'What Do You Want?' 同 'What Would You Like?' 嘅分別：發問時唔好太生硬

點解呢句會咁棘手

問人想要啲咩，係我哋對話裏面最常做嘅其中一件事。落單嘅時候、幫客人嘅時候、同朋友計劃嘢嘅時候，或者關心一下同事嘅時候，我哋都會咁問。呢句本應令人覺得友善。

問題在於，'What do you want?' 係一條完整、文法正確嘅問題——所以學習者好自然就會用佢。但係文法正確並唔保證語氣溫暖。同一啲字眼，視乎點樣措辭，可以聽落樂於助人，亦可以聽落刺耳。

喺好多情況下，'What do you want?' 都帶有一份講者從來冇打算傳達嘅鋒利感。

大家通常想表達嘅意思

當學習者問 'What do you want?' 嘅時候，佢哋通常想表達一啲有禮貌、樂於助人嘅意思：

• 我可以點樣幫你？
• 我可以幫你攞啲咩？
• 你會偏好邊樣？
• 唔該話我知你嘅選擇。

佢哋嘅本意係服務同關心。不過，咁樣措辭可能會傳出一個唔同嘅訊號。

聽落會係點

'What do you want?' 聽落可能好生硬，甚至冇耐性。冇咗軟化嘅字眼，呢條光禿禿嘅問題可能感覺似一個命令。喺某啲情況下，佢會暗示講者好忙、唔耐煩，甚至喺度諗緊對方究竟做咩要喺度。

一位客人行到去櫃枱前面。
職員：What do you want?

呢句可能聽落冷冰冰，幾乎似「你做咩要嚟煩我？」客人未必講得出原因，但係嗰份歡迎就唔見咗。

'What would you like?' 就修正咗呢個問題。「Would」令呢條問題感覺似一個有禮貌嘅提議，而唔似一個命令；而「like」聽落亦比「want」更溫柔。結果就係一個邀請，而唔係一個挑戰。

更好嘅講法

目標係將一條生硬嘅問題變成一個溫暖嘅提議。加上「would」、「can I」，或者一句簡單嘅問候，就已經做咗大部分嘅功夫。

簡短例子

較有風險：What do you want to drink?
較順耳：What would you like to drink?

較有風險（喺櫃枱）：What do you want?
較順耳（喺櫃枱）：Hi there, what can I get for you?

較有風險（對朋友）：What do you want for dinner?
較順耳（對朋友）：What are you in the mood for tonight?

較有風險（喺公司）：What do you want from me?
較順耳（喺公司）：How can I help with this?

最後一對最重要。「What do you want from me?」聽落可能似有防衛心，好似講者覺得受到壓力咁。「How can I help with this?」就將同一個情況變成團隊合作。

簡單法則

每當你係喺提供服務或者關心嘅時候，將 'What do you want?' 換成 'What would you like?' 或者「How can I help?」。「Would」同「like」會將一個命令變成一個邀請。

練習：揀出較好嘅語氣

1. 你喺服務台工作，有位訪客行埋嚟。邊句問候聽落最歡迎人？

   • A. What do you want?
   • B. Hello, how can I help you today?
   • C. Yes?

   Answer: B — 呢句問候咗訪客，亦將條問題包裝成一個提供幫助嘅提議。

2. 一位朋友打電話嚟，你好樂意傾偈。佢個語氣似乎有啲嘢想搵你幫手。邊句最溫暖？

   • A. What do you want?
   • B. Hey, what's up — is there anything I can do?
   • C. So why are you calling?

   Answer: B — 呢句友善，亦顯示你準備好幫忙，同時唔會聽落冇耐性。

3. 你幫一位同事買咖啡，要落單。邊條問題符合有禮貌嘅語氣？

   • A. What would you like? I'm heading to the café.
   • B. What do you want? Tell me fast.
   • C. Just say what you want.

   Answer: A — 「Would you like」聽落似一個友善嘅提議，而額外嘅細節亦令呢句保持輕鬆。