Uncomfortable Questions and How You Should Deal with Them in English

One of the challenges of speaking in another language is that we can be more easily caught off guard ( = feel shocked or surprised) when asked uncomfortable questions like… So, why don’t you have kids yet? Why aren’t you two married yet? How’d you lose your job? Why are you still single?

And the list goes on. The truth is, we all have nosy neighbors or colleagues. Or sometimes someone is just a little too curious.

Sometimes people ask questions they wouldn’t normally ask or that they know they shouldn’t! Those kinds of uncomfortable questions shock you. In fact, you might be thinking, “Seriously?!? Did you just ask that?”

But in the moment, you feel worried or stressed about how you should deal with the question. It’s difficult to know what to do or say in your second language.

In today’s Confident English lesson, you’ll get several strategies of how to deal with uncomfortable questions and specific examples you can start using today.

__________________________________________________________________

★ ENGLISH CONFIDENCE & FLUENCY ONLINE

__________________________________________________________________

★ LEARN WITH ME

__________________________________________________________________

Hi, I’m Annemarie — an English teacher whose expertise is in spoken communication, confidence-building, and fluency. Everything I do at Speak Confident English is designed to help you get the confidence you want for your life and work in English. On my YouTube channel, I share weekly lessons with strategies, skills, and resources to help you:

● Have English conversations that are fun
● Communicate clearly without getting stuck
● Interview and get the job you want
● Share your opinions in a business meeting
● Make friends easily and start a conversation with anyone in English
● Go to the grocery store, order a coffee, and live in English, without stress
● Feel comfortable and confident with your voice in English

Thank you for watching my videos and trusting me to support you on your English confidence journey.

__________________________________________________________________

★ CONNECT WITH ME:

[happymunchkin]

May I have a request? By the way, love your videos. My request is that when you have a friend that every time you go out with them and they always talk bad about the other friends and you don’t want to hear about it and you don’t know what to tell her to stop in a nice way. I do like to spend time with her, but would like to talk about fun stuff or some events. Thank you in advance.

[brightphoebeuploads]

It's a problem even in your first language! I think new people use it as a way of gauging how strong your boundaries are. People can ask, it's up to us to decide whether to answer or not and how. In fact, it's an important thing to know, or people will take advantage of you and become even ruder.

[muminabegum]

I remember being asked a personal question by one of my Aunts during my older brother’s wedding last year lol!
She was sitting next to me in the marquee in our garden and started asking me things like,
So you’re 26 at the moment so are you ready for marriage?
And when I said “no, not yet, ” she asked:
Why is that?
Is it because your family are not allowing you to?
I then told her that I’m just not ready for it yet and she goes:
Do you ever stress about marriage or something?
I then said that I don’t feel comfortable talking about that and walked away with one of my friends.

[joseluischiquito]

I just told the intruder: I'm trying to leave this matter behind, I hope you'll be willing to help me.

[eumax-wz]

Thank you for this lesson. It is not only about English, these are good strategies in any language.

[mariateresacalvolorenzo]

Where I live I have learned what they do: when they ask you something you do not want to answer, you answer with something different or you remain silent, they may keep asking but not more than three times

[Laíspelomundo]

Sometimes curious people ask me why I don't have children or why I'm not married. I hate these kind of questions😤. Thanks for teach me how to answer some of those unconfortable questions

[yuyumie]

As a non native English speaker, i sometimes have trouble dealing w uncomfortable questions. Im so glad to discover ur video! And you’ve gained urself a new subscriber. Thanks so much Maam💗

[cjsrnrdptj]

the way you talk makes us feel very comfortable. today I first encountered the word "intrusive" I will try to use it over and over until I get used to it. thanks a million for uploading great lessons continuously. you are one of the best. god bless you

[pauloauditor]

You help a Lot of people with yours videos. Thank you.

[bizupsolutions]

This lesson is always I was seeking, your class is more than perfect and best lesson !!!

[jamesalexander]

Some people ask me: Why aren't you married? Why don't you have any kids? Why don't you have a girlfriend? All those questions make me uncomfortable. I'm tired of that!! This video is very helpful...Thankyou.

[rebeccafancon]

These are amazing thoughts or ways to deal with uncomfortable questions.. thanks Anne

[annagruszczynska]

My new phrase is " I am sealed ":) Thank you AM 😀

[Cydda]

What a great lesson! Thanks a lot for that!

[sonnalex]

I'm Haitian, I really like watching your videos, they're very helpful, I'd like to be part of a group of foreign student who are practicing English, so we could discuss about interesting things and at the same time improve our English.

[MYTHOMINHTRAN]

My response always as one can find here: ""Thank you for asking, I appreciate your interest. However, I prefer to keep that aspect of my life private for now. I hope you understand. Is there anything else you'd like to talk about?"

This response acknowledges the question while politely declining to answer. It also opens the door for the conversation to shift to a different topic, showing that you're still open to engaging with the person. Remember to maintain a friendly and respectful tone throughout the interaction!

[alexandroalmeida]

How fantastic class you've just given to us! You are such an amazing teacher. So much love from Brazil 🤗

[vijayashetkar]

Hi Annemarie mam,
It's a great lesson" How to deal with uncomfortable questions."
Sometimes I don't want to answer unwanted questions or infact I am not comfortable.
In this video you explained very nicely how to deal with that questions.
* Sorry, is it ok if we talk about something else or we change the subject?
* My lips are sealed on that.
* I don't really feel comfortable discussing that.
Thank you so much 😊

[haneenfares]

Actually I'm an Arabian girl that recently be a fan of you .
I watched many videos in your channel and it's really so helpful, what I do is translating your strategies in the way that fit our daily talking here in my country .
Sometimes I have a difficult situation and I don't know how to manage it or speak comfortably in front of someone like my teacher or someone else, can you help me to deal with that . Thanks in advance .
( sorry for my bad English )