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Declining without damaging the relationship

I need to decline {{request}} from {{person}} without damaging the relationship.

I need to decline {{request}} from {{person}} without damaging the relationship. Write a reply: (1) first confirm I understood their need in one sentence; (2) say no clearly, give exactly one objective reason (time, resources, or authority) and do not over-explain; (3) offer an alternative or the part I can help with; (4) end without vague openings like 'maybe next time'. Under 150 words, and no excessive apologizing.

How to use it

Replace the {{variables}} with your own details, then paste the whole block into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or any other assistant. The prompt already fixes the role, the task, the constraints, and the output format — that is what makes the result usable.

Chinese version

我要拒绝 {{对方}} 提出的 {{请求}}，但不能损害关系。写一封回复。结构：1) 先确认我理解了他的需求（一句，证明我听懂了）；2) 明确说不，理由只给一个且是客观约束（时间/资源/权限），不解释过多；3) 给一个替代方案或我能提供的部分帮助；4) 结尾不留「下次再说」这类模糊余地。全文不超过 200 字，不用「非常抱歉」「深感遗憾」这类过度道歉。

FAQ

What is this prompt for?

I need to decline {{request}} from {{person}} without damaging the relationship.

Do I need to pay to use it?

No — this prompt is in the free tier and is shown in full.

Does it work with any AI model?

Yes. It is plain text, so it works with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and any other assistant.

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