How to answer a question that begins with “Do you mind ….”

If someone says “Do you mind opening the door for me?”, what do you say to him if you want to help him?

The correct answer should be, “No, not the least” if you want to help him.

If you say, “Of course, I will do it right away.”, you are contracting yourself. This is because you do mind opening the door, yet you say you will do it.

On the other hand, if you say “No, not the least” you mean you do not mind opening the door for him at all.

Hence, the next time anyone begins a question with “Do you mind ……”, you had better answer “No, not the least,” if you want to do as is asked and if you really do not want to do it, say “Yes.”

Examples of such questions are as follows:

1 Do you mind my sitting beside you?

2 Do you mind posting this letter for me?

3 Do you mind if I borrow your comb?

4 Do you mind paying for me first?

5 Do you mind doing this homework for me?