Speaking: Functional Language A2 - Lesson 4
Function: Making Simple Offers & Requests
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to perform the functions of politely offering help and making simple requests.
Conversation Scenarios: Helping Each Other
Offering and asking for help are key social functions. Using polite language makes these interactions friendly and positive.
Scenario 1: Offering Help
(You see a friend carrying many heavy books.)
You: Wow, those books look heavy. Would you like some help?1
Friend: Oh, yes please! That's very kind of you.3
You: No problem. Let me take some for you.
Scenario 2: Requesting Help
(You are having dinner with your family.)
You: Could you pass me the water, please?2
Family Member: Sure. Here you are.
You: Thank you.
Your Functional Toolkit
Function: Making an Offer
- Would you like...? (Question) | តើអ្នកចង់បាន...ទេ? | A very polite way to offer something (e.g., "Would you like a drink?"). ↩
- Do you want...? (Question) | A more informal way to offer something.
- Can I help you? (Question) | តើខ្ញុំអាចជួយអ្វីបានទេ? | The standard way to offer help.
Function: Making a Request
- Could you..., please? (Question) | តើអ្នកអាច...បានទេ? | A very polite way to ask someone to do something for you (e.g., "Could you open the door, please?"). ↩
- Can you..., please? (Question) | A slightly more informal way to ask someone to do something.
Function: Accepting & Refusing
- Yes, please. That's very kind of you. (Phrase) | បាទ/ចាស អរគុណ, អ្នកពិតជាចិត្តល្អមែន | A warm and polite way to accept an offer of help. ↩
- No, thank you. I'm okay. (Phrase) | អត់ទេ អរគុណ, ខ្ញុំមិនអីទេ | A polite way to refuse an offer.
- Sure. / Of course. (Adverb) | A simple way to agree to a request.
Polite Intonation
Offers and requests are usually questions, so they need a polite, rising intonation to sound friendly.
- "Would you like some help? ↗" - Your voice should rise at the end. It sounds like a genuine offer.
- "Could you pass me the water, please? ↗" - A rising intonation makes this a soft request, not a demand.
Grammar: "Can I...?" vs. "Can you...?"
This is a small but very important difference.
"Can I...?" = I do the action.
You are asking for permission for yourself.
- Can I help you? (I want to help you).
- Can I have the bill? (I want to receive the bill).
"Can you...?" = You do the action.
You are asking the other person to do something for you.
- Can you help me? (You help me).
- Can you pass the salt? (You pass the salt to me).
Practice Offers & Requests
Activity 1: Offer or Request?
Read the sentence. Is the speaker making an offer or a request?
- "Would you like a coffee?" -> (Offer)
- "Can you open the window, please?" -> (Request)
- "Let me help you with your bag." -> (Offer)
- "Could you speak more slowly, please?" -> (Request)
Activity 2: Role-Play a Situation
Work with a partner. Read the situation and have a short conversation.
Situation: Student A is trying to reach a book on a high shelf but is too short. Student B sees this.
(Student B should make an offer of help. Student A should accept politely.)
Your Functional Mission
This week in Siem Reap, your mission is to perform one offer and one request.
- Offer: Find a situation where you can offer help to someone. Use a phrase like, "Can I help you?" or "Would you like some help?"
- Request: Politely ask someone to do something small for you. Use a phrase like, "Could you pass me the..., please?"