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。