Chinese For Dummies (38 page)

Nǐ yǐ jīng zài zhèr duō jiǔ le?
你已经在这儿多久了
? (
你已經在這兒多久了
?) (nee ee-jeeng dzye jar dwaw jyoe luh?) (
How long have you been here already?
)

Tā shì shéi?
他
/
她是谁
? (
他
/
她是誰
?)
(tah shir shay?) (
Who is he/she?
)

Xiànzài jǐ diǎn zhōng?
现在几点钟
? (
現在幾點鐘
?)
(shyan-dzye jee dyan joong?) (
What time is it now?
)

You can also use the following responses to the questions in the preceding list if someone happens to approach you. These statements are the basics of small talk and really come in handy when you're learning a foreign language:

Duìbùqǐ.
对不起
. (
對不起
.)
(dway-boo-chee.) (
Excuse me.
)

Hěn bàoqiàn.
很抱歉
. (hun baow-chyan.) (
I'm so sorry.
)

Wǒ bùdǒng.
我不懂
. (waw boo-doong.) (
I don't understand.
)

Wǒ búrènshi tā.
我不认识他
/
她
. (
我不認識他
/
她
.) (waw boo-run-shir tah.) (
I don't know him/her.
)

Wǒ bùzhī dào.
我不知道
. (waw boo-jir daow.) (
I don't know.
)

Talkin' the Talk

Beverly doesn't have a watch and wants to know what time it is. She asks a man on the street. (Track 8)

Beverly:

Duìbùqǐ. Qǐngwèn, xiànzài jǐdiǎn zhōng?

dway-boo-chee. cheeng-one, shyan-dzye jee-dyan joong?

Excuse me. May I ask what time it is?

Man:

Xiànzài yī diǎn bàn.

shyan-dzye ee dyan bahn.

It's 1:30.

Beverly:

Hǎo. Xièxiè nǐ.

how. shyeh-shyeh nee.

Great. Thank you.

Man:

Bú kèqì.

boo kuh-chee.

You're welcome.

Beverly:

Máfán nǐ, sì lù chēzhàn zài nǎr?

mah-fahn nee, suh loo chuh-jahn dzye nar?

Sorry to trouble you again, but where's the #4 bus stop?

Man:

Chēzhàn jiù zài nàr.

chuh-jahn jyoe dzye nar.

The bus stop is just over there.

Beverly:

Hǎo. Xièxiè.

how. shyeh-shyeh.

Okay. Thanks.

Man:

Méi wèntí.

may one-tee.

No problem.

Posing simple introductory questions

The following is a list of simple questions you can use when you meet people. (To find out how to respond, or to talk about yourself, flip to
Chapter 4
.)

Nǐ huì jiǎng Zhōngwén ma?
你会讲中文吗
? (
你會講中文嗎
?) (nee hway jiahng joong-one mah?) (
Do you speak Chinese?
)

Nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?
你叫什么名字
? (
你叫甚麼名字
?)
(nee jyaow shummuh meeng-dzuh?) (
What's your name?
)

Nǐ jiéhūn le méiyǒu?
你结婚了没有
? (
你結婚了沒有
?) (nee jyeh-hwun luh mayo?) (
Are you married?
)

Nǐ niánjì duō dà?
你年纪多大
? (
你年紀多大
?) (nee nyan-jee dwaw dah?) (
How old are you?
)