"do someone a favor" 是英语中非常常用的短语,核心含义是“帮某人一个忙”,用于请求或描述为他人提供(通常是具体、力所能及的)帮助的行为。
直接对应中文的“帮某人忙”,强调具体的、针对性的协助(区别于更泛化的“help”,后者可指任何形式的帮助)。
短语的核心结构是:do + 宾格代词/具体某人 + a favor(或变体 do a favor for + 某人)。
通常用礼貌问句开头(如Could/Would/Can you...),表达向对方求助的意愿。
基础款:Could you do me a favor?(你能帮我个忙吗?)
具体说明请求:Could you do me a favor and pass the salt?(能帮我递下盐吗?)
更礼貌/正式:Would you mind doing me a small favor?(介意帮我个小忙吗?)
强调“大忙”:Can you do me a huge/great favor? I need to borrow your laptop for the meeting.(能帮我个大忙吗?我开会需要借你的 laptop。)
直接陈述为他人提供帮助的事实。
I did my neighbor a favor by watering her plants while she was away.(我帮邻居浇了花,她不在的时候。)
He’s always willing to do his friends a favor.(他总是愿意帮朋友的忙。)
ask someone for a favor:请求某人帮忙(= 向某人求助)
e.g. I hate to ask you for a favor, but can you pick up my package?(我不想麻烦你,但能帮我取个快递吗?)
owe someone a favor:欠某人一个人情(因对方之前帮过自己)
e.g. She owes me a favor after I helped her with her essay.(我帮她写过论文,她欠我个人情。)
return a favor:还人情(报答对方的帮忙)
e.g. I’ll return your favor by helping you move next week.(下周我帮你搬家,还你这个人情。)
宾格代词的使用:“someone”需用宾格(me, you, him, her, us, them等),不能用主格(I, he, she等)。
❌ 错误:Could you do I a favor?
✅ 正确:Could you do me a favor?
口语化 vs 正式:
日常对话中常用“Can/Could you do me a favor?”;
更正式的场合可用“Would you be so kind as to do me a favor?”(你能好心帮我个忙吗?);
否定形式:表示“无法帮忙”时,直接用否定句:
e.g. I’m sorry, I can’t do you that favor—I’m busy tonight.(抱歉,我帮不了你——我今晚有事。)
1、 请求帮忙:Do me a favor—turn down the music, please?(帮我个忙——把音乐关小点,好吗?)
2、 描述帮忙:She did me a big favor by letting me stay at her place.(她让我住她家,帮了我大忙。)
3、 欠人情:I owe you a favor for helping me with the interview.(你帮我准备面试,我欠你个人情。)
简言之,“do someone a favor”是日常交流中请求/描述具体帮助的高频表达,掌握其结构和衍生用法,能让你的英语更自然地道~