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Good Manners 礼貌 (2)

China PlusPublished: 2017-10-16 13:40:44
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Key words of the day

Excuse me, I have a call to answer.不好意思,我接个电话。Sorry to interrupt.对不起,打断一下。Can I have a word with you?可以和你说几句话吗?Certainly, go ahead.当然可以了,说吧。

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B: Yajie, let’s say we’re having a meeting, and someone calls my mobile phone. How do I say “Excuse me, I have a call to answer.” in Chinese?

Y: You can say bu4 hao3 yi4 si, wo3 jie1 ge4 dian4 hua4.

B: bu4 hao3 yi4 si.wo3 jie1 ge4 dian4 hua4.

Y: bu4 hao3 yi4 si literally means feel embarrassed. Here it means excuse me.

B: bu4 hao3 yi4 si.

Y: wo3 means I,

B: wo3.

Y: jie1 means answer a call,

B: jie1.

Y: ge4 is short for yi2 ge4, which means one,

B: ge4.

Y: dian4 hua4 means phone call,

B: dian4 hua4.

Y: wo3 jie1 ge4 dian4 hua4

B: wo3 jie1 ge4 dian4 hua4 I have a call to answer.

Y: Now let’s repeat the whole sentence…bu4 hao3 yi4 si.wo3 jie1 ge4 dian4 hua4.

B: bu4 hao3 yi4 si.wo3 jie1 ge4 dian4 hua4. Excuse me, I have a phone call to answer.

Conversation 1:

A:不好意思,我接个电话.

B:没关系。

…. (Brendan you’re talking with others…)

Y: Brendan,对不起,打断一下…

B: Yajie, what does that mean?

Y: It means Sorry to interrupt.

B: I see…It’s okay. What’s it in Chinese again?

Y: it’s dui4 bu4 qi3, da3 duan4 yi2 xia4.

B: dui4 bu4 qi3, da3 duan4 yi2 xia4.

Y: dui4 bu4 qi3 means sorry,

B: dui4 bu4 qi3,

Y: da3 duan4 means interrupt,

B: da3 duan4,

Y: yi2 xia4 means very short time,

B: yi2 xia4

Y: dui4 bu4 qi3, da3 duan4 yi2 xia4.

B: dui4 bu4 qi3, da3 duan4 yi2 xia4. Sorry to interrupt.

Conversation 2:

A:对不起,打断一下。

B:没关系,什么事?

A:这是给你的快件。

B:好的,谢谢。

B: Yajie, dui4 bu4 qi3, da3 duan4 yi2 xia4…

Y: haha, you already know how to use it…

B: Can I have a word with you? …How do I say it in Chinese?

Y: I see… you mean you want to know how to say “Can I have a word with you” in Chinese?

B: Exactly.

Y: no problem. It’s 可以和你说几句话吗?

B: ke2 yi3 he2 ni3 shuo1 ji3 ju4 hua4 ma?

Y: ke2 yi3 means can I,

B: ke2 yi3,

Y: he2 ni3 means with you,

B: he2 ni3,

Y: shuo1 means to speak,

B: shuo1,

Y: ji3 ju4 hua4 means some words,

B: ji3 ju4 hua4

Y: ke2 yi3 he2 ni3 shuo1 ji3 ju4 hua4 ma?

B: ke2 yi3 he2 ni3 shuo1 ji3 ju4 hua4 ma? Can I have a word with you?

Conversation 3:

A:对不起,打断一下。可以和你说几句话吗?

B:当然可以了。说吧。

B: If someone asks me “Can I have a word with you?” How do I say “Certainly, go ahead” in Chinese?

Y: you can say “当然可以了,说吧。”

B: dang1 ran2 ke2 yi3 le, shuo1 ba.

Y: dang1 ran2 means certainly,

B: dang1 ran2

Y: ke2 yi3 means you can,

B: ke2 yi3,

Y: shuo1 ba means go ahead,

B: shuo1 ba.

Y: dang1 ran2 ke2 yi3 le, shuo1 ba

B: dang1 ran2 ke2 yi3 le, shuo1 ba Certainly, go ahead.

Conversation 4:

A:可以和你说几句话吗?

B:当然可以了。说吧。

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