Lesson32: Language Difficulties

Language difficulties always happen to non-native speakers. Moreover, not all people can speak English well. Let's say, in one situation where an old lady comes to you asking about something, and a language difficulty arises.

Old lady: 你好..!@#$%^& (in Chinese language and you understand only 你好)

*你好 (ni hao | ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄠˇ) = is used as a greeting, can also mean "How are you?"

To reply 你好 (ni hao | ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄠˇ) is 你好 (ni hao | ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄠˇ) itself.

Here are some other replies that can be used:

*You can add Sorry = 對不起 (dui bu qi | ㄉㄨㄟˋ ㄅㄨˋ ㄑㄧˇ) in front of the sentence if necessary.

Can you speak English? = 你會說英文嗎? (ni hui shuo yingwen ma? | ㄋㄧˇ ㄏㄨㄟˋ ㄕㄨㄛ 一ㄥ ㄨㄣˊ ㄇㄚ?)

*English = 英文 (yingwen | 一ㄥ ㄨㄣˊ)

I don't understand Chinese = 我不懂中文 (wo bu dong zhongwen | ㄨㄛˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄉㄨㄥˇ ㄓㄨㄥ ㄨㄣˊ)

*Chinese = 中文 (zhongwen | ㄓㄨㄥ ㄨㄣˊ)

I don't understand = 我不懂 (wo bu dong | ㄨㄛˇ ㄅㄨˋ ㄉㄨㄥˇ)

*不 (bu | ㄅㄨˋ) = no (negative)

*懂 (dong | ㄉㄨㄥˇ) = to understand

Can you write it down for me? = 可以寫給我嗎? (keyi xie gei wo ma? | ㄎㄜˇ ㄧˇ ㄒㄧㄝˇ ㄍㄟˇ ㄨㄛˇ ㄇㄚ?)

*write = 寫 (xie | ㄒㄧㄝˇ)

Can you say it one more time? = 可以再說一次嗎? (keyi zai shuo yici ma? | ㄎㄜˇ ㄧˇ ㄗㄞˋ ㄕㄨㄛ 一 ㄘˋ ㄇㄚ?)

*說 (shuo | ㄕㄨㄛ) = to say, to speak

*one more time = 再一次 (zai yi ci | ㄗㄞˋ 一 ㄘˋ)

Lesson31: Internet

"Internet" in the Chinese language is 網路 (wang lu | ㄨㄤˇ ㄌㄨˋ)

You may want to use the internet to send email, but you don't have an internet connection in your room. In this situation, you may want to find an Internet cafe = 網吧 (wang ba | ㄨㄤˇ ㄅㄚ).

Where is the Internet cafe? = 網吧在哪裡? (wangba zai na li? | ㄨㄤˇ ㄅㄚ ㄗㄞˋ ㄋㄚˇ ㄌ一ˇ?)

Is there any Internet cafe around here? = 這附近有網吧嗎? (zhe fujin you wangba ma? | ㄓㄜˋ ㄈㄨˋ ㄐㄧㄣˋ 一ㄡˇ ㄨㄤˇ ㄅㄚ ㄇㄚ?)

Nearby here = 這附近 (zhe fu jin | ㄓㄜˋ ㄈㄨˋ ㄐ一ㄣˋ)

In another case, you will probably go somewhere that has a wireless internet connection.

Wireless Internet = 無線網路 (wu xian wang lu | ㄨˊ ㄒㄧㄢˋ ㄨㄤˇ ㄌㄨˋ)

Is there any wireless internet here? = 這裡有無線網路嗎? (zhe li you wuxian wanglu ma? | ㄓㄜˋ ㄌ一ˇ 一ㄡˇ ㄨˊ ㄒㄧㄢˋ ㄨㄤˇ ㄌㄨˋ ㄇㄚ?)

Here = 這裡 (zhe li | ㄓㄜˋ ㄌ一ˇ)

Some wireless internet connections may require a password = 密碼 (mi ma | ㄇㄧˋ ㄇㄚˇ)

What is the password? = 密碼是什麼? (mi ma shi sheme? | ㄇㄧˋ ㄇㄚˇ ㄕˋ ㄕㄜˊ ㄇㄜ?)

To ask if the wireless internet connection is FREE = 免費 (mian fei | ㄇㄧㄢˇ ㄈㄟˋ), you will say

Is the wireless internet connection free of charge? = 無線網路是免費嗎? (wuxian wanglu shi mianfei ma? | ㄨˊ ㄒㄧㄢˋ ㄨㄤˇ ㄌㄨˋ ㄕˋ ㄇㄧㄢˇ ㄈㄟˋ ㄇㄚ?)

Just in case the wireless internet connection is NOT free, you may want to ask about the fee per hour.

How much is for one hour? = 一個小時多少錢? (yi ge xiaoshi duoshaoqian? | 一 ㄍㄜ ㄒㄧㄠˇ ㄕˊ ㄉㄨㄛ ㄕㄠˇ ㄑㄧㄢˊ?)

Hour = 小時 (xiao shi | ㄒㄧㄠˇ ㄕˊ)

How much money? = 多少錢? (duo shao qian? | ㄉㄨㄛ ㄕㄠˇ ㄑㄧㄢˊ?)

Lesson30: Let me think about it

"Let me think about it." You may say this whenever you are unsure about your decision. It literally means "YES," "NO," or "UNDECIDED." However, it will mean something different in Chinese society. Chinese people will consider that a "no" or a rejection.

It happens in a situation, for example, shopping. If you want to reject the offer, just simply say "Let me think about it," which sounds softer than "No".

Let me think about it = 我先考慮 (wo xian kaolu | ㄨㄛˇ ㄒㄧㄢ ㄎㄠˇ ㄌㄩˋ)

*考慮 (kaolu | ㄎㄠˇ ㄌㄩˋ) = to think, to consider

On the other hand, say YES or OK to accept.

YES = 是 (shi | ㄕˋ)

OK = 好 (hao | ㄏㄠˇ)