Y: It's our manners week on Chinese Studio… welcome everyone. Wo shi yajie. B: da jia hao. Wo shi Brendan. We human beings need to know about good manners… it's very important wherever you are. Y: Right, so let's continue our lessons.
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Key words of the day Do you mind if I smoke? 你介意我抽烟吗? No, I don't mind. 不介意。Could you please pass me the ketchup? 请把番茄酱递给我,好吗?
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B: Yajie, do you mind if I smoke? Y: no… I don't mind… but Brendan, I don't know you smoke. B: hehe I don't… I just want to know how to say it in Chinese. Y: I see. You can say "你介意我抽烟吗?ni3 jie4 yi4 wo3 chou1 yan1 ma?” B: ni3 jie4 yi4 wo3 chou1 yan1 ma? Y: 你 ni3 means you, B: ni3, Y: 介意 jie4 yi4 means mind, B: jie4 yi4, Y: 我 wo3 means I, B: wo3, Y: 抽烟 chou1 yan1 means smoke, B: chou1 yan1, Y: 吗 ma is often put at the end of a question. B: ma. Y: 你介意我抽烟吗 ni3 jie4 yi4 wo3 chou1 yan1 ma? B: ni3 jie4 yi4 wo3 chou1 yan1 ma? Do you mind if I smoke.
Conversation 1:
A:你介意我抽烟吗? B: 不介意。您随便。
B: Yajie, what if a Chinese asks me this question and I want to say "I don't mind". Y: you can say "不介意 bu2 jie4 yi4." B: bu2 jie4 yi4. Y: 不 bu2 means not, B: bu2, Y: 介意 jie4 yi4 means mind, B: jie4 yi4, Y: 不介意 bu2 jie4 yi4 B: bu2 jie4 yi4 I don't mind.
Conversation 2:
A: 你介意我抽烟吗? B: 不介意。
B: Yajie, Could you please pass me the ketchup? Y: Sure… here you are. B: thanks. What if the person I ask don't understand English? Y: then you can say it in Chinese, like this: 请把番茄酱递给我,好吗? B: qing3 ba3 fan1 qie2 jiang4 di4 gei3 wo3, hao3ma? Y: 请 qing3 means please, B: qing3, Y: 番茄 fan1 qie2 means tomato, B: fan1 qie2. Y: 酱 jiang4 means something paste like jam, B: jiang4. Y: 番茄酱 fan1 qie2 jiang4, ketchup, B: fan1 qie2 jiang4 Y: 递 di4 means pass, B: di4, Y: 给我 gei3 wo3 means give something to me, B: gei3 wo3. Y: 好吗 hao3ma, is it okay? B: hao3ma Y: 请把番茄酱递给我,好吗?qing3 ba3 fan1 qie2 jiang4 di4 gei3 wo3, hao3ma B: qing3 ba3 fan1 qie2 jiang4 di4 gei3 wo3,hao3ma Could you please pass me the ketchup?
Conversation 3:
A: 请把番茄酱递给我,好吗? B: 好的。给你, A:谢谢, B:不客气。
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Key words reminder Do you mind if I smoke? 你介意我抽烟吗? No, I don't mind. 不介意。Could you please pass me the ketchup? 请把番茄酱递给我,好吗?
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B: We've run out of time already. Let's get to our question of the day. Y: Today's question is, how do you say "Do you mind if I smoke?" in Chinese? B: Ming tian jian! Y: Ming tian jian!