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Thomas An
So confused with "Could you use"
Could you use some extra help around the house? (from a English drama)
In this case, how come "Could you use" correspond to an offer?
In Korean, It could be translated to "도움이 필요한가요? (Do you need some help?)" directly.
Does that have lots of meaning?
I have already learnt that if i say that "I could use some drinks/waters/air something else", it could be represented that "I need to do that right now".
But I am still confused a lot of meaning "Could you use, I could you" and the use cases..
Sep 24, 2017 9:18 AM
Answers · 2
The difference is the level of directness. 'Do you want' is quite direct, and perhaps a little too forceful in some situations. 'Could you do with' is a lot softer, and less direct.
On the other hand, "I need to do that right now" is extremely direct, somewhat demanding, and in some cases would probably be a bit rude. It all depends on the situation. It might be OK to a waiter, but not someone you are on a date with...
I guess that in Korean you have similar levels of directness with questions like this?
September 24, 2017
Yes, if someone says this, they really mean "do you need help?" Your interpretation is correct.
September 24, 2017
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Thomas An
Language Skills
English, Korean
Learning Language
English
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