Chinese For Dummies (37 page)

Chapter 7

Getting to Know You:Making Small Talk

In This Chapter

Exchanging friendly banter with someone you just met

Yakking on the job

Sharing information about your home

S
mall talk can really break the ice when you're interacting with someone you've just met or barely know. It's how you get to know someone, have a brief chat with the man sitting next to you on the plane, or get acquainted with the folks you'll be working with. This chapter helps you master a few key phrases and questions you can use to establish a relationship.

Xiánliáo
闲聊
(
閒聊
) (shyan-lyaow) means
small talk
in Chinese.
Xiántán
闲谈
(
閒談
) (shyan-tahn) is
to chat.
Either term does the trick.

Establishing a Connection

A surefire way of initiating a conversation is to ask someone a question. Here are some basic question words to keep in mind as you approach the moment of acquaintance:

Duō jiǔ?
多久
? (dwaw jyoe?) (
For how long?
)

Shéi?
谁
? (
誰
?) (shay?) (
Who?
)

Shénme?
什么
? (
甚麼
?) (shummuh?) (
What?
)

Shénme shíhòu?
什么时候
? (
甚麼時候
?) (shummuh shir-ho?) (
When?
)

Wèishénme?
为什么
? (
為甚麼
?) (way-shummuh?) (
Why?
)

Zài nǎr?
在哪儿
?
(
在哪兒
?)
(dzye nar?) (
Where?
)

Zěnme?
怎么
? (
怎麼
?) (dzummuh?) (
How?
)

Here are a few examples of how to use these question words in simple sentences; sometimes you can also use some of the words on their own, just as in English:

Cèsuǒ zài nǎr?
厕所在
哪
儿
? (
廁所在哪兒
?) (tsuh-swaw dzye nar?) (
Where's the bathroom?
)

Jǐ diǎn zhōng?
几点钟
? (
幾點鐘
?) (jee dyan joong?) (
What time is it?
)

Nǐ shénme shíhòu chī fàn?
你什么时候吃饭
? (
你甚麼時候吃飯
?) (nee shummuh shir-ho chir fahn?) (
When do you eat?
)

Nǐ wèishénme yào qù Zhōngguó?
你为什么要去中国
? (
你為甚麼要去中國
?) (nee way-shummuh yaow chyew joong-gwaw?) (
Why do you want to go to China?
)

Nǐ yào shénme?
你要什么
? (
你要甚麼
?)
(nee yaow shummuh?) (
What would you like?
)

Nǐ zěnme yàng?
你怎么样
? (
你怎麼樣
?) (nee dzummuh yahng?) (
How's it going?
)