CarloSsS
Senior Member
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2010
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Czech
- Home Country
- Czech Republic
- Current Location
- Czech Republic
Hello, if I want to ask somebody if they're free tonight, there's a lot of ways of saying that. I came up with four and tried to order them from the most polite one to the least polite one. Could you check them for me please? Are they ordered from the most polite one to the least polite one? Are all of them natural? Supposing they're used in the right context.
1. I wondered if you were free tonight. (the most polite of them)
2. I was wondering if you were free tonight.
3. I wonder, are you free tonight?
4. I'm wondering, are you free tonight? (the least polite of them)
I'm especially unsure of the second and third one. I'm not sure if past simple progressive is more polite/definite than present simple. e.g.: I was thinking that we could go out tonight. vs. I think that we could go out tonight.
1. I wondered if you were free tonight. (the most polite of them)
2. I was wondering if you were free tonight.
3. I wonder, are you free tonight?
4. I'm wondering, are you free tonight? (the least polite of them)
I'm especially unsure of the second and third one. I'm not sure if past simple progressive is more polite/definite than present simple. e.g.: I was thinking that we could go out tonight. vs. I think that we could go out tonight.