Lesson 2: “Please” is not Enough.
Goal: Learn how to make polite requests at work.
Key Idea.
English Idea: Brazilians are very polite, but when we translate from Portuguese, we often say “I want…” or “Can you…?” In English, this can sound a bit too direct (almost like an order).
To be professional, we use “softeners” like “Could you…” or “Would you mind…”
Log in and Enable voice mode.
Step 1: Sign in.
- Open the app
- Log in with the account you created (email, Google, Apple, or Microsoft)
Step 2: Enable voice mode.
- Open a chat in the app
- Tap the headphones or microphone icon (usually near the text box)
- Allow microphone access when asked
- Choose a voice (you can change this later)
Step 3: Start talking.
- Speak naturally, like: “Explain this homework problem.”
“Help me write a short introduction.” - ChatGPT will listen and reply out loud
Helpful tips.
- Use headphones for better sound
- Speak clearly and at a normal pace
- You can stop or interrupt by tapping the screen
- You can switch back to typing anytime
If it doesn’t work.
⚠️
You can upgrade later, but it’s optional.
Check that your phone’s microphone permissions are on
Make sure the app is updated
Try closing and reopening the app
Now you have ChatGPT open, let’s start here.
Copy and paste this prompt into ChatGPT to start.
“I want to practice being polite at work. In Brazil, we are very friendly, but sometimes my English sounds too direct.
- Look at this sentence: ‘I want the Excel file now.’
- Show me 3 ways to say this more politely using ‘Could you’, ‘Would you mind’, and ‘I was wondering’.
- Explain simply why these are better for a professional office environment.”
Practice Prompts.
- The “Fixer” Prompt: “I wrote this to my boss: ‘Give me feedback on my project.’ It sounds too strong. Can you rewrite it to be polite but clear?”
- Roleplay: “Let’s practice. You are a busy manager. I need to ask you for a 10-minute meeting to discuss my vacation. I will start the conversation.”
- Vocabulary: “What is the difference between ‘I want’ and ‘I would like’?
Give me 2 examples of when to use each one at work.”
Real-World Task.
Task: Ask a colleague for help with a technical problem.
Focus: Use “Could you please help me…” instead of “Help me…”
What to do: Think of a real problem you have at work (e.g., the printer is broken, or you don’t have the password for a folder).
Write a 1-sentence request in English. Which prompt to use: “I want to send this message on WhatsApp to a colleague: ‘[ Your sentence ]’. Can you make it sound more professional and polite? Also, tell me if I used any ‘false friends’ from Portuguese.”
A reflection prompt to ask ChatGPT.
“ChatGPT, based on our chat today, give me a ‘Politeness Tip’. What is one word or phrase I should stop using too much, and what should I use instead to sound more professional?”