Why is "What should I call you?" such a difficult question to ask? Perhaps it's because you are asking the other person to provide their status or position in the world in relationship to yours. This position may involve age, job, education, religion and even marital status.
Note that:
for Mr we say "Mister"
for Mrs we say "Misses"
for Miss we say "Miss"
for Ms we say "Mizz"
EnglishClub.com Audio Tipfor Mr we say "Mister"
for Mrs we say "Misses"
for Miss we say "Miss"
for Ms we say "Mizz"
Show transcript
Since English is a language, rather than a culture, it is difficult to teach English learners exactly how to address people. There will always be some people and some professions that require more formality than others. Addressing people in writing has different rules and formalities than in speaking.
Asking the question
If you are unsure of what to call someone, it's best to use a formal address or simply ask one of these questions:
- What should I call you?
- What should I call your mum / the teacher / the manager?
- Can I call you [first name] ?
- Is it okay if I call you [the nickname you've heard others use] ?
- What's your name? (use in a casual situation like a party or classroom where first names are used)
Answering the question
You might not be the only person wondering about titles. Students, colleagues or acquaintances may not know what to call you. If they seem unsure about how to pronounce your name, or you want them to call you something more casual, help them out:
- Please, call me [first name]
- You can call me [nickname or short form]
- hoc tieng anh co nhan , hoc tieng anh , tu hoc tieng anh
0 nhận xét: