give someone a minute借一步說話

把一次滑水道超車說成歷史紀錄，誇張的播報腔正是歐文式的愛。

Ladies and gentlemen, the first person to ever ...

半開玩笑地隆重宣佈某件小事時用；真在正式致辭裡才用得上這個開頭。

Ladies and gentlemen, a first for this park! ／ Give it up for the first person to pull that off!

正式

Ladies and gentlemen 頓一下，first person 重讀。

Ladies and gentlemen, the first person to ever beat me at chess! 女士們先生們，史上第一個在棋上贏了我的人！

介紹一個成年人時不提頭銜，只說“會開車”，孩子的崇拜全在這句裡。

This is X, my friend who can ...

把朋友介紹給家人時用；正式場合要補上身份或職業。

This is Owen, a friend of mine who drives. ／ Meet Owen, my friend with a car.

口語

my friend who 連讀，can drive 重讀收尾。

This is Mia, my friend who can cook. 這是米婭，我那個會做飯的朋友。

用一句帶髒字的誇讚替鄧肯撐腰，既是讚美也是替孩子出頭。

You've got a hell of a ... here.

半粗魯地夸人、替人撐腰時用；正式場合把 hell 換成 really。

You've got a great kid here. ／ That's one hell of a kid.

口語

hell of a 連讀，kid here 放慢加重。

You've got a hell of a team here. 你這支團隊可真了不起。

不解釋要談什麼，只求幾分鐘，孩子的獨立就是這麼一句輕輕的話。

Can you give us a minute?

想私下說幾句話、請人迴避時用；對上級說 can you give me a minute 也很得體。

Could you give us a moment? ／ Can we have a minute alone?

中性

give us a 連讀，minute 尾音上揚。

Can you give us a minute to talk? 能給我們一分鐘談談嗎？

一句最普通的道別，因為來自剛認識一個夏天的朋友，分量完全不同。

Take care, ... We're gonna miss you.

送別朋友、同事時用；正式信裡寫 Take care of yourself 更完整。

Take care of yourself, we'll miss you. ／ Look after yourself, Duncan.

口語

Take care 乾脆，gonna miss you 連讀成一串。

Take care, we're gonna miss you around here. 保重，我們會想你的。

把整段夏天的告別收進一句歌詞，落點只有“你和我”。

In between ..., it's you and me.

寫歌或抒情文字裡說“拋開一切只剩我們”時用；日常對話裡太文藝。

When all is said and done, it's you and me. ／ After everything, it comes down to us.

literary

in between 輕讀，It's you and me 放慢收尾。

Through all the noise, in between, it's you and me. 再多紛擾之間，也只有你和我。