Yardım isteme ve teklif etme; kibarlık derecelerine göre rica kalıpları (Can you…?, Could you…?, Would you…?, Would you mind + V-ing?, Do you mind if I…?, I was wondering if you could…); ricaları kabul etme ve kibarca reddetme; yardım teklif etme (Shall I…?, Let me…, Would you like me to…?, I’ll…); gönüllülük, sosyal sorumluluk projeleri ve yardımlaşma kültürü (imece, askıda ekmek); teşekkür etme ve karşılık verme; bir gönüllülük projesine katılım e-postası yazma.
Asking for favors
Reading – A small favor, a big difference:
“Last winter, our class started a project called ‘Kindness Week’. Every day, we did a small favor for someone: we helped an elderly neighbour carry her shopping, lent our notes to a classmate who was ill, and volunteered at an animal shelter. We also learned about Turkish traditions of solidarity like imece, when villagers work together on one family’s field, and ‘askıda ekmek’, when people pay for bread for those in need. We realised that helping others makes us happier too.”
Requests (less → more formal):
- Can you help me with this box?
- Could you explain this question again, please?
- Would you mind lending me your charger? (+ V-ing)
- Do you mind if I borrow your pen? (izin isteme)
- I was wondering if you could help me with my project. (çok kibar)
| Request (formality ↑) | Response: yes | Response: no |
|---|---|---|
| Can you help me? | Sure. / No problem. | Sorry, I can’t. |
| Could you lend me your notes? | Of course. | I’m afraid I need them. |
| Would you mind opening the window? | Not at all. (= OK) | Sorry, I’m cold. |
| Do you mind if I sit here? | No, go ahead. | Actually, it’s taken. |
Responding and offering help
Accepting: Sure! · Of course. · No problem. · I’d be glad to. · With pleasure.
Refusing politely: I’m sorry, but I can’t right now. · I’m afraid I’m busy. · I’d love to, but…
⚠️ “Would you mind closing the door?” sorusuna evet demek için “Not at all” / “No, of course not” denir (rahatsız olmam = kapatırım).
Offering help:
- Shall I carry that for you?
- Let me help you.
- Would you like me to call a taxi?
- I’ll do the shopping for you.
- Do you need a hand with that?
Thanking and replying: Thank you so much! / Thanks a lot. / I really appreciate it. → You’re welcome. / Don’t mention it. / My pleasure. / Anytime!
Volunteering and writing an email
Volunteering vocabulary: volunteer, charity, donate, fundraising, social responsibility, community service, shelter, the elderly, people in need, make a difference, give a hand, raise awareness
Ideas for volunteering: reading books to children, cleaning a beach or park, planting trees with TEMA, helping at an animal shelter, collecting clothes for disaster victims, visiting a nursing home
Writing – An email to join a volunteer project:
“Dear Ms. Kaya,
I am writing to express my interest in the beach clean-up project next Saturday. I would be glad to help with collecting rubbish and sorting it for recycling. Could you please tell me what time we should meet and what we need to bring? I was wondering if my two friends could join us as well.
I really appreciate your work for our community.
Best regards,
Deniz”
Kavramlar
- do someone a favor
- birine iyilik yapmak
- volunteer
- gönüllü olmak
- donate
- bağışlamak
- lend
- ödünç vermek
- appreciate
- takdir etmek, minnettar olmak
- Can / Could / Would you…? (rica)
- Would you mind + V-ing? — Not at all (= kabul)
- Do you mind if I…? (izin); I was wondering if you could… (çok kibar)
- Offers: Shall I…? Let me… Would you like me to…? I’ll…
- Thanking: I really appreciate it. — You’re welcome / My pleasure
- Volunteering: imece, askıda ekmek, charity, donate
Örnek soru ve çözümü
Tabloya göre en kibar rica cümlesini kurunuz ve “Would you mind…?” sorusuna olumlu cevap veriniz: Arkadaşınızdan sınav notlarını ödünç istiyorsunuz.
| Request (formality ↑) | Response: yes | Response: no |
|---|---|---|
| Can you help me? | Sure. / No problem. | Sorry, I can’t. |
| Could you lend me your notes? | Of course. | I’m afraid I need them. |
| Would you mind opening the window? | Not at all. (= OK) | Sorry, I’m cold. |
| Do you mind if I sit here? | No, go ahead. | Actually, it’s taken. |
Kibar rica: “Would you mind lending me your notes?” ya da “I was wondering if you could lend me your notes.” Olumlu cevap: “Not at all. Here you are.” (“Not at all” = hiç sorun değil).
Çözümlü örnekler
1. Offer help: You see an old man with heavy bags. Kolay
ÇözümShall I carry your bags for you? / Let me help you.
2. Complete: “Would you mind _ (turn) down the music?” Orta
Çözümturning.
3. Make this request more polite: “Help me with my homework.” Zor
ÇözümI was wondering if you could help me with my homework. / Could you help me with my homework, please?
Sık yapılan hatalar
- “Would you mind” sorusuna evet demek için “Yes” demek (rahatsız olurum anlamına gelir).
- “Would you mind to open” demek (opening ✓).
- “Borrow” ile “lend” karıştırmak (borrow: ödünç almak, lend: ödünç vermek).
Biliyor muydun?
Turkish “askıda ekmek” (suspended bread) tradition has inspired similar “suspended coffee” movements in many cities around the world!