1. "Nevermind, I'll just do it myself." 

 

Marriage pro¹ tip: When you ask your spouse² to call the plumber³ to fix the sink, give him a chance to do it. Rolling your eyes and saying, "nevermind, I'll do it myself" may result in you getting your sink fixed⁴ sooner, but it's also likely to rub your spouse the wrong way. 

 

2. "You should have known." 

 

You're setting yourself up for disappointment if you expect your hubby to decipher every last gesture and statement you make, said Ryan Howes, a clinical psychologist based in Pasadena, California.

 

3. "Do you think she's hot?" 

 

Do you really want to know your husband's thoughts about an attractive woman? Probably not - plus, you're putting your spouse in an uncomfortable, no-win situation, said Kurt Smith, a therapist who specializes in counseling men.

 

4. "We need to talk." 

 

No four words strike fear into a married man's heart quite like "we need to talk." Opt⁵ for something less ominous⁶ sounding the next time you bring up an issue, said Marcia Naomi Berger, a therapist and author of Marriage Meetings for Lasting⁷ Love: 30 Minutes a Week to the Relationship You've Always Wanted.

 

5. "Man up." 

 

Seriously? There's no right or wrong way to be a man. For your spouse's sake, let your gender⁸ expectations go and try to have a civil conversation.

 

6. "Pick up after yourself. I'm not your mother." 

 

There are better ways to encourage your spouse to put his dirty socks in the hamper⁹ than telling him you're tired of feeling like his mom.

 

7. "You never, you should have, you ought to..." 

 

Sorry, but chiding¹⁰ your spouse about how he never does the dishes (or takes out the trash or drives the kids to school) isn't likely to inspire change, Berger said.

 

8. "You've put on a few pounds lately, huh?" 

 

Instead of pointing out changes in your spouse's appearance, be supportive and tell him you'd love if he joined you at your cycle class sometime, said Becky Whetstone, a Little Rock, Arkansas-based therapist.

 

9. "You're going out with the guys again?" 

 

Don't look at Fantasy Football meet-ups and golf trips as threats to your marriage. It's quite the opposite, actually; some time apart will likely do your relationship good, Howes said.

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