If you’re not sure what a favor is, that means asking someone to help you or to do something nice for you, even though it might inconvenience them a little bit.
You can speak more confidently when you know the specific phrases that native English speakers would say in this situation. I always want to teach you real and practical phrases, ones that you’ll actually use. That’s why I created the Everyday English Speaking Courses, with lessons full of useful phrases for daily life, in many different situations!
English phrases to ask a favor
All right, let’s learn these phrases for asking someone for a favor. The first one you can use is “Could you do me a favor?” to start the conversation and show that you plan to ask for something.
Note that we say “do me a favor” and not “make or give me a favor” – the correct verb in this sentence is “do.”
Another possible question is “Could I ask you for a favor?”
The other person will probably say “Sure” if they’re willing to help, or “What do you need?” to ask for more information.
Next, you can make your request by saying “Could you please…?” or “Could you possibly…?” for example:
- Could you please help me move these boxes?
- Could you possibly give me a ride to the airport on Friday?
“Could you please” is a common polite phrase for making requests in English. The word “please” is optional – we could also say “Could you help me move these boxes?” but including it makes the request extra polite.
“Could you possibly” shows that you understand the request might be a little difficult or impossible, and there’s only a small chance of the person saying “yes.”
Another phrase that sounds a bit more formal is “Could I trouble you to… (do something?)” for example:
- Could I trouble you to look over my report before I turn it in?
- Could I trouble you to take these books back to the library for me?
We’d usually use this when asking something that requires a bit more time/effort from the other person.
Another polite phrase to ask for a favor is “Would you mind… (verb-ing)?” for example:
- Would you mind answering a few questions for my research?
- Would you mind watching my bag for a few minutes?
Finally, we have the phrases “I was wondering if you could…” and “I was hoping you could…” for example:
- I was wondering if you could pick up some groceries for me.
- I was hoping you could lend me your lawn mower this afternoon.
English Phrases for granting a favor
If someone is willing to do you the favor, they can say one of these:
- Sure!
- No problem.
- Absolutely!
- I’d be happy to!
- Yeah, definitely.
How to thank someone for a favor
It’s nice to express your appreciation when someone does you a favor! So you can say:
- Thanks so much!
- I really appreciate it.
- It’s a big help.
- I owe you one.
(this means you hope/plan to do the person a favor in return) - You’re a life saver!
(say this when they give BIG, MAJOR help)
Related: Ways to say “thank you” / Ways to respond to “thank you”
English Phrases for refusing a favor
If you ask but the other person has to say “no,” they might use one of these phrases:
- Sorry, I can’t.
- I’m afraid I can’t. (a little more formal)
- Sorry, I’m not able to help with that.
- I wish I could help, but… (give a reason they can’t do it)
- Unfortunately, (give a reason they can’t do it)
For example:
- Could you possibly give me a ride to the airport on Friday?
I wish I could help, but I’ll be working all day. - I was hoping you could lend me your lawn mower this afternoon.
Unfortunately, my lawn mower is broken. Sorry!
What should you say in response if the other person refuses the favor? Here are some options:
- That’s OK. / That’s all right.
- No worries.
- I understand. I’ll ask someone else.
There you go! Now you have lots of phrases for asking a favor, saying yes/no to favors, thanking someone for a favor, and saying it’s OK if they can’t help.
Let me know what other situations you’d like to learn phrases for in English – what are some times that you find yourself not sure what to say? Tell me so that I can make future lessons about them.
I’ll teach you hundreds of phrases for lots and lots of situations inside my Everyday English Speaking Courses – phrases for traveling, shopping, socializing, interacting with people in many different ways. The lessons in those courses are very practical and they will improve your confidence to speak English. I hope to see you inside!
