your whole life ahead of you你的人生還長著呢

把人生交還給本人的一句話：條件是天給的，樣子是自己掙的。不長，卻把責任和希望一併放下，適合任何一次送別或叮囑。

It's up to you what you make of it.

給年輕人、後輩或剛起步的人臨別贈言時用，語氣鄭重但不訓人。

What you make of it is up to you. ／ The rest is yours to shape.

中性

it's up to you 平讀，what you make of it 放慢，make 略重。

The chance is yours; what you make of it is up to you. 機會給你了，能做成什麼樣全看你自己。

It's a fresh start; what you make of it is up to you. 這是個全新的開始，怎麼走由你決定。

一句替花錢找臺階的話，卻也道出一個簡單的道理：難得的時刻值得破費。它能把猶豫的人說動，也能替自己的鋪張開脫，實用又上口。

... only comes once a year.

想勸人別心疼錢、好好享受難得的時刻時用，語氣輕鬆帶點撒嬌。

It only happens once a year. ／ Some occasions come but once.

口語

Christmas 重讀，only comes 連讀，once a year 放慢收尾。

Treat yourself; a birthday only comes once a year. 對自己好點，生日一年才一次。

Let's not count pennies; this reunion comes once a year. 別算小賬了，這樣的團聚一年才一回。

七個字就把一個年輕人的失落接住：路還在前面，不必急、不必怕。它是長輩式的一句托底，越樸素越有分量，幾乎什麼場合都送得出去。

You've got your whole life ahead of you.

安慰受挫的年輕人、後輩時用，語氣溫和，別對年長的人說，容易顯得輕慢。

Your whole life is still ahead of you. ／ You have so much time ahead.

中性

You've got 輕快連讀，whole life 重讀，ahead of you 連成一串。

Take a breath; your whole life is still ahead of you. 喘口氣，你的人生還長著呢。

Don't settle yet; you've got your whole life ahead of you. 別急著定下來，你還有大把未來。

把關心說得極輕，不追問、不施捨，只確認你不孤單。越是不動聲色，越顯得體貼，用在朋友或晚輩身上都恰到好處。

I just wanted to be sure that you weren't alone.

想表達關心又不想讓對方有壓力時用，語氣輕，別帶盤問或憐憫的味道。

I only wanted to make sure you weren't on your own. ／ Just checking you had someone tonight.

口語

I just wanted 連讀輕帶，be sure 略重，weren't alone 放慢收尾。

I just wanted to be sure you weren't alone tonight. 我只是想確認你今晚不是一個人。

Just checking you weren't on your own. 就是看看你是不是一個人。

把暗中幫一個窮女孩說成自己當聖誕老人，俏皮又溫柔。它把善舉藏進一個孩子氣的比喻裡，不居功、不說教，正是這角色最討人喜歡的地方。

I'm her / his Santa Claus.

半開玩笑地說自己偷偷接濟、幫助某個人時用，語氣要俏皮，別顯得炫耀。

I'm playing Santa for her this year. ／ Call me her secret Santa.

口語

I'm her 輕快帶過，Santa Claus 兩個詞都重讀，末尾降調。

Don't tell her, but I'm her Santa Claus this year. 別告訴她，今年我就是她的聖誕老人。

Someone has to be his Santa Claus. 總得有人當他的聖誕老人。