English Phrases for Agreeing and Disagreeing Politely
Sharing opinions is easy when you agree. The real skill is disagreeing without sounding rude. These phrases help you do both, at work and with friends.
35 phrases · By LearnLingo Team · Updated
Tap to hear a phrase. Levels follow the CEFR scale. American English is the default; British variants are noted.
Giving your opinion
| English | Turkish | You might hear |
|---|---|---|
I think it's a good idea. A1 | Bence iyi bir fikir. |
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In my opinion, the first one is better. A2Say "in my opinion," not "according to me." | Bana göre ilki daha iyi. |
|
If you ask me, it's too expensive. B1Informal and a bit direct. | Bana sorarsan çok pahalı. |
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As far as I'm concerned, it's fine. B2 | Bana kalırsa sorun yok. |
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I feel that we need more time. B1"I feel that" sounds softer than "I think" in meetings. | Bence daha fazla zamana ihtiyacımız var. |
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What do you think? A1 | Sen ne düşünüyorsun? |
|
Agreeing
| English | Turkish | You might hear |
|---|---|---|
I agree. A1Not "I am agree." "Agree" is a verb. | Katılıyorum. |
|
I agree with you. A1 | Sana katılıyorum. |
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Me too. A1For negative sentences use "Me neither": "I don't like it." "Me neither." | Ben de. |
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Exactly. A2 | Aynen. |
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That's true. A2 | Doğru. |
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That's a good point. A2 | İyi bir noktaya değindin. |
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You're absolutely right. A2Not "You have right." In English you "are" right. | Kesinlikle haklısın. |
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I couldn't agree more. B1It means "I agree completely," even though it sounds negative. | Sonuna kadar katılıyorum. |
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Tell me about it! B1Informal. Strong agreement about something annoying. | Bana mı anlatıyorsun! |
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That's exactly what I was thinking. B1 | Ben de tam olarak bunu düşünüyordum. |
|
Partly agreeing
| English | Turkish | You might hear |
|---|---|---|
I see what you mean, but... B1The most useful way to disagree politely: show you listened first. | Ne demek istediğini anlıyorum ama... |
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That's true, but on the other hand... B1 | Doğru, ama öte yandan... |
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I agree up to a point. B2 | Bir yere kadar katılıyorum. |
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You may be right, but I'm not convinced. B2 | Haklı olabilirsin ama ikna olmadım. |
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Yes and no. A2 | Hem evet hem hayır. |
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It depends. A2 | Duruma bağlı. |
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Disagreeing politely
| English | Turkish | You might hear |
|---|---|---|
I'm not sure about that. A2A soft way to say "I disagree." | Bundan pek emin değilim. |
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I don't think so. A1 | Sanmıyorum. |
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I'm afraid I disagree. B1Polite and clear, good for meetings. | Maalesef katılmıyorum. |
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I see it a bit differently. B1 | Ben biraz farklı görüyorum. |
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I'm not so sure that's the best option. B1 | Bunun en iyi seçenek olduğundan pek emin değilim. |
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With respect, I have to disagree. B2Formal. Use with a manager or in a debate. | Saygımla belirteyim, katılmıyorum. |
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Have you thought about...? B1A gentle way to disagree by offering another idea. | Şunu hiç düşündün mü...? |
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Strong disagreement and finding a middle ground
| English | Turkish | You might hear |
|---|---|---|
I totally disagree. A2Strong. Fine with friends, risky at work. | Hiç katılmıyorum. |
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No way! A2Very informal. It can also show surprise. | Olmaz öyle şey! |
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Let's agree to disagree. B2 | Farklı düşündüğümüzü kabul edelim. |
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Can we meet in the middle? B1Means find a compromise. | Ortada buluşabilir miyiz? |
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Fair enough. B1Accepts the other person's point, even if you don't fully agree. | Makul. |
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Let's look at it another way. B1 | Buna başka açıdan bakalım. |
|
Sample dialogues
Choosing a restaurant
- Deniz
- Let's try the new burger place tonight. What do you think?
- Bu akşam yeni burgerciyi deneyelim. Ne dersin?
- Tom
- Hmm, I'm not sure about that. It's always so crowded.
- Hmm, bundan pek emin değilim. Hep çok kalabalık oluyor.
- Deniz
- That's true, but the food is amazing.
- Doğru, ama yemekleri harika.
- Tom
- I see what you mean, but I don't want to wait an hour.
- Ne demek istediğini anlıyorum ama bir saat beklemek istemiyorum.
- Deniz
- Fair enough. Can we meet in the middle? We could go early.
- Makul. Ortada buluşalım mı? Erken gidebiliriz.
- Tom
- Good point. If we go at six, it should be quiet.
- İyi fikir. Altıda gidersek sakin olur.
- Deniz
- Exactly. Six it is.
- Aynen. Altıda o zaman.
A team meeting
- Manager
- I think we should launch the app next month.
- Bence uygulamayı gelecek ay çıkarmalıyız.
- Selin
- I agree up to a point, but I feel that we need more testing.
- Bir yere kadar katılıyorum ama bence daha fazla teste ihtiyacımız var.
- Manager
- Why do you say that?
- Neden öyle diyorsun?
- Selin
- We still have some bugs on older phones.
- Eski telefonlarda hâlâ bazı hatalar var.
- James
- That's a good point. I couldn't agree more.
- İyi bir noktaya değindin. Sonuna kadar katılıyorum.
- Manager
- OK. Have you thought about a small beta first?
- Tamam. Önce küçük bir beta yapmayı düşündünüz mü?
- Selin
- That's exactly what I was thinking.
- Ben de tam olarak bunu düşünüyordum.
- Manager
- Great, so we're all on the same page.
- Harika, o zaman hepimiz aynı fikirdeyiz.
Common mistakes Turkish speakers make
I am agree with you.
I agree with you.
"Agree" is a verb, so don't add "am." Turkish "katılıyorum" is one verb too.
According to me, it is wrong.
In my opinion, it's wrong. / I think it's wrong.
"According to" is used for other sources, not for yourself.
You have right.
You're right.
Turkish says "haklısın," and some languages use "have." English uses "be right."
I don't like it. Me too.
I don't like it. Me neither.
After a negative sentence, agree with "Me neither" or "Neither do I."
No, you are wrong.
I see what you mean, but I see it differently.
Direct disagreement can sound rude in English. Soften it first, especially at work.
Quick quiz
Eight questions to check what you remember. Pick an answer to see if it is right.
1. Which sentence is correct?
2. "I couldn't agree more" means:
3. Your friend says "I don't like rainy days." You feel the same. You say:
4. Which is the most polite way to disagree with your boss?
5. "Let's agree to disagree" means:
6. Choose the correct phrase:
7. "Can we meet in the middle?" is asking for:
8. Which reply shows partial agreement?
0 of 8 answered
Show all answers
- I agree.
- I agree completely.
- Me neither.
- I'm afraid I see it a bit differently.
- We accept that we have different opinions.
- In my opinion
- A compromise
- I agree up to a point.
See what the B1 English course covers, or test your level first.
People also ask
How do I disagree politely in English?+
Show you listened, then give your view: "I see what you mean, but..." Softeners like "I'm not sure," "a bit" and "I'm afraid" make disagreement sound respectful.
Is "I am agree" ever correct?+
No. "Agree" is a verb, so say "I agree." You can say "I am in agreement," but that is very formal and rarely used in conversation.
What is the difference between "Me too" and "Me neither"?+
Use "Me too" to agree with a positive sentence, like "I love pizza." Use "Me neither" to agree with a negative one, like "I don't eat meat."
Are Turkish speakers too direct when disagreeing in English?+
Sometimes a direct translation sounds stronger in English than intended. Adding a short softener, such as "I think" or "maybe," usually fixes this and keeps the conversation friendly.
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