C5: Close firmly with softeners

🗣 Business English for Negotiations — How to Say "No" Without Sounding Rude

Learn how to say "no" politely and confidently in English! In this Business English lesson, you'll discover 5 professional ways to say "no" without offending anyone — perfect for meetings, negotiations, and workplace conversations.

You'll learn my 5 C's Framework for polite refusals — practical phrases, real examples, tone tips, and short dialogues to sound confident in business English conversations.

🎯 What You'll Learn

✅ How to say "no" politely and professionally in English ✅ 5C's method: Check, Conditional Yes, Choice, Care, and Close ✅ Real negotiation dialogues for business situations ✅ Pronunciation and intonation to sound natural ✅ Why "no" earns respect — not rejection

💬 Useful Phrases

• "Let me check and get back to you by Friday."

• "We can do that if we extend the deadline."

• "That may not work, but what if we try this approach?"

• "I completely understand, but unfortunately that's beyond our budget."

• "I appreciate the offer, but we'll have to decline at this time."

⏰ Timestamps

00:00 – Why saying "no" is so hard 00:15 – Recovering from being a "yes" person 00:35 – Why saying no earns respect 01:13 – When to use the 5 C's method 01:28 – Let's get started 01:36 – Why this is an essential skill 02:03 – Introducing the 5 C's Framework 02:28 – Fluent Communication 5.0 invitation 03:00 – Cultural differences: what "no" means around the world 03:32 – Direct vs. indirect communication (US, Japan, Brazil) 04:46 – How to be politely direct 05:02 – C1: Check (Delay Technique) 05:40 – Example: responding to your boss 05:57 – Why "Check" buys you time 06:09 – C2: Conditional Yes 06:28 – Example: realistic negotiation condition 06:50 – C3: Choice (Offer an alternative) 07:03 – Example: different timeline 07:20 – C4: Care (Show empathy) 07:52 – Example: understanding the other person's stress 08:41 – C5: Close Firmly (Polite but clear "No") 09:13 – Use softeners like "just" or "at this time" 09:34 – Pronunciation: rising vs. falling tone 09:54 – Practice tone examples 10:12 – Role Play 1: Client asks for a discount 10:44 – Role Play 2: Boss asks for extra work 11:10 – Quiz & Recap of the 5 C's 12:40 – Why clear "no" = respect and confidence 13:00 – Next lesson preview: How to say "Yes" effectively 13:52 – Subscribe & join Fluent Communication 5.0 waitlist 14:08 – Closing

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