“要加薪”別說 “I want a raise”！外商談加薪必背 5 句型

情境對話 Dialogue

場景：Kevin 走進主管 Lisa 的辦公室，準備開口談加薪。

三句必背 Takeaway

記住這三句，下次走進主管辦公室就不會啞口。

1. 1

   敲門開場（外交式提出）

   I was wondering if we could talk about adjusting my salary.

2. 2

   立論（基於貢獻說服）

   Based on my contributions this year, I think it’s a fair conversation to have.

3. 3

   收尾（柔軟而堅定）

   Would you be open to factoring that into the review?

下次年度考核前一個月，把這三句存到 iPhone 備忘錄，對著鏡子練五次。

重點單字 Vocabulary Boost

重點句型 Sentence Patterns

逐字稿 Transcript

J: Welcome back to MJ English. I’m Jason. Today we’re walking into the conversation every working adult dreads and almost nobody practices — asking your boss for a raise. Kevin just did it cleanly, and I want to break down why it worked, because nine out of ten people fumble this exact opening.
J: 歡迎回到 MJ English。我是 Jason。今天要走進一場每個上班族都怕、卻幾乎沒人練習的對話——跟主管開口談加薪。Kevin 剛剛漂亮地處理完，我要拆解為什麼這場談話成功，因為十個人有九個會在這個開場卡住。

M: The reason most people fumble isn’t English level — it’s framing. Kevin didn’t beg, didn’t apologize, didn’t undersell. He came in with a structure: indirect opener, hard data, specific number, willingness to document. That sequence is what we’re teaching today.
M: 大部分人卡住不是因為英文程度，是因為框架。Kevin 沒有低聲下氣、沒有道歉、沒有貶低自己。他帶著結構走進來：間接開場、硬資料、具體數字、願意整理書面。今天要教的就是這個順序。

J: Move one — the soft open. “Hey Lisa, do you have a few minutes? I’d like to discuss my compensation.” Two things doing work here. First, asking for permission with “do you have a few minutes” — that lowers the boss’s defenses immediately. Second, the word “compensation,” not “salary.” Compensation sounds professional, total-package, grown-up. Salary sounds like you want more money. Same meaning, different temperature.
J: 第一招——軟性開場。”Hey Lisa, do you have a few minutes? I’d like to discuss my compensation.” 兩件事在運作：一、用 “do you have a few minutes” 先要許可，立刻降低主管的防禦心。二、用 “compensation” 不是 “salary”。Compensation 聽起來專業、整包薪資、像大人講話。Salary 聽起來像「我要錢」。同樣意思，溫度差很多。

M: And right after that comes the diplomatic pivot. “I was wondering if we could talk about adjusting my salary.” That phrase “I was wondering if we could” is the politest request structure in English. It’s the verbal equivalent of knocking before you enter. Native managers hear this and immediately relax — you’re not making a demand, you’re proposing a conversation.
M: 然後是外交式的轉折。”I was wondering if we could talk about adjusting my salary.” 這個句型是英文最有禮貌的請求結構，等於進門前先敲門。主管一聽就放鬆——你不是在下要求，你是在提議對話。

J: Compare this with the version we all fear: “I want a raise.” Three words, zero diplomacy, instant defensive reaction. The phrase “I was wondering if we could” buys you ten seconds of goodwill, which is exactly the time you need to deliver the rest of your case.
J: 對比一下我們都怕的版本：”I want a raise.” 三個字，零外交，瞬間引發防禦反應。”I was wondering if we could” 幫你買十秒的善意，剛好夠你把後面的論據遞出去。

M: Move two — the credibility stack. “Based on my contributions this year — leading the API migration and onboarding two junior devs — I think it’s a fair conversation to have.” Notice what Kevin did not say. He did not say “I work hard.” He did not say “I deserve more.” He named two specific deliverables. Specifics are the currency of salary conversations.
M: 第二招——可信度堆疊。”Based on my contributions this year — leading the API migration and onboarding two junior devs — I think it’s a fair conversation to have.” 注意 Kevin 沒講的：他沒說 “I work hard”，也沒說 “I deserve more”。他點名兩個具體交付項目。具體是談薪水的貨幣。

J: The phrase “Based on my contributions” is the senior power move. Anyone can claim contributions, but framing your ask as a logical conclusion drawn from evidence — that signals you’ve already done the analysis. The manager’s job becomes evaluating your case, not deciding whether you have one.
J: “Based on my contributions” 是 senior 級的招數。誰都能宣稱自己有貢獻，但把訴求包裝成「基於證據得出的邏輯結論」——這暗示你已經做完分析。主管的工作變成「評估你的論據」，而不是「決定你有沒有論據」。

M: And the closer — “I think it’s a fair conversation to have.” That’s calibrated humility. Kevin’s not saying “give me money.” He’s saying “this is reasonable to discuss.” If Lisa pushes back, she’s not pushing back on him, she’s pushing back on the conversation itself. That’s much harder to do.
M: 收尾那句 “I think it’s a fair conversation to have”，是精準的謙虛。Kevin 不是說「給我錢」，他是說「這值得討論」。如果 Lisa 反對，她反對的不是 Kevin 這個人，而是「這場對話本身」——後者難說多了。

J: Move three — the market data drop. “Looking at market rate for my role, I’d be looking for a bump in the ten to twelve percent range.” Three pieces of vocabulary stacked: market rate, bump, range. Market rate makes it about external benchmarks, not personal need. Bump is the casual word for raise — softer, friendlier, doesn’t sound greedy. Range gives the manager room to negotiate.
J: 第三招——市場資料丟出來。”Looking at market rate for my role, I’d be looking for a bump in the ten to twelve percent range.” 三個詞疊起來：market rate、bump、range。Market rate 把焦點拉到外部基準，不是個人需求。Bump 是 raise 的口語版——更柔、更親切、不會聽起來貪心。Range 給主管談判空間。

M: Never give a single number. Always give a range. “Ten to twelve percent” tells the manager: I have a target, but I’m not rigid. If she comes back at eight, you can counter at ten and still feel like you’ve won. If you’d named twelve flat, eight feels like a defeat.
M: 絕對別給單一數字，永遠給範圍。”Ten to twelve percent” 告訴主管：我有目標、但我不僵硬。如果她回 8%，你可以再爭到 10%，還覺得自己贏了。如果你一開始講 12% 不留空間，回 8% 就是慘敗。

J: Move four — the documentation offer. When Lisa pushed back with “help me make the case to finance,” Kevin didn’t fold. He pulled out external job board data, cited project results, and then offered to put the whole thing in writing. The phrase “Would you be open to factoring that into the review?” is doing the work of three sentences.
J: 第四招——主動提供書面資料。當 Lisa 推了一句 “help me make the case to finance”，Kevin 沒退讓。他拿出求職網站的外部資料、引用專案成果，然後主動提議書面整理。”Would you be open to factoring that into the review?” 一句抵三句。

M: “Would you be open to” is another diplomatic gem. It doesn’t ask the manager to commit — it asks if the door is open. Almost impossible to say no to without sounding rigid. Use this anywhere you need to introduce a possibility without forcing a decision: pricing talks, deadline shifts, scope changes.
M: “Would you be open to” 是另一顆外交鑽石。它不要求主管承諾，只是問門開不開。對方很難說 no 又不顯得僵化。任何需要「提出可能性但不逼決定」的場景都能用：談價、延 deadline、改 scope。

J: Move five — the gracious close. “I’d appreciate it if you could put this in writing.” Lisa flipped the request onto Kevin, but watch how Kevin received it — no resistance, no surprise, just “Done. I’ll have it in your inbox tonight.” Confident, specific timing, no over-promising.
J: 第五招——優雅收尾。”I’d appreciate it if you could put this in writing.” Lisa 把任務丟回 Kevin，但看 Kevin 怎麼接——零抗拒、零意外，直接 “Done. I’ll have it in your inbox tonight.” 自信、具體時間、不亂承諾。

M: And Lisa’s final line — “coming in prepared like this? That’s exactly how it should be done.” This is the unspoken truth of salary negotiation: managers respect the people who do it well. They don’t punish them. They might say no this round, but they remember the polish, and that lands in your next review.
M: Lisa 最後那句 “coming in prepared like this? That’s exactly how it should be done.” 這就是談薪水的潛規則：主管尊重會談的人，不會懲罰他們。這輪可能拒絕你，但他們會記得你的成熟度，下次考核時加分。

J: Let’s listen one more time. This time, count the diplomatic phrases — “I was wondering,” “Based on,” “Would you be open to,” “I’d appreciate it.” Four signals of professional polish, all packed into one short meeting.
J: 再聽一次。這次數一下外交句型——”I was wondering”、”Based on”、”Would you be open to”、”I’d appreciate it”。四個專業度信號，塞在這場短短的會議裡。

M: After this replay, you’ll hear how Kevin sounds like someone who could lead a team, not just be on one. That’s the goal. Salary conversations are stealth promotions — you’re showing the manager who you already are.
M: 第二次聽，你會發現 Kevin 聽起來像「能帶團隊的人」，不只是「在團隊裡的人」。這才是目標。談加薪其實是低調的晉升面試——你在展現你已經是什麼樣的人。

J: Vocab and the full sentence-pattern bank are linked below. Save this whole conversation as a script template. Even if your industry isn’t tech, swap “API migration” for whatever your version is, and the structure still flies.
J: 單字和完整句型庫都在下面連結。把這整段對話存成腳本範本。就算你不是科技業，把 “API migration” 換成你的版本，整套結構照樣飛。

M: I’m Mary. The raise you don’t ask for is the raise you don’t get. Practice this dialogue out loud — your future self will thank you.
M: 我是 Mary。沒開口要的加薪，就是拿不到的加薪。對著鏡子練這段對話——未來的你會感謝你。

J: I’m Jason. Walk in prepared, walk out paid. See you next time on MJ English.
J: 我是 Jason。準備好走進去，加完薪走出來。下次 MJ English 再見。