Using "mind" to ask for somebody's help and to offer help to somebody

Question

Hi:

Can we use "mind" both for asking for somebody's help/favour and for offering help to somebody?

Please look at the following examples:

1) Would you mind opening the window?

1.1) Would you mind opening the window for me?

1.2) Would you mind me opening the window for you?

Questions: 1) In #1, am I asking the other person to do that for me?, 2) In 1.1, I'm asking for the other person's help. I'm asking/requesting him to help me by opening the window for me. In 1.2, I'm offering help to him/her. I will open the window for them. Is my understanding of those sentences correct?

And how about this? 1.3) I wonder if you'd mind taking a picture of us. Might it be an appropriate way of asking someone for their help?

Thank you!

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

LaboriousCan we use "mind" both for asking for somebody's help/favour and for offering help to somebody?

No.

LaboriousWould you mind opening the window?

You're asking someone to open the window for you.

LaboriousWould you mind opening the window for me?

You're asking someone to open the window for you.

LaboriousWould you mind me opening the window for you?

You're asking someone if you can open the window for them.

This one is a little strange. It brings to mind someone struggling to open a window. You watch this for a while, but you're getting tired of watching them struggle — maybe it's getting on your nerves — so you ask if you can open the window for them.

It would be more appropriate here to offer help:

Would you like some help with that window?

LaboriousI wonder if you'd mind taking a picture of us.

That's fine. Just be sure you understand that if they reply "Not at all", it doesn't mean they won't take the picture. It means they will take the picture. They don't mind doing that.

CJ

Using "mind" to ask for somebody's help and to offer help to somebody

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