美国文化脱口秀 第328期:忘记老外名字时说什么?

 老记不住外国人名字怎么办？难道只能问“What's your name?" 今天我们教你更有技巧的问法。

关键词：

When you forgot someone's name, how can you politely ask them? 如果你忘了一个人的名字，能怎么有礼貌地问他们？

How can you figure it out without asking them again? 不直接问，有技巧地印出来

Techniques: 技巧

An awkward¹ situation: 尴尬的情况

怎么礼貌地说“我忘记你的名字了”?

I'm terribly sorry, but could you remind me what your name is again? 实在不好意思，你能再告诉我一下你叫什么名字吗？

不要只说Sorry, I don't remember your name.或者What's your name?

给人的感觉是你很轻视他、不尊重他。

一定要先说"sorry"

You gotta to seem very apologetic and sincere²: 你一定要很诚恳地先道歉

It's my bad: 我的错

也可以说：

I'm sorry. This is really awkward, but could you remind me what your name is again? 实在对不起，实在太尴尬了，你叫什么名字？

I feel so bad. What's your name again? 我太不好意思了，你叫什么名字？

再强调一下，忘记别人名字再问时，记住这两点

1） 承认都是你的错

I'm horrible/terrible/really bad with names: 说我就是记不起名字 （不是针对你）

2）一定要用"again"

Could you remind me what your name is again? 

What's your name again?

如果别人刚刚才告诉你，但你突然忘了或没听清楚，可以说

I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name: 不好意思，我没听清你的名字

忘记老外名字时说什么?

其它更圆滑的技巧

Could you put your number in my phone: 能输入你的电话吗？

Tactical: 有计谋的

把他介绍给另一个人

Introduce the person to another friend: 把他介绍给另一个你认识的人

比如：

I don't think you two have met before. You should really meet: 你们应该不认识吧，你们认识一下

The key is to not get too involved. Let them introduce themselves: 关键是别插手太多，让他们自己说出名字

But this depends on whether there is another friend present or not: 这招取决于有没有另一个人的存在

你名字怎么拼？

How do you spell your name? 你的名字怎么拼？

But you need to be careful with this technique, because their name might be very straightforward³: 不过这招也要当心，万一人家的名字超级简单，比如Tom...

问他要名片

You can also ask them for their business card: 也可以问他们要名片

I don't think I have your card: 我好像还没你名片

Could I have your WeChat: 我好想没加你微信

But many people's WeChat id has nothing to do with their names: 不过很多人的微信id跟他们自己的名字毫无关系

不记得名字也不要紧

Have you ever hung out with someone for weeks and not remember their name? 你有没有跟一个人认识了好久，但始终记不住他们的名字？

Yes, but that didn't stop us from having good conversations: 有，但这丝毫不妨碍我们交朋友

Yeah, I just let it slip since I don't address people by their names anyway: 我也是，我通常就随它去了，反正我平时也不太用名字称呼朋友

I just say "Hey bro" "Hi there" "What's up"：我碰到朋友都说“"Hey bro" "What's up"

I feel like I've dragged this out for too long and it'll be too weird to ask their name at that point: 我会觉得已经拖了那么久了，现在再问他们的名字，反而更尴尬

This is embarrassing: 尴尬

还有一个笨办法

Ask a mutual friend what their name is: 如果你们有个共同的朋友, 就问他啊

But you don't want them to spill the beans and tell the other person that you don't remember their name: 但是万一他告密, 跟那个人说你连他名字都不记得

Spill the beans: 告密、泄密

Honesty is the best policy: 诚实还是最好的政策

Come clean, be sincere and apologetic: 老实承认、诚恳就好

I'm bad with names but I'm good with faces: 虽然我记不住名字，但我特别记得住脸

1 awkward   

adj.笨拙的，尴尬的，使用不便的，难处理的

参考例句：

• John is so shy and awkward that everyone notices him.约翰如此害羞狼狈，以至于大家都注意到了他。
• I was the only man among the guests and felt rather awkward.作为客人中的唯一男性，我有些窘迫。

2 sincere   

adj.真诚的，诚挚的，诚恳的

参考例句：

• He is sincere and easy to get along with.他为人诚恳，很好相处。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

3 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。