“I don’t think so” ไม่ได้แปลว่า “ฉันไม่แน่ใจ” เพียงอย่างเดียว จริงๆ แล้วสามารถใช้ได้สถานการณ์อื่นๆ จะใช้แบบไหนได้บ้างลองมาดูกันเลย ระดับความยาก: 2
We’ve all been in a situation when we’re not 100% sure of something, so we say “I don’t think so.”
It is nearly always a response to a statement or question from someone else — usually a question.
When You Mean “Maybe”
For example, your boss assigns you some work. (Bosses are always assigning work, right!) And she “gives you a deadline” (tells you the date she wants it finished).
Later, your boss asks you, “Will you be able to get it done in time?”
Unfortunately, (1) the assignment is really big; (2) you’re really busy with other work; and (3) the deadline is too soon!
You don’t feel confident. There’s only a small chance you can finish the work on time (maybe 25%). So you can’t really tell her “Yes.”
But, since there’s a small chance you might meet the deadline, it’s better not to say “No.” Why risk making your boss mad for no reason?
So you say, “I don’t think so.”
“I don’t think so” = “I’m not sure” / “I am uncertain” / “I don’t know”
When You Mean “No!”
Pretty easy so far, right? What makes “I don’t think so” tricky is that you can also use it when you’re not unsure. In fact, you’re very sure. You’re very sure that what the other person is saying or asking is stupid or impossible or not something you’re interested in. In other words, it’s another way of saying “No” in a strong way. Here are a couple examples.
In A Bar
You’re hanging out with friends. Everyone in your group is either married or has boyfriends/girlfriends/partners. A really obnoxious guy comes up to you and says, “Hey, pretty ladies, why don’t you hang out with me and my friends?”
You say: “I don’t think so.”
Fighting Back
You’ll see this a lot in movies in “good guy against bad guy” situations. You’re walking at night and suddenly a thief jumps out of the bushes and yells, “Give me your wallet and your watch!”
What he doesn’t know is you’ve been taking muay Thai lessons and you could probably “kick his ass” if you wanted to.
You laugh and say: “I don’t think so.”
“I don’t think so” = “No way!” / “Nope!” / “Never!”
Final tip: If you’re in a conversation and you want to use “I don’t think so” to mean “no,” just remember to say it with confidence. If you’re writing it, you might want to use an exclamation point: “I don’t think so!”
คำศัพท์ที่น่าสนใจในบทความ
- deadline (n) กำหนดเวลาสุดท้ายที่ต้องทำให้เสร็จ, เส้นตาย
- confident (adj) แน่ใจ, มั่นใจ, เชื่อใจ, เชื่อมั่น, ไว้ใจ
- tricky (adj) มีเล่ห์เหลี่ยม, เล่ห์เพทุบาย, หลอกลวง, เล่นลูกไม้, ยาก
- obnoxious (adj) น่ารังเกียจ, น่าสะอิดสะเอียน, น่าขยะแขยง
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