1. A te címed kell a jobb felső sarokba írni
2. A dátumot a címed alá írd, ilyen formában: milyen nap, hányadika, hónap
3. Levél bevezetése (miért írsz, hogy vagy, stb.)
4. Levél befejezése, elköszönés

Nézzük először a legfontosabb formai szabályokat:

1. a megszólítás után (Kedves Pedro) nem felkiáltójel (!), hanem vessző jön (,)

2. a hivatalos levéllel ellentétben, itt lehet összevont alakokat használni (it’s, we’re, didn’t, stb.)

3. ha nagyon jól ismered a személyt, akinek írsz, akkor befejezheted a leveledet úgy, hogy: ‘Love’ vagy ‘Lots of love’

4. ha nem akarsz ennyire személyeskedő lenni, akkor ennyit írj a levél aljára elköszönésképpen: ‘Best wishes’ vagy ‘With best wishes’

Itt van néhány hasznos kifejezés és mondat, amit fel tudsz használni, ha baráti hangvételű levelet szeretnél írni:

Hogyan kezdjük el…

Thanks for your letter.– Köszönöm a leveled.
It was wonderful to hear from you again.– Csodás, hogy újra hallok felőled.
I’m sorry I haven’t written before, but I’ve been very busy.– Elnézést, hogy nem írtam korábban, de nagyon elfoglalt voltam.

Köszönetet kifejező levél

I’m just writing to thank you for …– Csak azért írok, hogy megköszönjem a …
Thanks very much for …– Nagyon köszönöm, hogy …
It was very kind of you to …– Nagyon kedves volt tőled, hogy …

Tanácsadás

In your letter you said you weren’t sure what to do about…– A leveledben említetted, hogy nem vagy biztos abban, hogy mit tegyél …
Well, if I were you …– Nos, a helyedben én …
Have you thought about …?– Gondoltál már arra, hogy …?

Jó hír közlése

I’m sure you’ll be pleased to hear that …– Biztos vagyok benne, hogy örömmel hallod, hogy …
By the way, did you know that …?– Egyébként tudtad, hogy …?
You’ll never guess what happened yesterday!– Soha nem fogod kitalálni mi történt tegnap!

Rossz hír közlése

I’m sorry to tell you that …– Sajnálom, hogy ezt kell mondanom, de …
Bad news. I’m afraid.– Rossz hírem van. Sajnálom.

Segítség kérése

I hope it’s not too much to ask, but …– Remélem, nem kérek túl sokat,de …
I wonder if I could ask a favour. Could you …?– Azon gondolkodom, hogy vajon kérhetnék-e tőled egy szívességet. Tudnál ..?

Bocsánatkérés

I’m writing to say sorry for you.– Azért írok, hogy bocsánatot kérjek tőled.
I want to apologise for …– Szeretnék bocsánatot kérni, amiért ..

Levél befejezése

Well, that’s all for now.– Nos, hát ennyi mára.
I’ll tell you more when I see you next week.– Majd mesélek többet, amikor jövő héten találkozunk.
Thanks again.– Még egyszer köszönöm.
I’m really looking forward to seeing you again.– Alig várom, hogy újra találkozzunk.
See you on the 15th.– Találkozunk 15-én.

Üdvözlet átadása, elköszönés

Give my regards to Mary.– Add át üdvözletem Mary-nek!
Take care. Best regards.– Vigyázz magadra. Üdvözlettel.

Dear Mary and John,

Our sincere thanks for having us in your home when we attended the international relations conference last week. It gave us a chance to catch up on the news and get acquainted with your family. We especially enjoyed our evening conversations over dinner. I don’t think we’ll ever forget John’s funny stories.

We couldn’t have asked for a more enjoyable time than we had with you. You have an ideal home and family. We are fortunate to have such wonderful, thoughtful friends. I hope we didn’t impose too much on your busy schedule. Please remember that you are always welcome to stay at our place when your travels bring you to England. Thanks again for your warm hospitality.

Yours,

Delia and Peter

Tudsz hasonló levelet írni az alábbi adatokkal?

– vendéglátóitok: Susan és Leslie

– informatikai konferencián voltatok

– megismerkedtetek a lányukkal és az unokákkal

– jókat beszélgettetek ebédnél

– hálásak vagytok a vendéglátásért

– szívesen vendégül látjátok őket, ha Magyarországon járnak

– aláírás: Anne és Charles

Kulcs:

Dear Susan and Leslie,

Our sincere thanks for having us in your home when we attended the IT conference last week. It gave us a chance to catch up on the news and get acquainted with your daughter and grandchildren. We especially enjoyed our conversations over lunch. I don’t think we’ll ever forget Leslie’s funny stories.

We couldn’t have asked for a more enjoyable time than we had with you. You have an ideal home and family. We are fortunate to have such wonderful, thoughtful friends. I hope we didn’t impose too much on your busy schedule. Please remember that you are always welcome to stay at our place when your travels bring you to Hungary. Thanks again for your warm hospitality.

Yours,

Anne and Charles

Nézd át velem az angol levélírás tudnivalóit ezzel az 1 epizódos videókurzussal (1 videó, 4 hanganyag, 2 kvíz, 1 pdf letöltés)

Dear Mr Brown,

This is to confirm the arrangements we discussed over the phone today. Enclosed are your airline tickets for the British Airways Airlines, flight number 5123, leaving London at 6:30 a.m. on Friday, July 2, 2015, arriving in Moscow at 9:45 a.m. Our colleague Mr James Smith will meet you at the airport. He will be wearing a dark green name tag and there will be a blue flag in his hands with your name on it. As you requested, I left the return flight open to allow you some flexibility in your stay in Moscow.

I reserved a double room for you with a king-size bed at the Hotel Metropol for three nights. I’m sorry, but there were no rooms available with view to the Kremlin towers. I assure you, however, that the view is spectacular from any window in the hotel. The hotel is a two-minute walk from the main sights and the Red Square and it provides unbeatable service. High-speed WiFi access is available in every hotel room and the lobby.

I hope these arrangements meet your approval. If you need anything else, please call me at 123-4567. I am happy to help whatever problems may arise.

I look forward to your arrival.

Mr John Stuart

Imagine that you have to make travel arrangements for a colleague of yours who wants to travel from Barcelona to London. He wants to stay in a cheap hotel in a single room near the centre. WiFi is very important for him and wants to be flexible in his stay in London.

Fill in the gaps in the letter below.

Dear Ms ……,

This is to (1)………………………….. we discussed over the phone today. (2)……….. are your airline tickets for the British Airways Airlines, (3) ……….. 5123, leaving Barcelona at 6:30 a.m. on Friday, July 2, 2015, arriving in London  at 9:45 a.m. Our colleague Mr Joe Smith will meet you at the (4)………. He will be wearing a dark blue (5)……… and there will be a red (6)……. in his hands with your name on it. As you (7)…………., I (8) ………………….. left the return flight open to allow you some (9) …………… in your stay in London.

I reserved a (10) ………… room for you at the Hotel Queen for three nights. The hotel is a two-minute walk from the main sights and Oxford Street and it provides good service. High-speed WiFi access is available in every hotel room.

I hope these arrangements meet your (11)…………. If you need anything else, please call me at 123-4567. I am happy to help whatever problems may arise.

(12) ………………. your arrival.

Mr Edward King

Key:

1. confirm the arrangements

2. enclosed

3. flight number

4. airport

5. name tag

6. flag

7. requested

8. left the return flight open

9. flexibility

10. single

11. approval

12. I look forward to

Válaszd ki a helyes választ!

Raymond Tomlinson is the man who invented e-mail. Tomlinson introduced the @ symbol into our electronic communications. Every time you give someone or something your e-mail address, you are using his invention.

Tomlinson didn’t invent the @: That honor lies somewhere long before he was born. It’s unclear still how the circle found its way around the a, but during the Renaissance the symbol slowly crept into texts as a way to denote how much something cost per unit. So you might see something like: “10 loaves of bread @ 25 pence each.” For hundreds of years, the symbol was mostly used by merchants, and nobody else. Fast forward to 1971, and Tomlinson borrowed the symbol to mean “located at” in an e-mail address. And that’s how we mainly use the symbol today.

If you’re from the United States, you probably know the @ as the “at” symbol. But in other parts of the world, that’s not always how they refer to the little squiggly a. Here are some of the other ways of referring to our friendly e-mail address signifier.

1. ITALIANS SEE A TINY SNAIL.

The Italians call the symbol a chiocciola or a “snail,” to describe its spiral shape.

2. HUNGARIANS SEE A SLIMIER ANIMAL: A WORM.

In Hungarian, the @ is likened to a wiggly earth-eater and called a kukac, which means “little worm” or “maggot.”

3. ARMENIANS THINK THE @ IS A CUTE LITTLE DOG.

They call the @ ishnik or “puppy.”

4. GERMANS HAVE A SPECIFIC MONKEY IN MIND FOR THE @.

German slang call the symbol klammeraffe or “spider monkey,” which is delightfully specific in the way you expect from Germans.

5. THE DUTCH ALSO SEE A MONKEY, BUT A LESS SPECIFIC ONE.

The Dutch have a similar nickname as the Germans: They call it an apestaart or “monkey’s tail.” No specific species this time.

6. IN DANISH YOU GET TWO ANIMALS TO CHOOSE FROM.

In Danish, the @ gets two names, both animal in origin. Sometimes, it’s a grisehale or “pig’s tail.” But most of the time it’s a snabel or “elephant’s trunk.” 

7. THE TAIWANESE SEE A MOUSE.

In Taiwanese the @ symbol is called “little mouse.”

8. ISRAELIS HAVE FOOD ON THE BRAIN WHEN IT COMES TO THE @.

To Israelis, the @ is often called a “strudel,” as in the delicious layered pastry.

9. IN CZECH AND SLOVAK THE @ ALSO POINTS TO FOOD.

In Czech and Slovak, the @ symbol is called a zavináč or rollmops. For those uninitiated, a rollmop is a fillet of pickled herring, rolled up around a savory filling, often olives or pimentos.

10. IN SWEDISH IT’S ALL ABOUT THE SWEET BUNS.

Swedish has a few names for the @, but one of them is kanelbulle or “cinnamon bun.”

11. THE CHINESE SEE THE @ AS FANCY.

The Chinese have a couple of different ways of referring to @ but one of them is “flowery A.”

12. IN SERBIAN THE @ IS WILD.

In Serbian, the @ has gotten out of hand, and is called “crazy A.”

13. VIETNAM HAS TWO NAMES FOR THE @, BENT AND HOOKED.

The Vietnamese have different names for the @ in the northern and southern bits of the country. In the North @ is A còng or “bent A,” and in the south the @ is A móc or “hooked A.”

14. IN RUSSIAN IT’S ALSO CALLED AN ANIMAL

“Doggie” or “little doggie” – “szobáká” or “szobácská”.

Which one is your favourite?

 source: mentalfloss

Can you match the countries and the different names for ‘at’?

Key:

1. h.

2. n.

3. i.

4. a.

5. g.

6. b.

7. f.

8. m.

9. k.

10. c.

11. l.

12. d.

13. j.

14. e. 

I think you’re going to be very happy.

Dearest Father,

we shall be graduating next week and I shall be getting my diploma. I want to thank you now for the two most wonderful years of my life. I shall always love you for sending me here.

It is late at night and someone across the way is playing “La Vie En Rose”. It is the French way of saying, I am looking at the world through rose-coloured glasses.

It says everything I feel. I have learnt so many things, Father.

Not just how to make vichyssoise or calf’s head with sauce vinaigrette, but a much more important recipe. I have learnt how to live, how to be in the world and of the world … and not just to stand aside and watch.

And I will never, never again run away from life, or from love, either.

I am taking the plane home on Friday, Father. You needn’t pick me up at the airport. I’ll just take

the Long Island Rail Road and you can meet me at the train – the 4.15.

If you should have any difficulty recognising your daughter, I shall be the most sophisticated woman at the Glen Cove station.

Can you fill in the gaps in the letter?

Dearest Father,

we shall be (1)……….. next week and I shall be getting my (2) ……… . I want to thank you now for the two most wonderful years of my life. I shall always love you for sending me here.

It is late at night and someone across the (3) …… is playing “La Vie En Rose”. It is the French way of saying, I am looking at the world through rose-coloured (4)……. .

It says everything I feel. I have learnt so many things, Father.

Not just how to make vichyssoise or calf’s head with sauce vinaigrette, but a much more important (5) ………. I have learnt how to live, how to be in the world and of the world … and not just to stand aside and watch.

And I will never, never again run away from (6) ……… , or from love, either.

I am taking the plane home on Friday, Father. You needn’t pick me up at the airport. I’ll just take

the Long Island Rail Road and you can meet me at the train – the 4.15.

If you should have any (7)………. recognising your daughter, I shall be the most (8) ……….. woman at the Glen Cove station.

1. graduating

2. diploma

3. way

4. glasses

5. recipe

6. life

7. difficulty

8. sophisticated

HOW TO COMPLAIN, AND WRITE A LETTER OF COMPLAINT

Everyone has consumer rights. You have the right to know what you will receive before you pay for a product or service. When you are not satisfied, you have to make a complaint to get your money back or to have the product replaced.

BEFORE COMPLAINING

Review what happened and think about your options and rights. Consider the facts of the case, and what you want to happen. If you are not sure what your rights are, or how to proceed, contact a consumer group and discuss the situation. Talking with such an organization may help you decide how to handle the problem. Pay attention to all printed information you have about the case, such as ads you responded to, brochures, warranty, guarantee, all letters between you and the business and any other papers you received from the company, including agreements, instructions, receipts and billing statements. If you signed a contract, read it carefully and ask the company for explanations of anything you don’t understand. The contract or warranty may limit your options or provide you with certain rights. Decide what you want from the company, such as repair or replacement of the item, a refund, an exchange, a credit, a correction of the company’s records, or the payment of damages. Consider whether a compromise would be acceptable. It may be easier to resolve the complaint if you agree to a settlement that falls short of a full refund.

COMPLAIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

The sooner you complain, the better your chances for a satisfactory settlement. Some store refund policies allow you to return items if you do so within a few days. If you wait too long to return the item you will lose the right to get your money back. In addition, it can be difficult to defend your position if you wait a long time to complain.

HOW TO GET STARTED

First of all, you have to clearly present your problem. If you fail to communicate effectively, it will be more difficult to resolve the complaint. When you contact the company, have all the relevant information at hand: a description of the item, any date to help the company identify your purchase (receipt, billing statement, purchase order number, billing statement, invoice, etc.). Explain clearly and briefly what’s wrong and what you want the company to do.

Do not get emotional: speak calmly and politely. If you make the complaint handler’s job harder by getting angry, that person is likely to respond negatively to you.

Make notes about all conversations you have about the complaint, including the names of everyone at the company you spoke to, when you spoke to them and what they said.

You can complain by phone, in-person or by mail. As a general rule:
1.    Phone first to tell the company about the problem and to try to resolve it.
2.    Go to the company to return the purchase or when there is a need to meet with someone to examine the item, receipts or statements.
3.    Write letters as soon as you realize it will take a while to get the problem resolved

WRITING A COMPLAINT LETTER

Sometimes problems can be resolved with one call or visit. But when you realize that you are going to have problems with your complaint, start putting things in writing. Sometimes businesses ignore complaints until they see them in writing.

Letters are important for these reasons:
•    To create a written record of your complaint with the company.
•    To preserve your rights under law.
•    To make sure the business understands your side of the story.
•    To lay the groundwork for a future legal case or defense.
•    To let the company know you are serious about pursuing the matter.

If your first letter does not bring a response, send a second and contact someone higher up in the company. If the salesperson can’t help you, ask to speak to a supervisor or store manager, and then the owner or the company’s headquarters.

In most cases, you do not need to send letters by certified or registered mail. However, if the company has ignored your letters or claims it never received them, consider paying for a mail receipt that will provide proof that delivery was made.

Gyakoroljuk az angol nyelvű levélírást ezzel az interaktív kvízzel!