Better Ways to Say Yes, No, Maybe, and I Can’t in English
This lesson was originally published in September 2017.
It was updated with new content and a new video in May 2024.
Okay. Imagine this.
Youโre at the grocery store. And you unexpectedly run into a friend you havenโt seen for a while. You have a little bit of chitchat there in the coffee/tea aisle while youโre picking up a few things and your friend says, โBy the way, weโre having a few friends over Saturday night to grill out. You should come! And bring the kids. Itโs been way too long since weโve spent time together.โ
And you would LOVE to say, โYes, that sounds great.โ But the truth is, you donโt know if your Saturday night is free. Your spouse proposed some tentative plans.
You could respond with, โSure, maybe. I donโt know.โ
But maybe sounds awkward, at best. At its worst, it sounds like you are not at all interested.
So is there a better way?ย
Absolutely!ย
In this video, weโll dive into how to respond to requests, invitations, and other queries with better ways to say ‘Yes,’ ‘No,’ or ‘Maybe.’ Or even โI canโt.โย
Whether it is an invitation toย
- Plan a weekend away with your closest friends
- Give a presentation at an upcoming event
- Join a volunteer effort
- Lead a project
- Get dinner with the neighbors
It isnโt only a yes or no, a maybe or I canโt that you need to consider. Itโs also the amount of enthusiasm or reluctance you might feel.
Better Ways to Say Yes in English
We have several ways to say yes in English for casual and professional situations. Here are some of the most common:
Casual:
- Yeah, sure. Here you go.
- No problem! Iโm always happy to help.
- Yep! I will be right there. (Yep is another informal way to say yes like yeah.)
- Yeah, Iโd be happy to!
- Cool. (Yes, cool can really be used to say yes or to show agreement.)
- You got it.
- Okay.
- Count me in! I’d love to come.
- I’m in. Tell me what you need.
Professional:
- Yes, of course. I will get it to you this afternoon.
- Iโd be glad/happy to make the reservations for you.
- Absolutely. I will finish it this afternoon.
- Certainly.ย I will call him now.
- I’d love to help. Tell me what you need.
Polite Ways to Say No in English
Casual:
- No, but thank you.
- No thanks. It was delicious but Iโve already eaten too much.
- Not now but another time. Maybe we can go on Saturday?
- Iโd like to but I have to work late this evening.
- I wish I could but, unfortunately, I already have plans that night.
- Nope. I donโt have time. Maybe tomorrow.
- No way. (This is like saying, โNo. Thereโs no chance I would ever do that!โ)
- I’ll pass. Maybe another time.
Professional:
- Iโm sorry but we wonโt be able to make that compromise.
- I would love to/like to but our company has a holiday party that night.
- Iโm afraid that Iโm not available on Tuesday.
- No, Iโm sorry to say that we arenโt able to change the time of the meeting.
- I wish I could but Iโm unable to make that kind of compromise.
- We appreciate the offer, however, this is not a good time for us.
- Iโm afraid I canโt meet you today. How about tomorrow?
- I’m afraid not. I have a scheduling conflict.
Polite Ways to Say Maybe in English
- Perhaps I can make it. Let me check my calendar.
- Iโm not sure whether I can but Iโll check my calendar and let you know.
- Possibly. Let me review my schedule.
- Iโll think about it. I’m not sure whether I have enough time to commit.
- Let me see. I’ll review my calendar and get back to you.
- I might be able to. I’ll let you know by Friday.
- Can I get back to you? I need to check a few things to make sure I’m free.
Polite Ways to Say I Can’t in English
- I canโt make it, unfortunately. I would love to join you but I’ll be away that weekend.
- Iโd love to but I canโt commit at this moment. I have too much on my plate.
- I really canโt take on more right now. I’m sorry.
- I wish I could, but I canโt. We are already committed that weekend.
- I canโt this week but letโs check back next week/month. I’d love to find another time soon.
Now that you’ve completed the lesson, I’d love to hear from you!
What is one new word or expression you learned in today’s lesson? And how can you use it in your English life? Is it an expression you can use at work or with your English-speaking friends?
Tell me about it in the comments below.
~ Annemarie
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I really appreciate it. Lovely Annemarie itยดs a great pleasure to hear about you. Amazing lesson and video.
I’m so glad this was helpful to you, Carlos. Thanks for the comment.
dear Annemarie thank for your cl ass, In this lesson I learning talk no o yes in different occasions.
Wonderful. I’m glad my lessons are helpful. Thank you for watching.
Dear Annemarie, thank you for this informative, enlightening and useful lesson which is help particularly for people who are not English native speakers. I like the fact that the lesson is presented in both spoken and written form. Watching your presentations on U-tube has helped me with pronunciation of a lot of words that I was mispronouncing. The way you punctuate your sentences as you speak, using voice variations etc. has also helped me a lot as I did not like sending voice messages to people because I wasn’t sounding good or clear when I replay my voice messages. I… Read more ยป
Hi Maggie, thank you for this lovely comment! I’m thrilled to know my lessons have been so helpful to you and that you’ve started to love the way you sound. That is the best news to me. ๐
Dear Annemarie,the lesson you sent is really very detailed.So many options are here to use and become polite with others.My example sentence is,
Yesterday I was in bank,by chance I crossed my path with my school friend.She immediately asked me my whereabouts and invited me to come for dinner on Saturday with my family. I told her
Certainly I might have accepted your invitation my dear but I am already engaged with my daughterโs birthday party on the same day.
We will definitely arrange some day together and will have great fun.
Thank you so much for your lesson, Annemarie! I had some experience to share with you. One of my American friends invited me to go to her house, but I didn’t know how to answer because I had an upcoming examination to prepare. I felt very stressed and felt time so so limited. As a result my friend misunderstood me, I think.
Annemarie, your class was fantastic, she taught very clearly and with a lot of class. These are teachings not only for English but for any language. Kind words, always open doors to opportunity.
Thank you for your useful lesson. I’m very grateful to have your advice and tips which encourage me to use English confidently. I hope to see many similar lessons. Wish you have a great day.
Dear Annemarie,
As always, I am grateful that you always take time to share with us essential tips to reinforce our confลซdence in speaking English. Like in your lesaon today, it gives me new learnings especially in declining an invitatio but still leaving a postive impression on a professional level. I can definitely use them and I will really practice using these expressions so that they will become part of my wลพrd bank. You help me a lot and you are an inspiration to many of us. God bless you.
Thank you, Annemarie. I found this lesson very useful as I have had the experience using the yes or no. Your lessons are awesome!!!
Hi Annemarie thank you for all your lessons, you are an amazing person and teacher . For me that english is my second language is so easy to understand you because when you are speaking your voice sound so clear. Sorry if I made some mistakes, but Iโm still learning. Thank you again for everything you do.
Hi Jorge,
Thanks so much for the comment! I’m thrilled that you’re enjoying my lessons and I wish you much-continued success on your English journey!
You are amazing teacher ,thats was realy simple to understand i like the way that you speak ,and the lesson was very effective ๐๐๐๐
Hi, i am Amel
Firstly, i would like thank you it’s really helpful i appreciate. Now i should practice this new vocabulary (i ‘d be happy to help you/i absolutely agree/i’m sorry to say that but i’m not available tomorrow how about Saturday
I am so glad i have learned ways to say maybe and no to someone without offending them.thank you so much for the lesson.
Hi Sylvia. Thank you for your comment. We’re thrilled to know the lesson was helpful to you!
I learned a polite way to say “I can’t” from this lesson. That is “I’m not able to finish this project by this evening; but I should have finished it tomorrow morning”. Thank you so much.
The new word, I had learned today is: We โappreciate โthe offer, however, this is not a good time for us.
I can use it at work, also I can use it when I speak in English with my friends.
This weekend I had to go to my friend’s house for a party. But my sister invites me to come over to her house same time . So I say: I’m afraid I can’t meet you this weekend. How about next weekend?
Now I have learned many ways to say maybe I didnยดt know that word sound impolite, I have found very intereresting this video. Thank you so much.
I love watching and listening to you.What i learned to this topic is this.I was invited for a Saturday baby shower . I am unsure about my work schedule ,therefore i will politely respond to my cousin that i am unsure about my work schedule and i will definitely let her know once I get to know my work schedule.
Perfect! I’m so glad you’ve learned a polite way to respond. ๐
Hello Annemarie, let me said to you that I appreciate your help to improve my English, more than a new vocabulary it’s to learn the mood behind the language. Thats only we can learn with someone that wants to teach that toy you
I need to be more discipline to be more confident….
Thanks so much for the kind comment. I’m happy to know that my lessons are helpful to you. ๐
Hie Annie, today’s lesson was particularly important. Thank you thank you.
I learned to say no in a more polite way.
Thank you so much for the invitation, But we won’t be able to attend. We have a fixed date.
Hi Anniemarie,
Thank you so much for the lessons. They are all incredible and easy to understand. You are doing a great job for me as much as speaking English confidently and fluently is concerned. When it comes to today’s lesson,I guess the level of my assertiveness has increased. Thanks once again for for your tireless efforts in making sure that I become a fluent English speaker.
Hi Livious, thanks so much for the comment and I’m thrilled to know it was a helpful lesson for you. ๐
Hi Annemarie,
Thank you so much as always for your useful lessons. I’d love to use the phrase “I wish I could but unfortunately I’m not able to make that kind of compromise” to response to our business partner’s invitation to their event.
Hi Annemarie!!
Thankyou for this lesson, I really like it. I think that the phrase that I will use in the professional environment will be “I’m not able to โฆ” when my boss ask me if I can do an architecture drawing that take a lot of time in 5 minute literally. Thank you for help me to get the confidence that I need in English.
Awesome, Edward. I’m glad you’ve got some new language to use in those challenging situations.
Hi Anemarie
All your lesson are incredible, I like your way to put all the things more lovely, and positive sure.
I continuo with my learning using all your advices and then I know that my grammar has been improving and my listening too .
But only my fluently speaking it is not going on pretty well but I hope will be improve , beacuse I’m able to do happened it!
Best Regards
SECA
Hi Salma,
Thank you for this kind comment. I’m glad to hear my lessons are useful to you. I hope you’ll continue to use them and make progress in your English. ๐
Hi,Anemarie,
I’m Lajos Barรณti from Roumania but Hungarian as native(we are 1,5 million people Hungarian nationality with native language Hungarian, state language Roumanish) I speak German too,but wander the English languages as well.
I’m happy to know your website with your wonderfull vice, very clear expressing. Your lessons would be very useful for me with all of your advanced tword English fluency and confidenty.
Thank you a lot.Lajos Barรณti from Transylvania RO
Hi Lajos, we are so glad you found us! I love that you say you ‘wander’ the English language, what a lovely, poetic way to describe it! We hope you keep enjoying our videos and get a lot out of them.
Hello Annemarie,
Thank you for your lesson.
I believe that using the I am unable ….. helps me for example when I need to cancel a tennis match with my group. Simple but I like it.
I love that you introduce coloquial expressions, for example nope, yeah, cool because many times is dificultades to know if using them is inappropriate. Love your lessons! Susie S
Hi Susie,
I agree, using the phrase ‘I’m unable to…’ is perfectly simple and it says exactly what you need. I’m really glad to hear you enjoy my lessons and find them useful. Thank you. ๐
Thanks so much for your lessons and perfect pronunciation. I use the words yeah, nope, of course, and now I will use all these new ones!
Hi Marie, I’m so glad to know you’ve got some new words to use after this lesson. ๐
Hi Annemarie, thanks for the the polite expressions to say no, maybe, etc. I love the way you teach and your pronunciation is very clear.
Hi Mercedes,
Thanks so much for the comment and I’m thrilled to know you enjoy the lessons!! Thank you. ๐
Thank you so much for your great lesson that you have given me, it really was useful for me and i am eager to get more. Thank you so much.
Hi Ali, we are so glad to hear it was helpful. We have plenty more lessons on so many different topics, so I am sure you will find more that can help you. Have a great day!
Thanks so much it is really helpful for me. I always use the words yes, yeah or of course. Now I can use a new expression like I’d be happy to………
It helps us to increase our vocabulary.
Thanks for sharing. ๐
Hi Katherine,
Wonderful! I’m so happy to hear this lesson advanced your vocabulary and gave you more options. ๐
I usually say yeah or of course but I like this option (I’d be happy to) It will give more variety to my vocabulary. Thank you, Annemarie!
Awesome! I’m so glad you’ve found some new language to use. ๐
Hi Annemarie! I’ve joined to Speak Confident English a few weeks ago. And I extremely like your lessons. They are so useful for me. I really appreciate your work. Looking forward to the new lessons!
Hi Lara, welcome to our community! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my lessons. I wish you much success as you continue with your English.
Thanks for that lesson, it it usefull for me. Normaly I say, yes of course, but now I have more options.
Hi Inga,
Awesome! I’m so glad this lesson has given you more options in English!! ๐
Hi Annemarie,
you were rock, as always. that is extremely perfect, like previous lessons. I’m glad I’m familiar with you and your awesome website.
Thanks a million.
Hi Ali,
Thanks so much for the comments. I’m glad to know my lessons are helpful to you.
The lesson was so thoughtful!
keep on the good work!
Thanks for sharing!
Last night while I was cooking, I got a phone call who was my aunt and she was coming from my country just 2day ago.after long time I heard her voice I was glad, she was wondering to meet me,that’s why she want to invite my family next day. I told her sounds great, perhaps I don’t know weather I can,I need to check my calender n let you now,I ‘d be glad if I make it .I ask her if I don’t make it next day then wht about Saturday?she said no problem, then told her I appreciate to… Read more ยป
Thank you for shear that lesson, its it’s very important for me,I will try.
Hi, thanks a lot. Your lessons are definitely helpful
Munira. December 8/2018 I am really trilled to get your Support for your ideal lesson it is really useful. I atempted to write small paragraph as I learned from your lesson. Today when I was going move suddenly I saw my colleague it was big surprise I didn’t see her for a long time straight away she told me tomorrow morning I would like To invite you for breakfast, I told her sounds good , but late me check my schedule if I am free I will late you know.oohh I am sorry iam rescheduling until next week, I was… Read more ยป
Wonderful, Munira. I like the strategies you used to say ‘maybe’ in a more polite way. ๐
Thank you Annemarie. Those expressions are really useful. Really like them.
Cheers,
Gusde
Hi Annemarie
thank you so much for this good lesson I like it it’s very helpful for me
Hi Collins, you’re so welcome. I’m glad it was helpful.
I’m glad to hear lots of useful expressions from you ! Looking forward to learning more and applying them in real-life situations ๐
Wonderful, Jao. I hope you find more useful lessons here.
It’s an unique way of learning, very personal, motivating and simple. Your expressions as teacher in the video are so nice and comfortable that these give the feelings as if we are hearing in a live classroom and not in a video class.
Thanks for the comment. I’m glad it was helpful.