Point 2 ”Couldn’t be better.”　初級ビジネス英会話

初級者向けビジネス英会話 Bizmates for beginners 第2弾は、”Couldn’t be better” です。

例えば、同僚から
“How are you doing?” 「元気ですか？」
と言われた際に、多くの日本人は、

“I’m fine thank you. And you?”
と答えます。

これはまさに教科書にでてくるような表現であり、
ナチュラルな表現とはいえません。

ナチュラルな受け答えをするなら、

“Couldn’t be better. How about you?” 「絶好調です。あなたはどうですか？」

と言うようにしましょう。
ぜひ覚えておいてください！

Hello and welcome to this Bizmates for beginners
video series for Japanese businesspeople.

And today's phrase is couldn't be better.
Couldn't be better.

Hmmm... what does this mean?
OK, let's find out.

But first, we will do our test. OK.
So I will say, thank you for your help.

And you say, anytime.
That's right. OK.

So, let's look at couldn't be better.
What does this mean?

OK. Well let me show you what I hear.
Imagine, Taro is my colleague or co-worker.

We work for the same company OK.
And I say, oh Taro, or how are you doing, Taro?

OK. And he says,
I'm fine thank you. And you? Hmm...

Maybe you know this phrase.
I'm fine thank you. And you?

But this is very textbook English.
It's like a textbook OK. It's not very natural.

OK. So let's learn a natural way.
OK. So if I say, how are you doing, Taro?

Taro can say, couldn't be better.
How about you?

This is very natural.
So couldn't be better is the same as I'm fine.

Yeah, I'm fine. Couldn't be better.
I can't be better, yeah. OK.

And not, and you? But you could say,
how about you? It's more natural.

OK, let's look at pronunciation.
So it's not couldn't be, but it's couldn'

couldn' be better and pause.
Couldn' be better. Howabout. Howabout.

Howabout you? Couldn' be better.
Howabout you? You try.

One more time.
Couldn' be better. Howabout you?

OK. So let's try it with my question.
So how are you doing?

Oh yeah, pretty good, thanks!
Just like that.

OK. So for homework, I will ask you next time,
how are you doing? OK.

And you say, couldn't be better.
How about you? OK?

Just like that. OK, we'll see you.
Thank you.