let alone更別提

用虛擬語氣把風險輕描淡寫，一句就讓來投靠的人放下心。

If ..., you would be the least of my problems.

想安慰闖禍求助的人別自責時用；對下屬說會顯得敷衍。

Even if they came, you would be the least of my worries. ／ You are nowhere near my biggest problem.

中性

If the 連讀，searched 重讀，least of my 輕帶而過。

If my boss found out, you would be the least of my problems. 要是我老闆知道了，你也排不上我的麻煩。

把信任說成基本禮數，溫和又體面，等於給對方一個臺階。

It would be terrible manners for me not to ...

要把好意說得不居高臨下時用；對客戶說會顯得拿腔。

It would be rude of me not to trust you. ／ Not trusting you would be poor form.

正式

would be 弱讀，terrible 重讀，not to trust you 平穩收尾。

It would be terrible manners for me not to accept your help. 我要是不接受你的幫助，那才叫沒禮貌。

用一句不必是……也能……，把審美和信仰分開，從容又開闊。

I don't have to be ... to ...

說自己欣賞某樣東西不一定要先認同它的來歷時用；辯論裡很有力。

You don't need to share a faith to admire its art. ／ Loving the poetry does not require the creed.

中性

don't have to 連讀，images 重讀，poetry moving 放緩。

I don't have to be Japanese to find this garden beautiful. 我不必是日本人，也能覺得這座庭院很美。

把自己和伊芙放進同一句話，一瞬間消掉距離，是拉近關係的句子。

we are both ... in our own way

想和對方找到共同點、拉近距離時用；用濫了會顯得套近乎。

We are both outsiders, each in our own way. ／ In different ways, we are the same kind of fugitive.

中性

You see 輕快帶過，both 重讀，in our own way 漸弱。

We are both newcomers in our own way. 我們倆都算是初來乍到，只是方式不同。

先用虛擬語氣認下最壞結果，再用 let alone 補一刀，冷峻又清醒。

..., let alone ...

說連大的都保不住、小的更別提時用；語氣偏重，別拿來開玩笑。

I would lose my home, never mind the show. ／ I would have no house, much less a program.

正式

undoubtedly 重讀，without a home 連讀，let alone 稍停。

He would lose his job, let alone his pension. 他連工作都保不住，更別提養老金了。

用面具說偽裝與自我，是整部電影的主題句，也是戈登的自白。

You do something for so long, you forget ...

形容長期裝下去會迷失自己時用；用來勸人摘下面具很貼切。

Wear the mask too long and you lose the face. ／ Play a part long enough and you forget yourself.

literary

wear a 連讀，for so long 稍停，beneath it 連讀收尾。

You smile for so long, you forget who you were beneath it. 假笑太久，你會忘了自己原本是什麼樣。

認出被禁國歌的那一刻，敬畏與恐懼同時冒出來，一句就是全場的分量。

That's ...

突然認出某樣不該出現的東西時用；說出口前先看周圍有沒有人。

That is the anthem they banned. ／ I cannot believe you still have that.

口語

Oh, my God 連讀成 oh-my-god，anthem 名稍慢重讀。

Oh, my God. That is the record they banned. 哦，我的天。那就是他們禁掉的那張唱片。