I hate to complain, but…
Neutral Polite
What it really means
The classic British complaint opener in restaurants, shops and hotels. The person genuinely dislikes complaining — but a real complaint is coming, and they would like it fixed.
Chinese explanation
在餐厅、商店、酒店投诉时的经典开场白。说话人确实不爱投诉——但接下来就是正式投诉，而且希望你解决。
Example conversation
A: I hate to complain, but this soup is stone cold.
B: I'm so sorry — I'll bring you a fresh one right away.
A：我实在不想抱怨，但这碗汤完全是凉的。
B：非常抱歉——我马上给您换一份热的。
What you could say back
Related phrases
All Politeness Decoder
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake