Standard Chinese, a modular approach. Meeting Module, Unit 3, Comprehension Tape 1.
The situations on this tape are set in the ROC. On this tape, you'll learn questions and answers used in inviting someone to a private house.
James Franklin, an American businessman in Taipei, is talking with an official at his bank.
Section Chief Wang, are you free Saturday of next week?
I was thinking of inviting you and your wife to come to our house for a simple meal.
我想請您和您夫人到我們家來吃個便飯。
Here's how you say Saturday of next week.
下個星期六
The phrase 下個星期六 refers to the Saturday of next week. The Saturday of this week would be 下個星期六.
See the reference notes for further discussion.
Here's the verb to eat.
吃.吃.
And here's the word for a simple or informal meal.
便飯.便飯.
In the invitation you just heard, the verb 吃 is followed by a specific object.便飯.
When there isn't a specific object, the verb 吃 must be followed by the general object 飯, which literally means cooked rice.
The sequence 吃飯 is translated simply to eat, not to eat rice, just as the sequence 念書 is translated simply to study, not to study books.
Here's the invitation live.
黃課長,您下個星期六有功夫嗎?我想請您和您夫人到我們家來吃個便飯。
Again.
黃課長,您下個星期六有功夫嗎?我想請您和您夫人到我們家來吃個便飯。
Check your comprehension.
黃課長,您下個星期六有功夫嗎?
Section Chief Huang, are you free Saturday of next week?
我想請您和您夫人到我們家來吃個便飯。
I was thinking of inviting you and your wife to come to our house for a simple meal.
The conversation continues.
Why is it necessary to be so polite?
因何必這麼客氣?
It's not politeness.
不是客氣。
Here's how you say, why is it necessary?
何必。
The element 必, you'll recognize from the phrase 不必, not necessary.
And the element 和 is an old word for why.
The Chinese phrase 不是客氣 means it's not politeness in the sense of I really want to do it.
Listen to the exchange live.
因何必這麼客氣?
不是客氣。
Again.
因何必這麼客氣?
不是客氣。
Check your comprehension.
因何必這麼客氣?
Why is it necessary to be so polite?
不是客氣。
It's not politeness.
Here's what Mr. Franklin says next.
我有一個朋友剛從美國來。
The conversation continues.
She's teaching economics at Taiwan University right now.
她現在在台灣大學交經濟學。
I very much want to introduce the two of you.
我很想給你們兩位介紹介紹。
Here's the verb to teach, followed by a specific subject.
I really want to introduce the two of you.
Followed by a specific subject.
交經濟學。
When no specific subject is mentioned, to teach is 教書, just as to study is 面書。
Here's how you say the two of you or you too.
你們兩位。
你們兩位。Check your reference notes for more complicated examples of a number phrase following nouns or pronouns.
Here's the verb to introduce,介紹介紹。
You'll notice that words referring to the people being introduced to each other are put before the verb with the prepositional verb 給。
給你們兩位介紹。
Listen to all the remarks live.
我有一個朋友剛從美國來,他現在在臺灣大學交經濟學。
我很想給你們兩位介紹介紹。
Again,我有一個朋友剛從美國來,他現在在臺灣大學交經濟學。
我很想給你們兩位介紹介紹。
Check your comprehension.
我有一個朋友剛從美國來,他現在在臺灣大學交經濟學。
She's teaching economics at Taiwan University right now.
我很想給你們兩位介紹介紹。
I very much want to introduce the two of you.
The conversation continues.
That's wonderful.
那太好了。
I very much wish to talk with her.
很希望跟她談談。
In this exchange, the expression 太好了 means exceedingly good rather than excessively good.
The adverb 太 is often used this way.
Here's the verb to wish to or to look forward to.
希望。
You've also seen this verb with the meaning to hope to.
Listen to the remarks live.
那太好了。很希望跟她談談。
Again.
那太好了。很希望跟她談談。
Check your comprehension.
那太好了。
That's wonderful.
很希望跟她談談。
I very much wish to talk with her.
The conversation continues.
However, I'm afraid that my English isn't good enough.
不過恐怕我的英文不行。
Here's the adverb however or but.
不過。
The adverb 不過 is usually interchangeable with the adverb 可說 and is therefore more frequent than the English however.
Here's the verb for to be afraid that.
恐怕。
Here's the comment live.
不过恐怕我的英文不行。
Again.
不过恐怕我的英文不行。
Check your comprehension.
不过恐怕我的英文不行。
However, I'm afraid that my English isn't good enough.
The conversation continues.
Not only don't I speak well, but sometimes I can't understand what I hear either.
不但说得不好,有时候也听不懂。
Here's how you say, not only.
不但。
Here's how you say, sometimes.
有时候。
You may also add the marker 得,有的时候。
And here's how you say, can't understand.
听不懂。
The verb 听 means to listen and the verb 懂 means to understand.
Here's how you say, can understand.
听得懂。
Now here are the affirmative and negative forms of the compound that refer to what happened, rather than what is possible.
I understood.
我听懂了。
I didn't understand.
我没听懂。
I didn't understand.
我没听懂。
Now listen to the comment live.
不但说得不好,有时候也听不懂。
Again.
不但说得不好,有时候也听不懂。
Check your comprehension.
不但说得不好,有时候也听不懂。
Not only don't I speak well, but sometimes I can't understand what I hear either.
Let's change the scene and listen to another invitation live.
白先生,我想这个星期四请你到我家来吃饭。
你何必这么客气?
不是客气,就是便饭。
我也请了一位江先生,在台湾大学教中国文学,想给你们两位介绍一下。
那太好了,希望跟他谈谈。
不过,我的中文说得不好,恐怕有的时候也听不懂。
不过,我的中文说得不好,恐怕有时候也听不懂。
没关系,你说得很好,江先生也会说一点英文。
Again.
白先生,我想这个星期四请你到我家来吃饭。
你何必这么客气?
不是客气,就是便饭。
不过,我在台湾大学教中国文学,想给你们两位介绍一下。
那太好了,希望跟他谈谈。
不过,我的中文说得不好,恐怕有的时候也听不懂。
没关系,你说得很好,江先生也会说一点英文。
看看你懂不懂。
白先生,我想这个星期四请你到我家来吃饭。
你何必这么客气?
为什么要这么担心?
不是客气,就是便饭。
我也请了一位江先生在台湾大学教中国文学。
我请你到台湾大学教中国文学,想给你们两位介绍一下。
我想介绍一下,江先生在台湾大学教中国文学,想给你们两位介绍一下。
对,我希望你们两位介绍一下。
我希望你们两位介绍一下。
那太好了,希望跟他谈谈。
我的中文说的不好。
恐怕有的时候也听不懂。
没关系。
你说的很好。
江先生也会说一点英文。
哪里哪里?
您说的跟美国人一样好。
一样。
您说的跟美国人一样好。
我们两个人的车一样。
哪里哪里?
您说的跟美国人一样好。
哪里哪里?
您说的跟美国人一样好。
哪里哪里?
您说的跟美国人一样好。
怎么样?
六点半对您方便不方便?
方便、方便。
我没请什么人。
很随便。
那我就先谢了。
随便。
我没请什么人。
很随便。
那就先谢了。
我没请什么人。
很随便。
那就先谢了。
我没请什么人。
很随便。
那就先谢了。
下个星期天你能不能到我家来玩?
好啊,可以啊。
我没请什么人。
就请了老孙跟小胡,很随便。
很好,老孙不但很有意思,也会说英文。
是的,他说的跟英文人一样好。
那我们下个星期天见了。
好,那就先谢了。
再次。
下个星期天你能不能到我家来玩?
好啊,可以啊。
我没请什么人。
就请了老孙跟小胡,很随便。
很好,老孙不但很有意思,也会说英文。
是的,他说的跟英文人一样好。
那我们下个星期天见了。
好,那就先谢了。
看看你能不能到我家来玩。
那我们下个星期天见了。
大家先前君话。
我们下个星期天将来见老孙吧?
我们下个星期天跪见.
就请了老孙跟小胡,很随便。
很好,老孙不但很有意思,也会说英文。
是的,他说的跟英国人一样好。
那我们下个星期天见了。
好,那就先谢了。
我们下个星期天见了。
史密斯小姐,我给你介绍一位朋友。
这位是杨教授,在台湾大学教政治学。
这位是史密斯小姐。
杨教授您好。
史密斯小姐好,您会说中文。
我喜欢说,可是说得不好。
不客气,您学了几年中文。
就学了一年,很少说。
中国人说话,您都听得懂吧。
有的听得懂,有的听不懂,我还想再学一点。
我想,在这里住了一两年以后,您的中国话不但都听得懂,也就说得跟中国人一样好了。
您太客气,我现在没有多少中国朋友,希望以后中国朋友多了。
说的机会也多了,就好一点了。
是的,哎,下星期六晚上,我请了几个朋友,在家里吃便饭,希望你能来。
那太客气,不过,我的中文说得不好,恐怕你们玩的没意思。
何必客气,我没请什么人,这些朋友很随便,您就来吧。
我住在大理街,52号。
好,谢谢您,请问,下星期六晚上,几点钟?
我很希望跟你朋友谈谈。
不过,恐怕我的英文不行。
不但说得不好,有时候也听不懂。
我没请什么人,很随便。
那就先谢了。
我想下个星期六,请您到我们家来吃个便饭。
您何必这么客气?
您说得跟美国人一样好。
我有一个美国朋友,在台湾大学教书。
我很想给你们两位介绍介绍。
那太好了。
如果你们想准备准备,请到P1台湾。