美國的房租這幾年漲得兇，台北也不遑多讓。某天信箱收到房東的一封信：“Your rent will increase by 10% starting next month.”——心都涼了一半。其實這時候不是只能默默接受，學會用英文好好談一輪，房東通常會願意聽你說。
這集我們來示範一段「房客和房東談租金」的對話，教你怎麼用得體又不卑不亢的英文，把漲幅談下來、還順便鎖定長約。重點單字、句型、文化眉角通通拆給你聽。
情境對話 Dialogue
在公寓樓下大廳遇到 landlord Brian，Sarah 想談談下個月開始的 rent 調漲。
English Dialogue
重點單字與片語 重點句型
Sarah: Hey Brian, do you have a minute? I wanted to talk about my lease.
Brian: Sure, Sarah. What’s on your mind?
Sarah: I got your message about the rent going up next month. Honestly, it caught me off guard.
Brian: I know it’s not great news. The market rate has gone up, and my property tax went up too.
Sarah: I get that. But a 10% hike is pretty steep. I was wondering if there’s any room for negotiation.
Brian: I’m open to talking. What did you have in mind?
Sarah: What if we meet in the middle? Maybe a 5% increase instead of 10. My budget’s already pretty stretched with utilities included.
Brian: 5% is a bit low for me. Let me think.
Sarah: I’ve been a reliable tenant for two years now. Always paid on time, no complaints from the neighbors.
Brian: That’s true. You’ve been one of the easiest tenants I’ve had.
Sarah: Would you consider locking in a lower rate if I sign a two-year lease? That way you get stability too.
Brian: That actually works for me. Let’s go with a 5% increase and a two-year contract. I’ll send you the new lease this week.
Sarah: That sounds fair. Thanks for hearing me out, Brian.
中文翻譯
Sarah：嘿 Brian，有空嗎？我想跟你聊一下我的租約。
Brian：當然，Sarah，你有什麼事？
Sarah：我收到你下個月要漲房租的訊息了，老實說有點措手不及。
Brian：我知道這不是什麼好消息，市場行情漲了，我的房屋稅也跟著漲。
Sarah：我懂。但漲 10% 真的有點多，我在想是不是還有商量的空間？
Brian：我可以聊聊，你的想法是什麼？
Sarah：那我們各退一步？改成漲 5% 而不是 10%。我預算已經很吃緊了，水電費還含在裡面。
Brian：嗯，5% 對我來說有點低，讓我想想。
Sarah：我已經當你兩年的好房客了，租金都準時繳，鄰居也沒人抱怨。
Brian：這倒是真的，你算是我遇過最好相處的房客之一。
Sarah：那如果我簽兩年的約，你會考慮鎖定比較低的租金嗎？這樣你也比較穩定。
Brian：這個我可以接受，那就漲 5%、簽兩年約。我這週把新合約寄給你。
Sarah：很公平，謝謝你願意聽我說，Brian。
重點單字 Vocabulary Boost
- lease / liːs / n. → 租約
（房子的書面契約，可當動詞用，意思是「租」）
I’m renewing my lease next month.（我下個月要續租。） - hike / haɪk / n. → 漲幅、調漲
（多用於價格、租金、稅金的上漲，比 increase 更口語）
A 10% rent hike is hard to swallow.（漲 10% 的租金真的難以接受。） - tenant / ˈtɛnənt / n. → 房客
（租房子住的人，房東叫 landlord）
She’s been a great tenant for years.（她當好房客已經好幾年了。） - utilities / juːˈtɪlətiz / n. → 水電瓦斯費
（通常複數形，包含水、電、瓦斯，有時還含網路）
Are utilities included in the rent?（水電有含在租金裡嗎？） - reliable / rɪˈlaɪəbl / adj. → 可靠的、值得信賴的
（用來形容人或東西穩定、不出包）
He’s a reliable employee.（他是個可靠的員工。） - stretched / strɛtʃt / adj. → 吃緊的、繃緊的
（形容預算、時間、人力被拉到極限）
My budget is already stretched this month.（我這個月預算已經吃緊了。） - meet in the middle / phrase → 各退一步、折衷
（談判時雙方都讓一點，找到中間點）
Let’s meet in the middle and split the cost.（我們各退一步，費用對分吧。） - lock in / phrasal verb → 鎖定（價格、合約）
（把條件固定下來，未來不會變動）
Can we lock in this rate for two years?（我們能把這個價格鎖兩年嗎？）
重點句型 Sentence Patterns
- I was wondering if… → 我在想是不是…（客氣探詢的開場句）
I was wondering if there’s any room for negotiation.（我在想是不是還有商量的空間。）| 替換詞：we could talk later（我們等下能聊聊嗎）/ you’d be open to a discount（你願不願意給折扣）
💡 用過去式 was wondering 比現在式 wonder 更客氣，是英文中非常實用的「軟化請求」技巧。台灣人常直接說 “Can you…?”，但在談判或拜託別人時，這句反而更得體。
- What if we…? → 那如果我們…？（提案折衷的句型）
What if we meet in the middle?（那如果我們各退一步呢？）| 替換詞：split the difference（折衷一下）/ try a different approach（換個方式試試）
💡 這個句型在英文談判中超好用，因為它不是強硬要求，而是丟出一個假設讓對方思考，給雙方台階下。比 “I want…” 來得有彈性。
- Would you consider…? → 你會考慮…嗎？（禮貌提議句型）
Would you consider locking in a lower rate?（你會考慮鎖定比較低的租金嗎？）| 替換詞：waiving the fee（免收這筆費用）/ extending the deadline（延長期限）
💡 Would you consider 比 Can you 更尊重對方的決定權，給對方思考空間，不會讓人覺得被逼。談薪水、議價、請假都很適合用。
- That way you get… → 這樣你也可以…（強調雙贏的句型）
That way you get stability too.（這樣你也比較穩定。）| 替換詞：peace of mind（安心）/ a long-term tenant（一個長租客）
💡 談判時別只說自己想要什麼，要把對方的好處也講清楚。”That way you get…” 是把雙贏明示出來的關鍵句，房東、老闆、廠商聽了都會比較容易點頭。
逐字稿 Transcript
J: 哇，剛剛 Sarah 那一招真的有夠漂亮，從聽到漲 10% 到最後談成 5% 還鎖兩年約，整段話沒有一句強硬的，但每一句都是有準備的。
J: Wow, Sarah really pulled that off — from hearing about a 10% hike to landing on a 5% increase with a two-year lock-in, and not a single sentence sounded aggressive.
M: I’m Mary, and you’re listening to MJ English. 我是 Mary，今天跟 Jason 一起來拆解這場「房客 vs 房東」的真實對話。
M: I’m Mary, and you’re listening to MJ English. Today Jason and I are unpacking this real-life “tenant versus landlord” exchange.
J: 你有沒有注意到 Sarah 一開場就說 “Hey Brian, do you have a minute?” 這超關鍵——她沒有直接抱怨漲價，而是先問對方有沒有空。
J: Did you notice Sarah started with “Hey Brian, do you have a minute?” That’s huge — she didn’t jump straight to complaining about the rent, she asked if he had time first.
M: 對，這個就是把對方放在尊重的位置，給他一個說「我現在有空」的機會。然後她才丟出 “I wanted to talk about my lease.”
M: Right, it puts the other person in a position of respect, gives them a chance to say “I’m available now.” Then she introduces the topic with “I wanted to talk about my lease.”
J: lease 這個字大家一定要記住，就是「租約」，房屋租賃合約都叫 lease。它也可以當動詞用，I’m leasing an apartment in Taipei. 我在台北租一間公寓。
J: Lease is a must-know word — it means a rental contract. It also works as a verb: I’m leasing an apartment in Taipei.
M: 然後 Sarah 說 “it caught me off guard.” catch someone off guard 就是讓某人措手不及、被嚇到。這是很自然的英文，比 surprised 更有畫面感。
M: Then Sarah says “it caught me off guard.” To catch someone off guard means to take them by surprise. It’s much more vivid than just saying “surprised.”
J: 接下來她用了一個關鍵字 hike——a 10% hike is pretty steep. hike 在這裡不是爬山喔，是「漲幅」的意思，常常用在 rent hike、tax hike、price hike。
J: Then she uses a key word — hike. “A 10% hike is pretty steep.” Hike here doesn’t mean hiking up a mountain, it means a sharp increase, often used in rent hike, tax hike, price hike.
M: steep 也很好用，原本是「陡」，這裡引申成「貴得離譜」。The price is steep. 價格高得驚人。
M: Steep is great too — literally it means “steep” like a hill, but here it stretches to mean “shockingly expensive.” The price is steep.
J: 然後就出現我們今天第一個句型 “I was wondering if there’s any room for negotiation.” 注意這個 was wondering 是過去進行式，但意思是現在的請求。為什麼要用過去式？
J: Then comes our first key sentence pattern: “I was wondering if there’s any room for negotiation.” Notice it’s past continuous, but it’s actually a present-tense request. Why use the past tense?
M: 因為更客氣！這是英文的「禮貌軟化技巧」，把現在的請求拉到過去式，聽起來就沒那麼直接。Can you help me? 變成 I was wondering if you could help me. 整個語氣就柔了。
M: Because it’s softer! This is the English politeness trick — pulling a present request into the past tense to make it less direct. “Can you help me?” becomes “I was wondering if you could help me.” The tone immediately softens.
J: 第二個句型 “What if we meet in the middle?” 這個 What if we 是丟假設、給對方思考空間，比 “I want to…” 有彈性多了。
J: The second pattern is “What if we meet in the middle?” “What if we…” floats a hypothetical and gives the other person room to think — way more flexible than “I want to…”
M: meet in the middle 是「各退一步、折衷」的意思，談判桌上超常見。也可以說 split the difference，意思一樣。
M: Meet in the middle means to compromise, to find a middle ground. Very common in negotiations. You can also say “split the difference” — same idea.
J: Sarah 接著說 “My budget’s already pretty stretched with utilities included.” stretched 就是預算被拉到極限，繃很緊。utilities 是水電瓦斯費，永遠是複數。
J: Sarah then says “My budget’s already pretty stretched with utilities included.” Stretched here means the budget is pulled tight to its limit. Utilities are water, electricity, gas — always plural.
M: 然後她開始打感情牌——”I’ve been a reliable tenant for two years.” 注意她沒有說 “I’m a good tenant”，而是用 reliable，更有重量。reliable 是可靠的，是個讓人放心的字。
M: Then she plays the relationship card — “I’ve been a reliable tenant for two years.” Notice she didn’t say “I’m a good tenant,” she used “reliable,” which carries more weight. Reliable means dependable, the kind of word that makes people feel safe.
J: 然後第三個句型來了 “Would you consider locking in a lower rate?” Would you consider 比 Can you 更尊重對方，給對方決定權。lock in 就是「鎖定」，把價格固定下來。
J: Then comes the third pattern — “Would you consider locking in a lower rate?” “Would you consider” is more respectful than “Can you,” it gives the other person decision power. Lock in means to lock down a price so it doesn’t change.
M: 最後一個亮點是 “That way you get stability too.” 這就是雙贏句——別只講自己要什麼，要把對方的好處也說出來。房東聽到 stability 一定心動，因為房東最怕房客一直換。
M: The final highlight is “That way you get stability too.” That’s the win-win sentence — don’t just say what you want, spell out what’s in it for the other person. A landlord hearing “stability” is sold, because the worst thing for a landlord is constant tenant turnover.
J: 對，整段對話就是教科書級別的「軟硬兼施」——客氣的開場、有理的還價、感性的鋪陳、雙贏的收尾。Let’s test your ears one more time and see if you can catch all four patterns.
J: Exactly, this whole exchange is a textbook example of “soft and firm” — polite opening, reasoned counter-offer, emotional setup, win-win close. Let’s test your ears one more time and see if you can catch all four patterns.
[DIALOGUE REPLAY]
[重播情境對話]
M: 這次再聽一次，有沒有發現 Brian 的語氣其實一直沒有變硬？因為 Sarah 從頭到尾都沒讓他覺得被攻擊。這就是談判的最高境界——對方覺得是自己想答應的，不是被逼的。
M: Listening a second time, did you catch how Brian’s tone never hardens? That’s because Sarah never makes him feel attacked. That’s the peak of negotiation — making the other person feel like they’re choosing to say yes, not being forced.
J: 建議你今天就把 “I was wondering if” 跟 “What if we” 念個三遍，下次跟房東、老闆、客戶談條件時，直接拿出來用。
J: I’d suggest practicing “I was wondering if” and “What if we” three times today — the next time you negotiate with a landlord, boss, or client, just pull them out.
M: 記住，談判不是吵架，是溝通。語氣對了，事情就好辦一半。I’m Mary.
M: Remember, negotiation isn’t an argument, it’s a conversation. Get the tone right, and you’re already halfway there. I’m Mary.
J: I’m Jason. 下次房租漲價，你不再只能默默接受。This has been MJ English — see you next time.
J: I’m Jason. Next time your rent goes up, you won’t have to just take it. This has been MJ English — see you next time.
