Oh, Hell No!
Introduction
Sometimes, "no" just is not enough. You want to say no, but you want people to know that you MEAN IT. A strong "no". A hard "no". You probably already know some options:
- absolutely not
- heavens no
- of course not
Will these work? Absolutely. Are they stronger than a regular "no". Clearly. But do they show strong emotion?...
...Hell No!
In English, one of the best and easiest ways to add some extra power and feeling to a simple "no" is by putting "hell" in front of it:
👨 : Would you like to go on a date?
👩 : Hell no!
See, it's that easy! Let's look at another example:
👨 : There a new scary movie about racism, sharks, and cowboys. Do you want to see it?
👩 : What?! Hell no! That movie sounds stupid.
No Question Necessary
The beautiful thing about "hell no" is that it does not have to be in response to a question. Sometimes you can simply see or experience something that you do not like, and you can exclaim "hell no" to express your displeasure, anger, frustration, fear, or other negative feeling.
You check you bank account, and there is only $1 there...
Your husband or wife ate the last of the ice cream, but they didn't tell you...
Your boss tells you that you have to work overtime... ON SATURDAY...
Watch the video clip below to hear some examples of how "hell no", "oh, hell no", and "hell naw" are used in dramatic settings:
Be Careful
Let's be honest. Using "hell no" is fun. It's edgy. However, you can't just use it anywhere. This is considered strong language by some people, and downright vulgar by others. There are certain places that you should avoid using "hell no". Below are just a few places you should be mindful of your "hell no" use:
- around children (schools, day cares, etc.)
- around your mother (usually, dads don't mind)
- around your boss
- churches, temples, mosques, etc.
Conclusion
If you don't want to sound like a tourist or a student, or if you want to take your English to the next level, then you have to move past basic vocabulary and grammar. You must incorporate phrasal verbs, idioms, and a little bit of slang to liven up your language. By adding a little "hell no" into the mix, you will do just that.
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10 Ocak 2020