 Re: I'm fine, thank you.
A bright and cheerful 'I'm fine, thanks' works for me. Maybe it's just our ingrained reserve and reputation for understatement. My wife still has problems when I use the phrase 'that was not bad' or "it's not bad" to mean something that could range from "okay" to "very good". It's all in the tone of voice, emphasis on certain words and body language. But I normally would only use that with English friends. So if you hear an Englishman say that, don't be upset, it might be a compliment.
Getting back to "I'm fine, thanks". I also use this phrase to to say an indirect "No thanks". For me it's a polite way of saying, "I've had enough already, thanks." or "I'm satisfied with what I have."
I think it really comes down to how you say something and not always what you say. |