Of course is an extremely useful phrase in English. However, a lot of non-native speakers use it too much, and in ways that can seem impolite. In this post I’ll talk about when you should, and probably shouldn’t, be using of course.
Of course is a stronger way of saying “yes”. It means certainly, absolutely, 100 per cent. It also means that what you’re saying is obviously true. We mostly use it when responding to a question, but we do sometimes use it in other situations.
Here are some polite, and perfectly normal, situations when you might want to use of course.
Example 1:
Steve: Can I borrow your pen?
Sandra: Of course.
Sandra is telling Steve that he can absolutely borrow her pen. It’s no problem at all to Sandra if Steve uses her pen. This is a very common, and polite, way of using of course.
Example 2:
Dave: Could you help me move this box? It’s really heavy.
Diana: Of course.
It’s no problem at all for Diana to help Dave move the box. She’s happy to help.
Example 3:
Gabrielle: It’s quite hot in here, isn’t it? Do you mind if I open the window?
Gary: Of course not.
When Gabrielle asks Gary “Do you mind…?”, she means “Is it a problem for you?” or “Would it annoy you?”
Gary’s reply – “Of course not” – shows that it isn’t a problem for him at all. He’s perfectly happy for Gabrielle to open the window.
Example 4:
Cameron: We’re going to see Red Sparrow at the cinema tonight. It starts at eight. Would you like to come?
Caroline: Of course!
Caroline is saying that she’d really like to go. She’s happy that Cameron has invited her.
Example 5:
Fiona: Do you think I can pass the exam?
Fred: Of course you can!
It seems that Fiona is low on confidence; she thinks she might not pass the exam. Fred is giving her some encouragement, saying that she is definitely capable of passing it.
Example 6:
Yvonne: My grandmother said she would never move out of that house, but she did, of course.
Yvette: Yes. She decided it was too big for her.
Yvonne is using of course here because Yvette knows that her grandmother moved out of her house. It’s a fact that should be obvious to Yvette. If Yvette was a complete stranger who knew nothing about Yvonne’s grandmother, using of course would be a bit strange.
Example 7:
She was wearing blue, yellow and red, which are of course the colours of the Romanian flag.
If you use of course here, you expect that the person you’re talking to knows what colours are on the Romanian flag.
Now here are some situations where you don’t really want to be using of course, because you could be seen as impolite or arrogant, or you might make the other person feel stupid. Do you want to do that? Of course not.
Example 8 (rude!):
Diana: That box looks really heavy. Would you like some help with it?
Dave: Of course.
When Dave says of course here, what he means is: “Yes, I obviously need help. Can’t you see? Why are you even asking me?!”
This is obviously a bit rude. Note that it’s polite to use of course when responding to someone’s request for help, as in Example 2 above, but it’s not polite when responding to someone’s offer of help. When responding to offers, it’s best to simply say “Yes” or “Yes please”.
Example 9 (rude!):
Brian: Would you like a cup of tea?
Ben: Yes please.
Brian: Do you take milk?
Ben: Yes.
Brian: And sugar?
Ben: Of course not.
When Ben says of course not, he means “What makes you think I want sugar?” Again, it’s not very polite.
Example 10 (rude!):
Tomás: Where in the UK do you come from?
Tony: I grew up in a town called Evesham. It’s in the west of England, not far from Birmingham.
Tomás: Nice. How long have you lived in Spain?
Tony: Three years.
Tomás: And can you speak Spanish?`
Tony: Of course.
Tony’s of course means “Obviously I can speak Spanish! I’ve been here three years. Who do you think I am?!” Tony’s reply seems arrogant, and Tomás possibly feels a bit offended now, because he thinks he asked a reasonable question. There’s no guarantee that someone who has lived in Spain for three years can speak Spanish at a good level. (In fact, there are plenty of British people who moved to Spain thirty years ago or more, and still can’t speak the language. We’re terrible at learning languages.)
Don’t stop using of course. Most of the time it’ll sound polite and friendly when you say it. You just have to be careful! For more when to use of course and when to avoid it, have a look at this lovely video from Vicki of Simple English Videos.