SECTION: PARDON ME |
In Chinese, when approaching someone to ask a question, it's polite to first say Excuse me, may I ask... before asking the question. |
English: | I'm sorry / excuse me (get attention / pardon) | |
Chinese: | dway-boo-tchee |
English: | Excuse me, do you speak English? | |
Chinese: | dway-boo-tchee, nee way shoh weeng-wun mah | |
Literally: | excuse me, you know how to speak English? |
English: | To ask (verb) | |
Chinese: | wun |
English: | May I ask | |
Chinese: | tcheeng wun | |
Literally: | please to ask |
English: | May I ask, where is the hotel? | |
Chinese: | tcheeng wun, djee-oh-dee-en dzie nar | |
Literally: | please to ask, hotel located where? |
English: | Excuse me, may I ask, where is the hotel? | |
Chinese: | dway-boo-tchee, tcheeng wun, djee-oh-dee-en dzie nar | |
Literally: | excuse me, please to ask, hotel located where? |
SECTION: PLACE |
English: | Where | |
Chinese: | nar |
English: | Place (notice the tone difference) | |
Chinese: | nar |
English: | I | |
Chinese: | woh |
English: | My place | |
Chinese: | woh nar | |
Literally: | (same) |
English: | We | |
Chinese: | woh-men |
English: | Our place | |
Chinese: | woh-men nar | |
Literally: | (same) |
English: | You | |
Chinese: | nee |
English: | Your place | |
Chinese: | nee nar | |
Literally: | (same) |
English: | Friend | |
Chinese: | pung-yoh |
English: | A friend's place | |
Chinese: | pung-yoh nar | |
Literally: | friend's place |
English: | I'm going to my friend's place | |
Chinese: | woh tchoo woh duh pung-yoh nar | |
Literally: | (same) |
English: | I would like to go to your place | |
Chinese: | woh see-ahng tchoo nee nar | |
Literally: | I would like to go your place |
English: | Home | |
Chinese: | tchee-ah / djee-ah |
English: | There is our home | |
Chinese: | nar shih woh-men duh djee-ah | |
Literally: | (same) |