Good Manners 禮貌 (2)
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Key words of the day
Excuse me, I have a call to answer. 不好意思,我接個電話。Sorry to interrupt.對不起,打斷一下。Can I have a word with you? 可以和你説幾句話嗎?Certainly, go ahead. 當然可以了,説吧。
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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,我接個電話.
B: 沒關係。
…. (Brendan you’re talking with others…)
Y: Brendan, 對不起,打斷一下…
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: 對不起,打斷一下。
B: 沒關係,什麼事?
A:這是給你的快件。
B:好的,謝謝。
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 可以和你説幾句話嗎?
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: 對不起,打斷一下。可以和你説幾句話嗎?
B: 當然可以了。説吧。
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 “當然可以了,説吧。”
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: 可以和你説幾句話嗎?
B: 當然可以了。説吧。