust you – which implies that you are trustworthy. Or, this could be because you know your stuff – suggesting that you’re smart or even a specialist on the topic. It can also be because that person considers you a friend – and we all like feeling liked.

It can also reverse roles momentarily and give a mentee an opportunity to be a mentor – the desire to teach and guide others is something natural within us. So, when someone asks for a favour, they are willing to accept your guidance. That gives people a wonderful feeling, which they associate with the person that has succeeded in making them feel this way.

Why does feeling trusted, liked, and smart make us feel good?

Putting it simply, we feel good because of the release of certain chemicals in our body. The four chemicals that make us feel good are endorphins, oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine. When someone makes you feel trustworthy, that helps to release oxytocin – making you feel happy. Similarly, feeling respected or smarter than someone else can help to release serotonin, which feels euphoric!

do (one) a favor

1. To help someone else, typically at their request. Sometimes used sarcastically. Hey, do me a favor and take these bags into the kitchen while I get the others from the car.

2. A request for someone to stop doing something bothersome or annoying. Can you please do me a favor and take your loud music somewhere else? I’m trying to sleep! Look, I know you want to help, but do us a favor and just stay out of our way.

3. A response to a statement that the speaker finds ridiculous or stupid. («Favor» is usually spelled «favour» in British and Australian English.) Primarily heard in UK, Australia. A: «Katie seems nice.» B: «Oh, do me a favour—she’s one of the cattiest girls in school!»

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

do someone a favor

 and do someone a good turn

to perform a helpful service to someone. Would you please do me a favor and take this letter to the post office? My neighbor did me a good turn by lending me his car.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

used as a way of expressing brusque dismissal or rejection of a remark or suggestion.

1993 Merv Grist Life at the Tip Do me a favour, Webley couldn’t even pass a mug of tea across the counter last season, let alone pass a ball.

do someone a favour

do something for someone as an act of kindness. British informal

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

do me a ˈfavour

1 (informal) used when asking somebody to help you: Do me a favour and answer the door, will you?
2 (spoken) you can’t expect me to believe that: ‘It’s worth £2 000. The man in the antique shop told me.’ ‘Do me a favour. It’s not even worth £200.’

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

See also:

• (Is) that everything?
• (I) would if I could
• take (something) under consideration
• a bundle of fun
• advisement
• take under advisement
• take (something) under advisement
• (well,) I never!
• couldn’t happen to a nicer (person)
• twenty-twenty hindsight, with

I [biː]

,

прош. вр.

1

л.

, 3

л.

ед. was, 2

л.

ед.,

мн.

were,

прич. прош. вр.

been

1) быть; быть живым, жить; существовать

I think, therefore I am. — Я мыслю, следовательно, существую.

Tyrants and sycophants have been and are. — Тираны и подхалимы были и есть.

So much that was not is beginning to be. — Так много из того, чего раньше не было, появляется.

Content to be and to be well. — Он доволен, что жив, и что у него всё неплохо.

Syn:

2) происходить, случаться, иметь место

Be it as it may. — Будь как будет.

The flower-show was last week. — На прошлой неделе была выставка цветов.

Syn:

3) занимать ; находиться , принимать позу или позицию

I’m sorry, Mr Baker is not at home; can I take a message? — Мистера Бейкера нет дома, что-нибудь передать ему?

Your book is here, under the table. — Да вот твоя книжка, под столом.

You shall be beside me in the church. — Ты будешь стоять рядом со мной в церкви.

The bank is between the shoe shop and the post office. — Банк расположен между почтой и обувным магазином.

The valley where we live is beyond the mountains. — Долина, в которой мы живём, расположена за этими горами.

Is Mary down yet? Her eggs are getting cold. — Разве Мэри ещё не спустилась (к завтраку)? Её яичница остывает.

We must try to be away by 8 o’clock. — Нужно попытаться к 8 часам уже уйти.

There’s nobody about, you’d better come back later. — Сейчас никого нет, может быть, вам лучше зайти попозже?

Jim is about somewhere, if you’d like to wait. — Джим где-то поблизости, вы можете подождать.

The captain of a ship is above a seaman. — Звание капитана корабля выше звания матроса.

Jim was abreast of the leading runner for a few minutes but then fell behind. — Сначала Джим бежал наравне с лидером, но потом отстал.

When all your toys are away, I will read you a story. — Я почитаю тебе сказку, если ты уберёшь на место все игрушки.

The hotel is on the upper floors, and the shops are below. — Гостиница расположена на верхних этажах, а магазин — ниже.

The home of a rabbit is usually beneath the ground. — Кролики обычно роют свои норки в земле.

Long skirts will be back next year. — В следующем году в моде снова будут длинные юбки.

So many children are away this week with colds. — На этой неделе многие дети отсутствуют по болезни.

When I returned from the police station, the jewels were back in their box; the thieves must have got frightened and replaced them. — Когда я вернулась домой из полиции, драгоценности снова были в шкатулке. Должно быть, воры испугались и положили их обратно.

Your letters are behind the clock, where I always put them. — Твои письма за часами; там, куда я всегда кладу их.

4) находиться в состоянии; обладать качеством

to be afraid — страшиться, бояться, трусить; опасаться

to be amazed / astonished — изумляться, удивляться

to be frightened / startled — пугаться

to be indignant — негодовать, возмущаться; обижаться, сердиться

to be slow / tardy — медлить, мешкать; опаздывать, запаздывать; отставать

to be lenient — попустительствовать, потакать, потворствовать

My patience is at an end, I can listen to her complaints no longer. — Моё терпение лопнуло, я больше не могу слушать её жалобы.

It’s quite dark, it must be after 10 o’clock. — Уже довольно темно, сейчас, должно быть, около 10 часов.

Proposals that have been under deliberation. — Предложения, которые рассматривались.

Where have you been? I’ve just been about the town. — Где ты был? Гулял по городу.

Syn:

6) оставаться, пребывать ; не меняться, продолжать быть, как раньше

Let things be. — Пусть всё будет как есть.

Syn:

Being they are Church-men, we may rather suspect… — Имея в виду, что они священники, можно подозревать…

Well is him that hath (= has) found prudence. — Благо тому, кто стал благоразумен.

Good fortune be with you. — Пусть удача сопутствует тебе.

Syn:

9) иметься, наличествовать

There is some cheese in the fridge. — В холодильнике есть немного сыра.

There are many problems with her essay. — С её эссе много проблем.

а) означать, значить; быть эквивалентным чему-л.

To fall was to die. — Упасть означало умереть.

I’ll tell you what it is, you must leave. — Я тебе скажу, в чём дело — тебе уходить пора.

State is me. — Государство это я.

Let thinking be reasoning. — Будем считать, что думать значит размышлять.

б) занимать место в ряду; характеризоваться признаками

Only by being man can we know man. — Только будучи людьми мы можем познать человека.

He was of Memphis. — Он был из Мемфиса.

в) иметь значение, быть значимым

Is it nothing to you? —Это ничего для тебя не значит?

If I were to propose, would you accept? — Если бы я сделал тебе предложение, ты бы согласилась?

12) быть обязанным сделать

The president is to arrive at 9.30. — Президент должен приехать в 9.30.

You are not to leave before I say so. — Ты не должен уходить, пока я тебе не разрешу.

I was this morning to buy silk for a nightcap. — Тем утром мне нужно было сходить купить шёлка на ночной колпак.

He is to go home. — Он должен пойти домой.

13) собираться

He is about to go. — Он собирается уходить.

The water is about to boil. — Вода вот-вот закипит.

Syn:

14) делать, исполнять; заниматься

What are you about? I’m about my business. — Чем вы сейчас занимаетесь? У меня свой бизнес.

15) быть безупречным, вне подозрений, выше критики

Her action during the fire was above reproach. — Её поведение во время пожара было безупречным.

The chairman’s decision is not above criticism. — С решением председателя можно поспорить.

Why is the dog running so fast? He’s after rabbits. — Почему собака так быстро бежит? Она гонится за кроликом.

Quick, hide me, the police are after me! — Спрячь меня скорее, за мной гонится полиция.

Jim is after another job. — Джим хочет устроиться на другую работу.

Don’t marry him, he’s only after your money. — Не выходи за него замуж, ему нужны только твои деньги.

She’s been after me for a year to buy her a new coat. — Она целый год приставала ко мне, чтобы ей купили новое пальто.

She’s always after the children for one thing or another. — Она всегда за что-нибудь ругает детей.

Driving without seat belts may soon be against the law. — Вести машину непристёгнутым скоро может стать нарушением правил.

Father was against (his daughter) marrying young. — Отец был против того, чтобы дочь выходила замуж в юном возрасте.

Lying is against my principles. — Ложь противоречит моим жизненным принципам.

Jim will be along (to the meeting) in a minute. — Через минуту-другую Джим придёт.

Syn:

Jim has been at his work for hours. — Джим часами сидит за работой.

You must get your clothes in the King’s Road, that’s where it’s at. — Ты можешь отвезти свою одежду на Кинг Роуд, там её оценят по достоинству.

д) трогать чужое; рыться в

Syn:

Our men are ready, sir, all armed and eager to be at the enemy. — Солдаты находятся в боевой готовности, сэр, они все вооружены и жаждут броситься в бой.

ж) приводить к , заканчиваться

What would he be at? — At her, if she’s at leisure. — Ну и чего он достигнет? — Будет рядом с ней, если ей захочется.

20) обвиняться, предстать перед

Peter has been before the court again on a charge of driving while drunk. — Питер снова предстал перед судом за то, что находился за рулём в нетрезвом состоянии.

Syn:

21) служить причиной, крыться за , стоять за

а) быть ниже

I’m disappointed in your work; it is below your usual standard. — Я неприятно удивлён результатами вашей работы, обычно вы справляетесь с заданием гораздо лучше.

б) быть ниже по званию, чину

A captain is below a major. — Капитан по званию ниже, чем майор.

By joining the army late, he found that he was below many men much younger than himself. — Довольно поздно вступив на военную службу, он обнаружил, что многие из тех, кто младше его по возрасту, старше по званию.

23) быть позорным для ; быть ниже достоинства

Cheating at cards is beneath me. — Я считаю ниже своего достоинства жульничать при игре в карты.

I should have thought it was beneath you to consider such an offer. — Я должен был догадаться, что вы сочтёте недостойным рассматривать подобные предложения.

а) выходить за пределы возможного или ожидаемого; не подлежать , выходить за рамки

to be beyond a joke — переставать быть забавным; становиться слишком серьёзным

Your continual lateness is now beyond a joke; if you’re not on time tomorrow, you will be dismissed. — Ваши постоянные опоздания уже перестали быть просто шуткой; если вы и завтра не придёте вовремя, мы вынуждены будем вас уволить.

The soldier’s brave deed was beyond the call of duty. — Храбрый поступок солдата превосходил обычное представление о долге.

Calling spirits from the dead proved to be beyond the magician’s powers. — Вызывать духов умерших людей оказалось за пределами возможностей чародея.

I’m afraid this old piano is now beyond repair so we’d better get rid of it. — Боюсь, что это старое пианино не подлежит ремонту, и лучше было бы избавиться от него.

The amount of money that I won was beyond all my hopes. — Сумма выигрыша была намного больше того, о чём я мог хотя бы мечтать.

в) быть слишком сложным для ; быть выше понимания

I’m afraid this book’s beyond me; have you an easier one? — Мне кажется, что эта книга слишком сложная для меня; у вас нет чего-нибудь попроще?

It’s beyond me which house to choose, they’re both so nice! — Я решительно не знаю, какой дом выбрать. Они оба такие красивые!

The details of different kinds of life insurance are quite beyond my ken, so I have to take the advice of professionals. — Вопросы особенностей и различных видов медицинского страхования слишком трудны для моего понимания. Лучше я обращусь к помощи специалистов.

Syn:

25) поддерживать ; быть «за» , защищать

I’m for it. — Я за, я поддерживаю.

You are for the chairman’s plan, aren’t you? Yes, I’m all for it. — Вы одобряете план, предложенный председателем, не так ли? Да, мне он нравится.

No, I’m for keeping the old methods. — Нет, я приверженец старых методов.

Syn:

26) разг. быть заинтересованным в

She doesn’t eat meat now, she’s really into health food. — Она не ест мяса и увлекается здоровой пищей.

а) не посещать ; закончить

Jane was off school all last week with her cold. — Джейн всю прошлую неделю не ходила в школу по болезни.

в) не хотеть, не быть заинтересованным; перестать интересоваться

Jane has been off her food since she caught a cold. — С тех пор, как Джейн простудилась, ей не хотелось есть.

I’ve been off that kind of music for some time now. — Некоторое время мне не хотелось слушать такую музыку.

Mother has been on that medicine for months, and it doesn’t seem to do her any good. — Мама принимает это лекарство уже несколько месяцев, и кажется, что оно ей совсем не помогает.

I’ve been on this treatment for some weeks and I must say I do feel better. — Я уже несколько недель принимаю это лекарство и, должен сказать, чувствую себя лучше.

My money’s on Sam, is yours? — Я поставил на Сэма, а ты?

Our money’s on Northern Dancer to win the third race. — Мы поставили на то, что Северный Танцор выиграет в третьем забеге.

Syn:

Put your money away, this meal is on me. — Убери деньги, я заплачу за обед.

а) связаться с

I’ve been onto the director, but he says he can’t help. — Я разговаривал с директором, но он говорит, что не может помочь.

She’s been onto me to buy her a new coat for a year. — Она постоянно в течение года просила меня купить ей новое пальто.

Don’t think I haven’t been onto your little plan for some time. — Не думай, что я не знал какое-то время о твоём плане.

The police are onto us, we’d better hide. — Полиция знает о нас, уж лучше мы спрячемся.

30) тратить много времени на ; долго заниматься , долго сидеть над

Don’t be all night over finishing your book. — Не сиди всю ночь напролёт, заканчивая свою книгу.

31) быть трудным

I’ll save this book till the children are older; it’s a little past them at the moment. — Я приберегу эту книгу до тех пор, пока дети немного повзрослеют. Сейчас она слишком сложна для них.

The old man felt that he was now past going out every day, so he asked some young people to do his shopping. — Пожилой человек почувствовал, что ему становится трудно выходить на улицу каждый день, и он попросил молодых людей покупать ему продукты.

Syn:

The whole army is under the general’s command. — Вся армия находится под командованием генерала.

Jane has been under that doctor for three years. — Джейн в течение трёх лет лечилась у этого врача.

в) чувствовать влияние, находиться под влиянием

When Jim came home singing and shouting, we knew that he was under the influence of drink. — Когда Джим с криками и пением пришёл домой, мы поняли, что он был пьян.

We’re with you all the way in your fight for equal rights. — Мы от всей души поддерживаем вас в борьбе за равноправие.

I’m not with these new fashions, I find them ugly. — Я не понимаю нынешних течений в моде. По-моему, это просто ужасно.

34) принадлежать, являться частью

I can answer your question if it’s within my competence. — Я могу ответить на ваш вопрос, если это входит в сферу моей компетенции.

35) не хватать, недоставать

Many homes in Britain were without electricity during parts of the winter. — Временами зимой во многих домах Великобритании отключали электричество.

•

— be around
— be away
— be behind
— be below
— be down
— be in
— be inside
— be off
— be on
— be out
— be over
— be round
— be through
— be up

••

to be down in the dumps / mouth — быть в плохом настроении / нездоровым; быть не в форме

to be in accord / harmony with smb. — иметь хорошие отношения с ; иметь одинаковые вкусы, мнения с

to be out in force / large numbers / strength — присутствовать, дежурить на улицах в большом количестве

— have been and gone and done

— be above one’s head
— be above oneself
— be abreast of
— be all eyes
— be at a dead end
— be at a loss
— be at attention
— be at each other’s throats
— be at ease
— be at it
— be at loggerheads
— be at pains
— be behind bars
— be behind the times
— be beneath contempt
— be beneath smb.’s dignity
— be beneath smb.’s notice
— be beside oneself
— be beyond question
— be beyond redemption
— be down for the count
— be down on one’s luck
— be hard up for
— be hip to
— be in at the finish
— be in charge
— be in collision with
— be in for smth.
— be in line with
— be in on the ground floor
— be in the chair
— be in the money
— be in the way
— be on full time
— be on the make
— be on the point
— be onto a good thing
— be over and done with
— be ahead
— be amiss
II [biː]

He was talking of you. — Он говорил о тебе.

A man who is being listened to. — Человек, которого сейчас слушают.

2)

She is visiting there next week. — Она приедет сюда на следующей неделе.

He is to see me today. — Он сегодня придёт меня повидать.

The date was fixed. — Дата была зафиксирована.

His book will be published. — Его книга будет опубликована.

The political aspect of the subject has not been approached. — Политический аспект проблемы до сих пор не рассматривался.

Therefore I am returned. — И поэтому я вернулся.

His parents were grown old. — Его родители состарились.