Do you hear people say “would you mind” in conversation?
Do you know how to respond when someone asks for you for a favor using “you would mind”?
This can be a confusing question in English, mostly because you want to answer it in the right way.
We’re going to show you what to say to this and how to make it work in conversation.
Here’s a question from a listener:
Hello Lindsay and Michelle,
There is one question that has been troubling me for a long while. I always have a hard time answering “would you mind..?” For example, if my academic advisor asks me, “Would you mind if we reschedule our appointment to Thursday?”
If I want to let her know I’m okay with it, should I reply “yes of course” or “no, not at all”? Just to clarify, yes is like “ Yes I can see you on Thursday” and no is “no, I don’t mind”. I hope I would get a professional explanation from you gals.
Thank you very much.
Kayla
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A Simple Request Asks For The Right Answer
You might hear this question asked if somebody requests something from you.
They may be asking you for a change of plans or a bit of flexibility of some sort.
There are a few ways to answer it that can portray what you want to say accurately.
- Sure, no problem! : This one is very casual and comes off as easy going. You are happy to accommodate their request and so you answer it in the perfect way with this. You would tend to use this if it truly isn’t a problem for you though.
- A: “Can you switch times with me for the meeting?”
- B: “Sure no problem, that works for me!”
- Yes of course: You’re letting the other person know that you are happy to accommodate them. They are probably very familiar to you and therefore you respond in a way that you want to make them happy.
- A: “Would you mind watching my dog tomorrow night?:
- B: “Yes of course, I love that sweet dog!”
- Of course not: You don’t mind what they are asking you at all. You are letting them know that it’s really no bother at all.
- A: “Would you mind if we switch our plans to Friday instead?”
- B: “Of course not, that’s totally fine.”
- That sounds good: Their request may actually work better for you, and this is a good way to let them know that. What they are proposing sounds good, and you can make it work.
- A: “Would you mind if I rode with you to the party?
- B: “That sounds good, I would love to have you!”
- That works for me: They might think that their request causes you an inconvenience, but it doesn’t. It works well for you and therefore you want to reassure them.
- A: “I know I didn’t mention it, but would you mind if we all carpooled together?:
- B: “That works for me!”
- No that’s fine: This may not be as direct or convincing, but it lets the other person know that you can make it work. This may require some extra work on your part, but you can make it happen.
- A: “Would you mind switching shifts with me? Sorry to ask, but I have a conflict.:
- B: “No that’s fine, I can make it work.”
All of these phrases work in answering the question of “would you mind” in an appropriate way.
Takeaway
Try to remember that the ultimate question here is “would you mind”?
If you answer “yes” to this question, then you may need to clarify this with a follow up statement to show something positive.
You want to leave the other person feeling good if you are able to accommodate the request.
This is a great way to make connections and show some flexibility if you have it.
If you have any questions, leave them below in the comments section.
We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
