{"id":72729,"date":"2021-03-24T12:06:57","date_gmt":"2021-03-24T12:06:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lingobest.com\/free-online-english-course\/?p=72729"},"modified":"2022-12-16T11:47:52","modified_gmt":"2022-12-16T11:47:52","slug":"do-you-mind-would-you-mind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lingobest.com\/free-online-english-course\/do-you-mind-would-you-mind\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Use Polite Expressions Like “Do you mind?” in English"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

How would you ask a friend to help you? There are a few questions you can make, such as Can you help me with…?<\/em> Or Can you do….for me?<\/em> Both of them are good options, but there is one phrase you should definitely add to your dictionary and use whenever you need to ask something politely in English. I\u2019m talking about the expressions using the word mind. <\/em>It is also important to know how to answer questions that start with these expressions. Keep reading for examples and dialogues! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does mind<\/em> mean? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I have found that some people struggle with the expression Do you mind?<\/em> because of the word mind<\/em><\/strong>. And that\u2019s because this word is both a noun and a verb. As a noun<\/strong><\/a>, it refers to the part of a person that makes it possible for him or her to think, feel emotions, and understand things. As a verb, it has different meanings. Let\u2019s go over each one of them: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can use this word in the expressions Do you mind?<\/em> and Would you mind? <\/em>as a polite way of asking permission<\/strong> or asking someone to do something. That\u2019s what we will cover more in-depth today, so keep reading for more information on this.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This verb is also used to say that someone is not annoyed or bothered by something<\/strong>. For instance, you can say: I<\/em> don\u2019t mind being alone<\/em>. This means that you are okay with being by yourself, it doesn\u2019t bother you.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be used to say that someone doesn\u2019t have a strong preference<\/strong> for any particular thing. It\u2019s similar to saying Either option is good<\/em>. Here is one example: I don\u2019t mind what we watch, really. Let\u2019s just watch something!<\/em> By the way, if you want to learn more about either, read this blog post here<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another meaning of this verb is to warn people to be careful<\/strong> not to hurt themselves or damage something. In London, it is common to see the phrase \u201cMind the gap\u201d in the subway stations. It is there to warn passengers about the gap between the train door and the station platform. The last use of the verb is to say that someone is looking after someone or something<\/strong>. For instance, one could say: Kelly will mind the shop while I\u2019m away.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"do<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Would<\/em> or Do?<\/em> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now, let\u2019s understand the difference between the two possible questions one can make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The difference is simple, actually. Do you mind?<\/em> is more informal and direct, while Would you mind?<\/em> is more polite. Also, we tend to use do<\/em> when we expect the other person to say yes since we are normally asking for a minor favor. Would, <\/em>on the other hand, is used when we want a bigger favor.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In summary, the big difference between the two options is how polite you want to be.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to ask and answer questions with these expressions <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In this section, we’ll review how to politely ask and answer questions with these expressions that use the word mind. <\/em>These phrases are really great when you want to make a good impression on someone. So, let\u2019s go over the structure for both the questions and the answers involving these expressions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asking for something politely <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When asking questions with either Do you mind?<\/em> or Would you mind?<\/em>, here is the structure you need to follow: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you mind<\/span><\/em> <\/strong>+ (optional object) + verb + ing<\/strong>\u00a0= asking someone to do something for you\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Here are some examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • Would you mind stopping for gas on your way back? <\/li>
  • Do you mind Liam coming to dinner tonight?  <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Do you mind <\/mark><\/em>+ if<\/em> + subject + verb<\/strong>\u00a0= asking permission<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Take a look at some examples: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    • Do you mind if I cook pasta tonight? <\/li>
    • Would you mind if my sister spends the night here? <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
      \"would<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Answering questions <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      When we are okay with what we are presented with<\/strong>, we usually answer these questions with: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      • No, I don\u2019t mind.<\/li>
      • Go ahead. <\/li>
      • Not at all. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        For instance, take a look at this dialogue:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Hey, do you mind taking the bus to school today? <\/em><\/p>

        No, not at all. <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

        If we have a problem with what was asked<\/strong>, we can say: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        • I\u2019m sorry, but\u2026 <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Now, let\u2019s suppose you can\u2019t take the bus today. You could say:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Hey, do you mind taking the bus to school today?  <\/em><\/p>

          I\u2019m sorry, but today I can\u2019t. I need to take the model I made for my geography class.  <\/em><\/p>

          Oh, okay. Let\u2019s go then. <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

          Listening exercise: do you mind?<\/em> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

          Listen to the dialogue below. If you listen to the audio twice and still have problems understanding the conversation, take a look at the transcript below, okay? <\/p>\n\n\n\n