Alex: Hey Nora, can we talk about something that’s been on my mind since yesterday?
Nora: Sure, Alex, what’s up? You sound a bit serious.

Alex: It’s about the group trip, I felt a bit hurt when you said my idea was “kind of pointless” in front of everyone.
Nora: Oh wow, I’m really sorry you felt hurt, I honestly didn’t realize it sounded that harsh.

Alex: I know you didn’t mean to be mean, but it came across like you were making fun of me.
Nora: I get that, from your side it probably sounded rude, and I can see why that bothered you.

Alex: The thing is, I was actually excited about that plan, so it felt like you shut it down immediately.
Nora: Yeah, I see your point, I was focused on the budget and I didn’t think about how you’d feel.

Alex: I’m not saying we have to do my idea, I just wanted it to be considered seriously.
Nora: That’s totally fair, you deserved a proper discussion, not a quick “no”.

Alex: To be honest, I went home thinking, “Maybe I shouldn’t suggest anything next time.”
Nora: That makes me sad to hear, because I actually value your ideas a lot.

Alex: Thanks, I appreciate that, I just needed you to know how it sounded from my side.
Nora: And I’m glad you told me instead of staying quiet and secretly being annoyed.

Alex: So, can you tell me what you were thinking in that moment? I want to understand your side too.
Nora: Honestly, I was stressed about money, and when you mentioned the cabin, my brain went straight to “too expensive”.

Alex: Okay, that makes sense, I didn’t realize you were that worried about the cost.
Nora: Yeah, I should have said, “I love the idea, but I’m not sure I can afford it,” instead of calling it pointless.

Alex: That would have sounded completely different, more like a real concern than a judgment.
Nora: Exactly, I agree, my choice of words was bad, and I take responsibility for that.

Alex: I appreciate you saying that, it helps a lot.
Nora: Of course, you’re my friend, I don’t want you to feel disrespected.

Alex: I still think the cabin idea could work if we found a cheaper one or split costs fairly.
Nora: I’m open to that, as long as we’re honest about what each person can really pay.

Alex: That sounds reasonable, maybe we can look at options together and see if it’s realistic.
Nora: Yeah, let’s do that, and if it’s too much, we can find a different plan that still feels special.

Alex: One more thing, I want us to be able to disagree without it feeling like an attack.
Nora: I completely agree, disagreement is fine, but I need to be more careful with how I say things.

Alex: And I’ll try not to take everything so personally right away, but I’ll speak up if something hurts.
Nora: That’s good, I’d rather you tell me what’s wrong than guess why you’re suddenly distant.

Alex: Same here, I don’t want us to pretend everything is okay when it isn’t.
Nora: Me neither, I think talking like this actually makes our friendship stronger.

Alex: I’m glad we had this conversation, I feel much better now.
Nora: Same, thank you for being honest and also for listening to my side.

Alex: So, no hard feelings? We’re still good, right?
Nora: Definitely, we’re good, and next time I’ll try to use my words more carefully.

Alex: And next time I’ll double-check before assuming you’re just trying to shoot me down.
Nora: Deal, now let’s grab a coffee and look for a cabin that doesn’t destroy our bank accounts.

Alex: That sounds like a plan, I’m in.
Nora: Cool, let’s go, “Team Honest but Respectful” to the rescue.

En este diálogo aparece un inglés muy útil para discutir de forma respetuosa.

Palabras relacionadas con emociones y conflicto:
Se usan verbos y expresiones como “I felt a bit hurt”, “it came across like you were making fun of me”, “I went home thinking…”, “I was actually excited about that plan”, “I don’t want you to feel disrespected”, “no hard feelings”.
“Came across” aquí significa dio la impresión de…, no literalmente “vino hacia”. “No hard feelings” es una expresión muy típica para decir “sin rencor”.

Lenguaje para reconocer la perspectiva del otro:
Aparecen frases como “from your side it probably sounded rude”, “I can see why that bothered you”, “I see your point”, “that makes sense”, “I want to understand your side too”.
“From your side” = desde tu punto de vista. “I see your point” = entiendo lo que quieres decir.

Lenguaje de responsabilidad y disculpa:
Muy importantes expresiones como “I’m really sorry”, “I take responsibility for that”, “my choice of words was bad”, “I should have said…”.
“Toma de responsabilidad”: no se culpa a otra cosa, se reconoce el fallo.

Lenguaje de negociación y solución:
Frases como “I’m not saying we have to do my idea”, “I just wanted it to be considered seriously”, “I’m open to that”, “as long as we’re honest”, “see if it’s realistic”, “if it’s too much, we can find a different plan”.
“Realistic” en este contexto es “viable / asumible”, no solo “realista” en abstracto.

Lenguaje para hablar de la amistad de forma explícita:
“You’re my friend”, “I actually value your ideas a lot”, “I don’t want you to feel disrespected”, “I think talking like this actually makes our friendship stronger”.
Es muy típico en inglés verbalizar lo que significa la relación para suavizar el conflicto.

Abrir la conversación difícil:
“Can we talk about something that’s been on my mind since yesterday?”
“Been on my mind” = me ha estado rondando la cabeza. Es una forma suave de introducir un tema delicado.

Describir cómo te sentiste sin atacar:
“I felt a bit hurt when you said…”
“It came across like you were making fun of me.”
Se habla en primera persona (“I felt…”) y se usa “came across” (la forma en que se percibió), en vez de “you were making fun of me” como acusación directa.

Reconocer el impacto de las palabras:
“I didn’t realize it sounded that harsh.”
“I can see why that bothered you.”
“Harsh” aquí es “duro, brusco”. Son frases muy potentes para validar lo que sintió la otra persona.

Expresar la propia intención y contexto:
“I was focused on the budget and I didn’t think about how you’d feel.”
“I was stressed about money… my brain went straight to ‘too expensive’.”
Esto separa la intención (no quería hacer daño) del efecto (te dolió).

Reformular lo que se podría haber dicho:
“I should have said, ‘I love the idea, but I’m not sure I can afford it’ instead of calling it pointless.”
Este patrón “I should have said X instead of Y” es muy útil para reparar el daño.

Cuidar la relación mientras se discrepa:
“I still think the cabin idea could work…”
“I’m open to that, as long as…”
“Disagreement is fine, but I need to be more careful with how I say things.”
Se mantiene la diferencia de opiniones pero se cuida el tono.

Cerrar en positivo:
“I’m glad we had this conversation”, “we’re still good, right?”, “next time I’ll try to use my words more carefully”, “Team Honest but Respectful”.
Estas frases ayudan a confirmar que la amistad sigue intacta.

Uso de PASADO SIMPLE para hechos concretos y recuerdos:
“It’s about the group trip, I felt a bit hurt when you said my idea was ‘kind of pointless’.”
“I went home thinking…”
Se narra lo que pasó y cómo se vivió en ese momento concreto.

Uso de PRESENTE SIMPLE para opiniones generales y deseos:
“I actually value your ideas a lot.”
“I don’t want you to feel disrespected.”
“I want us to be able to disagree without it feeling like an attack.”
Aquí el presente simple expresa algo estable, no algo puntual.

Uso de MODALES para matizar y suavizar:
“I’m not saying we have to do my idea.”
“That would have sounded completely different.”
“Maybe we can look at options together.”
“I’ll try not to take everything so personally.”
Los modales (would, can, will, might) permiten sugerir, imaginar y comprometerse sin sonar agresivo.

Uso de CONDICIONALES suaves:
“If we found a cheaper one or split costs fairly.”
“If it’s too much, we can find a different plan.”
“If for any reason something changes again, we can always adjust once more.”
Son condicionales de tipo 1, muy prácticos para hablar de posibles soluciones.

Uso de EXPRESIONES DE HONESTIDAD Y VULNERABILIDAD:
“To be honest, I went home thinking…”
“I just needed you to know how it sounded from my side.”
“I’ll speak up if something hurts.”
“To be honest” se usa mucho para introducir algo más sincero o delicado.

Enfoque en el “yo siento” en vez del “tú hiciste”:
Frases como “I felt hurt”, “it came across like…” son típicas del inglés en conversaciones de resolución de conflictos. En vez de “me hiciste esto”, se habla de la propia experiencia emocional, lo que suele generar menos defensividad en la otra persona.

Separar intención y efecto:
Es muy habitual aclarar la intención: “I know you didn’t mean to be mean”, “I didn’t think about how you’d feel”.
Se reconoce que, aunque la intención no fuera mala, el efecto sí dolió, y ambos elementos importan.

Humor suave al final:
El remate “Team Honest but Respectful” y lo de ir a buscar una cabaña “que no destruya nuestras cuentas bancarias” usan humor para cerrar el conflicto. Culturalmente, el humor ligero al final de una conversación seria ayuda a “sellar” la reconciliación.

Normalizar el desacuerdo:
Frases como “I completely agree, disagreement is fine”, “I don’t want us to pretend everything is okay when it isn’t” muestran una idea muy anglosajona: el conflicto no es un tabú, se puede hablar de él abiertamente si se hace con respeto.

Estructura útil para hablar de algo que te ha molestado:
Primero, abrir el tema con suavidad:
“Can we talk about something that’s been on my mind?”

Segundo, describir lo que pasó y cómo te sentiste en primera persona:
“I felt a bit hurt when you said…”
“It came across like you were making fun of me.”

Tercero, aclarar que no quieres atacar:
“I know you didn’t mean to be mean, but from my side it sounded a bit harsh.”

Cuarto, escuchar la otra versión:
“Can you tell me what you were thinking in that moment? I want to understand your side too.”

Quinto, buscar soluciones:
“I still think [mi idea] could work if…, but I’m open to something different too.”
“Maybe we can look at options together and see if it’s realistic.”

Frases que merece la pena memorizar:
Para expresar tu dolor sin acusar:
“I just wanted it to be considered seriously.”
“I needed you to know how it sounded from my side.”

Para pedir respeto en el desacuerdo:
“I want us to be able to disagree without it feeling like an attack.”

Para cerrar bien la conversación:
“I’m glad we had this conversation, I feel much better now.”
“So, no hard feelings? We’re still good, right?”

En una situación de discutir con un amigo de forma respetuosa en inglés te conviene:
Usar lenguaje centrado en ti mismo (“I felt…”, “it came across like…”) en lugar de acusar directamente.
Reconocer la perspectiva del otro (“I see your point”, “that makes sense”) y, si eres tú quien se equivocó, usar frases de responsabilidad (“my choice of words was bad”, “I take responsibility for that”).
Terminar reafirmando la amistad (“we’re still good, right?”, “this makes our friendship stronger”) y, si puedes, añadir un toque de humor ligero.