other way to say "I am not willing to do that"

**Conoscenza SIlente** · 13-Jan-2011, 15:51

Hi all
When someone proposes you something that you reject straight away, are there other ways preferably shorter to say "I am not will willing to do that"?
I know "I am not into that" but looks to me too informal to be used only with strict friends.
Do you know other ways to say that?
Thanks a lot
Kind Regards

**BobK** · 13-Jan-2011, 16:22

One that I like, but is probably rather old-fashioned, is 'Wild horses couldn't drag me/make me...'. If the propsed action involves handling, 'I wouldn't touch it with a barge-pole'. If the other person proposes that s/he will do something you don't want, s/he'll 'do it over my dead body'.

More generally you could say 'I wouldn't do that if you paid me/for all the <valuable thing>' - for example 'I wouldn't do that for all the money in the world'. A well-worn one (rather clichéd) is '...for all the tea in China'.

b

**5jj** · 13-Jan-2011, 16:37

"I'd rather not."

That's short enough.

**Conoscenza SIlente** · 13-Jan-2011, 17:37

Hey
thanks a lot for all those ways!
I like them a lot!
I can tell you that In my office I frequently haer the sentence "I wouldn't do that" or "I'd rather do that"..so they sound appropriate for formal environments.
Kind Regards
CS

**Barb_D** · 13-Jan-2011, 18:27

A lot depends on what has been proposed.

Did the person think you'd like it, but you don't? Oh thank you, but I'd rather not.
Did the person make a suggestion that he realized was not something you would want to do, that causes and advantage for him and a disadvantage to you? No, I'm sorry, that's out of the question.
Was it a true impertinence? The Queen of England herself could ask you to pole dance naked in Trafalgar Square, and you'd be within your rights to say "I should say NOT!"

**BobK** · 13-Jan-2011, 22:46

Originally Posted by Conoscenza SIlente

Hey
thanks a lot for all those ways!
I like them a lot!
I can tell you that In my office I frequently haer the sentence "I wouldn't do that" or "I'd rather do that"..so they sound appropriate for formal environments.
Kind Regards
CS

All mine were rather extreme (and so not appropriate for formal contexts). So 5jj's 'I'd rather not' would be more appropriate.

b

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