99
votes
Why do native speakers say 'Come on in' rather than 'Come in'?
"Come in" is permission, offered to someone who has asked for it (by knocking, for example). Unsolicited, it sounds imperative, or presumptuous; though of course this can be moderated by tone of voice ...
- 2,096
47
votes
Does “you can go now” sound rude? Context provided in question
"You can/may go now" is what a high-status person would say to a low-status one, implying "You came here at my command, and you now have my permission to leave". The professor (a ...
- 61.4k
41
votes
Why do native speakers say 'Come on in' rather than 'Come in'?
"Come on in" has the same meaning as "come in" but is a more folksy way of extending the invitation. It suggests a kind of rural, down-home hospitality that is redolent of (American) TV shows of the '...
- 14.4k
38
votes
Accepted
"Your saying so don't make it so" meaning and grammar
I would analyze it this way:
Your saying so: Your action of saying that this thing is true
don't: doesn't. Using don't where standard English would use doesn't, like "It don't", is a ...
- 41.1k
37
votes
How do I invite a friend "on my expense"?
I'd personally go with this example:
Come over to my place, dude. I'll treat you to a delicious pizza.
to treat means to give someone something, typically food, either because they've done ...
- 37.7k
28
votes
Accepted
I have never been here or I have never been there, which is more natural?
Native speakers would typically say "I have never been here before" in this context.
You are talking about the place where you are currently, so here is correct. But the sentence "I have never been ...
- 1,223
27
votes
How do I invite a friend "on my expense"?
I will eat you a pizza doesn't make sense.
I will make you eat a pizza means I will force you to eat a pizza. This does not suggest that it is a treat. Maybe you were thinking of I will make you a ...
- 45.4k
27
votes
Does “you can go now” sound rude? Context provided in question
Yes, it sounds rude. It indicates that you are giving him permission to leave, as if he was your servant who was required to come when summoned and then dismissed when you no longer wanted him around.
...
- 68.8k
21
votes
How do I invite a friend "on my expense"?
I believe the phrase "my treat" covers this, as in:
Come over to my place for pizza, my treat.
"my treat" was referenced in another stack exchange question here:
- 515
18
votes
Why do native speakers say 'Come on in' rather than 'Come in'?
It is never easy to answer why a particular colloquial phrase is used. It just is. In this case I speculate that "come in" on its own might be thought to be slightly less encouraging than "come on in"....
- 5,666
15
votes
Accepted
"you know" in conversational language
It's a bit more complicated:
..., you know,... inserted somewhat randomly is one of those typical "fillers" with little to no semantic content. In almost all cases the speaker could simply leave it ...
- 14.3k
11
votes
Is it alright to say good afternoon Sirs and Madams in a panel interview?
At an interview, you should not be too effusive with your greeting, or too verbose (unless invited by a leading question intended to draw you out). The interview panel makes the moves, so I suggest ...
- 16.7k
9
votes
I have never been here or I have never been there, which is more natural?
What you said is correct and natural.
You use "here" when the place is near your current position, while "there" is used when the place is far from you.
So, in the situation that you were already ...
- 1,291
8
votes
Why do native speakers say 'Come on in' rather than 'Come in'?
"Come on" is a phrase of its own used to encourage/invite. (And express exasperation, but that's not a relevant usage to this conversation).
"Come in" is very similar phrase but it used exclusively ...
- 488
8
votes
Does “you can go now” sound rude? Context provided in question
can is a word with several meanings. In the set phrase "you can go now", can means that you are giving somebody permission to go. This definitely sounds rude if you are not in a position of ...
- 61.4k
8
votes
Accepted
Does “you can go now” sound rude? Context provided in question
Independent IT consultant here, which means, I know the customer support hustle.
I don't think what you said is inherently rude, but neither do I think it would be a stretch for some to construe it ...
- 246
7
votes
Why do native speakers say 'Come on in' rather than 'Come in'?
"Come on in" is like a welcoming and 'colorful' way of saying "come in". It implies a continuation of what you were doing before. So when someone says "come on" you might say they are in essence ...
- 71
6
votes
"you know" in conversational language
"You know" frequently joins "ummm", "aaah", "I mean", "the thing is", "like" and numerous other expressions as a vocal pause for thought (to which some speakers seem addicted).
It is properly used ...
- 26k
5
votes
Is it alright to say good afternoon Sirs and Madams in a panel interview?
When politely greeting one person, we can say "good morning/afternoon/evening", and possibly add "sir" for a man, or "madam" for a woman, although these are now very old-fashioned in Western countries,...
- 75.7k
5
votes
Accepted
What does " under what name" mean in this context?
Since you gave the telephone number of the hostel (a hotel-type of accomodation, with multiple guests), she needed to know the name of the guest the taxi driver should ask for.
"Under what name" is ...
- 268
4
votes
What to say when somebody says "silly me"
If a friend, then I usually say something like "Yeah, silly you" or, depending on the context, "Yeah, you're an idiot", although teasingly, not seriously.
If it's your boss (or someone who you don't ...
- 88.5k
4
votes
Does this conversation sound natural?
No, it does not sound natural.
For one reason, you're referring (incorrectly) to an action that occurred "last night" with the present perfect. You need to say, "Oh, did you?" if you're responding ...
- 137k
4
votes
Why do native speakers say 'Come on in' rather than 'Come in'?
Having been raised in a place where this is more common that the simple 'come in' I think you have to first consider the idiomatic phrase 'come on' first and think of it as an extension or ...
- 1,428
4
votes
Why do native speakers say 'Come on in' rather than 'Come in'?
Come on is an imperative form suggesting an invitation or exhortation. (Cf. for instance how it appears in the lyrics to Little Eva’s “Loco-Motion”.)
From the Oxford English Dictionary, to come on, ...
- 159
4
votes
Do native speakers say 'get on' instead of 'continue'?
I don’t think “let’s continue” is grammatically wrong; it just sounds overly formal in everyday conversations.
I would recommend one of these alternatives:
So, where were we?
To continue what I ...
J.R.♦
- 110k
4
votes
What does “you took long mate” means?
It is colloquial and abbreviated, as text-speak often is.
I take it to mean "you took a long time", perhaps in replying to the original text message?
"Mate" just means "friend" and is common in UK ...
- 111k
4
votes
I'm fluent in English, but I can't understand names of people and places
Aside from common names that you mention, native English speakers can be equally unfamiliar with names of people and places. If I hear a name I have never heard before I may double-check the ...
- 111k
4
votes
Accepted
Is it okay to say “I will be right back with you” to a waiting customer?
I don't think they are equivalent. We say "I will be right back with you" to a customer who is being attended to (or helped) at that very moment by us.
For example, a cashier would say "I will be ...
- 10.1k
4
votes
Accepted
American equivalent of "no worries"?
It is a mistake to say that people in the USA don't say "no worries", but it is typically thought of as an Australian English idiom. I'm a native British English speaker, and the same ...
- 111k
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