One displays class—or a lack thereof—in many ways.

And one of the quickest ways to tell if someone has class is by how they speak. Language reflects how we are raised in the world and how we view it.

People with class tend to speak more deliberately. They opt to use more sophisticated and thoughtful language, no matter the situation.

To be more specific, I’ve noticed these 11 phrases only sophisticated people use, according to psychology. So, if you want to start speaking more classily, read on so you know what to do!

1) “If I may disagree”

Classy people tend to be influential and well-known. They meet and speak to new people constantly. Of course, this means that they will inevitably run into differing opinions.

Being able to navigate disagreements with grace and comfort while still building rapport is a hallmark of classy socializing skills. 

And so, you’ll often find classy people saying things like “If I may disagree,” or “Allow me to disagree,” or “May I offer a different perspective?”

Notice how they explicitly request the opportunity to offer a different opinion. They don’t just spill it out without any forewarning. This ensures that the conversation remains respectful despite the tension caused by the disagreement.

After all, people are typically not offended by differing opinions. What they dislike is how aggressive or self-righteous someone can be when disagreeing. 

2) “Thanks for sharing your perspective”

On the flip side, here’s how classy people respond when they are the ones who are bombarded with a dissenting opinion.

While they might feel the urge to roll their eyes or shake their head (or groan in frustration), you’ll see them listening intently. Then, they’ll say something like the phrase above.

They just won’t look away and say, “Whatever!” or “Believe what you want to believe.”

After all, they still want to be on good terms with everybody. They understand that it’s rarely a good idea to burn bridges, so they remain open-minded and respectful to everyone. 

3) “Oh my goodness.”

Writer, entrepreneur, and stylist Tanesha Westcarr argues cuss words just aren’t classy.

“Am I saying that people who swear are not classy? YES! To utter a swear word is to betray the classy image you project. True class emulates without having to shout it from the rooftops.”

Now, I personally won’t go as far as to say that a cuss here and there will strip you of your classy card. But it is true that the classiest of people rarely use expletives, if at all.

They prefer to keep things PG in most cases. They do this to showcase emotional self-control.

Thus, they tend to use:

• “Oh my goodness” instead of “Oh my god”;
• “Darn it” instead of “God damn it”;
• “Gosh!” instead of “Shit!”

4) “Is everything alright?”

People tend to greet each other with phrases like “Hey!” or “What’s up?”

Of course, these are perfectly fine phrases to use. They’re casual and warm. People use them to signal that they are comfortable and familiar with one another.

However, if you want to appear more sophisticated, you can use other phrases as salutations.

“Is everything well?” or “How do you do?” work great. They’re just a tad more formal but aren’t pretentiously so.

They sound more formal because it’s actually an old phrase. The explanation goes as follows:

“Originally, in the 1600s, this expression was an inquiry after a person’s health or standing, how do you do meaning “How do you fare?” Today, we usually express this as How are you? How are you doing? How is it? How’s it going?”

5) “You have my appreciation”

Respectfulness and politeness are core pillars of classiness. They never shirk when saying thank you to someone. This is why you’ll often notice them going beyond simply saying “thanks” or “thank you.”

They’ll use phrases like “You have my appreciation,” “Thank you, I truly appreciate it,” or “You have my utmost gratitude.”

My boss used to do this a lot. At first, I thought she was overreacting. Or that she was just playing the game of office politics by getting on everyone’s good side.

But eventually, it dawned on me that she really meant it. 

I could see it in her body language. I could hear it in the tone of her voice. (I’ll also take this opportunity to remind you that body language and tone of voice are just as important as the words you use!).

No wonder everyone at the office liked her.

6) “I look forward to our meeting”

It took me a while to realize that my boss also inserted some variation of this phrase in almost every email or text message she sent. I also noticed that almost everyone else didn’t do this.

While it’s only a few words at the end of an email, including this phrase ensures that the conversation ends on a polite and positive note. 

It’s particularly helpful when the topic of the message involves some tension. For example, she would do this whenever she is:

• Telling us to revise our work;
• Asking us to explain a delay in the project;
• Expressing rejection of our request.

It ensures that the other person still feels valued and respected, even if the conversation at hand is serious. It allowed her to maintain rapport with everyone in the office.

7) “I’m sorry, could you please repeat that?”

In today’s world, not only are attention spans getting shorter and shorter, but daily life is getting busier and faster-paced, too. It’s no wonder we sometimes mishear what another person is saying as we rush through the day.

However, despite being in a rush, classy people still make it a point to remain classy. If they don’t hear someone correctly, they won’t just reply with a “what?” or a “huh?”

They’ll be as polite and deliberate as they always are and politely ask someone to repeat themselves.

In addition to avoiding miscommunication, this shows that you think what the other person said is important and worth understanding well.

8) “If I may introduce myself”

Instead of simply saying “Hi, I’m…”, you can ask people if you can introduce yourself to them in the first place. 

Again, by explicitly asking for consent, you’ll seem more polite and therefore, classier.

After all, first impressions are everything when it comes to new people. If their first impression of you is that you’re polite, respectful, and classy, then you’re setting yourself up for a successful conversation. 

9) “I’m presuming that…”

While some may think that using the word “presume” is over the top or too old-fashioned, it can definitely make you seem more sophisticated.

Instead of using common phrases like “I believe…” or “I think…” or “I feel like…” using “I presume…” does three main things:

1. It’’s a subtle way for you to flex your vocabulary (and intelligence).
2. You’re showing that you’re basing your statement on prior information. You’re not just guessing or assuming based on your preexisting biases. This makes you seem like a more logical and grounded thinker.
3. You’re implying that you’re open to having your mind changed.

10) “I’ve come to the conclusion that…”

If you want to appear more firm in expressing your opinion, you can use this phrase instead. 

By saying that you’ve come to a conclusion, you’re telling the other person that you’ve carefully considered relevant information. Your opinion is founded on facts and is far from arbitrary.

You’ve weighed the other options and other people’s beliefs, but this is what you’ll ultimately believe in. It’s just like the phrase “I presume…”

Again, this shows that you value logical reasoning over pure emotions when it comes to your opinions. If the other person does disagree with you, they’ll be far more likely to understand where you’re coming from.

Of course, you’ll appear smarter, too—and thus more sophisticated.

11) “Experience makes me think that…”

People often equate experience and mastery over a certain subject with sophistication. That’s why people view professors, doctors, and scientists as very sophisticated people.

But you don’t need to be highly educated to exude class. If you’re a relatively more normal person like me, you can simply use the phrase above before stating your opinion.

By saying that you have enough experience to be firm in your belief, the other person will likely develop more respect for you. They just might end up agreeing with you too. 

It’s also a great way to insert yourself into a conversation without dominating the whole exchange. So, if your friend is sharing a story, you can quickly share something about your experience before letting them continue.

To sum up

Changing up your language even just slightly can have profound effects on how other people see you. In turn, this can change how you develop and form connections with other people. 

It may feel weird at first to speak a tad more formally than usual. But I think the effort is well worth it, especially, for example, in professional spaces.

Remember that classiness goes beyond sophistication, though. At its core, being classy means being kind, respectful, and polite.

So even if you use these phrases but remain impolite in other ways (such as your tone of voice and body language), nobody will buy it. They’ll still think you’re rude and off-putting.