小莉， 該起床了！XiaoLi, it is time to get up.

還沒呢， 還不到起床的時候嘛。Not yet. It’s not time to get up yet.

你今天不是第一堂有課嗎？Don’t you have first period class today?

是啊，可是現在是七點半，我還有一個小時呢！Yes, but it’s only seven thirty. I still have another hour.

你還要吃早飯呢！You need to eat breakfast.

早飯要吃什麼？I don’t know what to eat yet.

一杯咖啡，兩片麵包。A cup  of coffee and two slice of toast.

好吧！Okay. 我找不到我的錢包， 你看見了嗎？I can’t find my wallet. Have you seen it?

找找看你昨天穿的衣服口袋吧！Check the pocket of the clothes you wore yesterday.

嗯！果然在這兒。文文，謝謝你。Right—-there it is.  Thank you, wen wen. Continue reading

明華， 該起床了！Ming-Hua, it’s time to get up!

還沒呢， 還不到起床的時候嘛。Not yet. It’s not time to get up yet!

你今天不是第一堂有課嗎？Don’t you have first period class today?

是啊，可是現在是七點半，我們還有一個小時，不是嗎？Yes, but it’s only seven thirty. We still have another hour, don’t we?

時間不早了。 你早飯要吃什麼？It’s not early. What do you want for breakfast?

一杯咖啡。A cup of coffee please.

我找不到我的錢包， 你看見了嗎？I can’t find my wallet. Have you seen it?

沒有啊。 你也許放在另外一件衣服的口袋裡了。No, I haven’t. Maybe you put it in the pocket of another clothes.

對了，果然在這兒。謝謝你。Oh, right! It is right here. Thanks. Continue reading

嗨! 大年! 你好!Hi, Da-Nian. How‘re you doing?

對了,聽文文說, 你想學中文?Hello. I heard from Wen-Wen that you’d like to learn Chinese.

是啊! 我已經去上中文課了!Yes, I‘ve take Chinese class.

實在太好了!That’s great.

中文容易學嗎?Is Chinese easy to learn?

學中文不能說難, 也不能說容易I can’t say studying Chinese is hard, yet I can’t say it is easy, either.

你能教我說中文嗎?Can you teach me Chinese?

好啊, 我教你一句俗語.Sure. I’ll teach you a Chinese saying.

太好了!你趕快說.Great! Please go ahead.

衣服是新的好，朋友是舊的好。New clothes are good, but old friends are better.

這句話是什麼意思呢? What does it mean?

這句話的意思是老朋友最好。It means having old friends is the best.

老朋友最好, 這句話說的真好. Old friends are the best. That’s a good one.

你肚子餓了,走吧 老朋友請你吃飯! You’re hungry, aren’t you? I‘ll buy you something to eat.

在臺灣, 你請我: 到美國我請你. You can buy me a meal here in Taiwan and I will treat you to a meal when you come to the U.S.

一言為定! It’s a deal. Deal! Continue reading

 說中文Speaking Chinese

方先生，聽說您想學中文， 是嗎？Mr. Fang, I‘ve heard that you want to learn Chinese. Don’t you?

是啊。中文容易學嗎？Yes, I do. Is Chinese easy to learn?

學中文不能說難，也不能說容易。I can’t say studying Chinese is hard, yet I can’t say it is easy, neither.

您能教我說中文嗎？Could you teach me Chinese?

好啊！我教您一句俗語。Sure! I ‘ll teach you a Chinese saying.

太好了！ 您快說吧！Great! Please go ahead!

衣服是新的好，朋友是舊的好。您聽過嗎？New clothes are good, but old friends are better. Have you heard that saying before?

我聽過，這句話的意思是老朋友最好。I’ve heard that one before.  This saying means having old friends is the best.

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買東西 shopping

嗨！大年！  Hi Da-Nian!

嗨！小莉， 你怎麼在這裡？Xiao-Li, What are you doing here?

我在這裡工作啊。I am working here.

真的啊！ Really.

嗯！你想要買什麼呢？Yes. What would you like to buy?

我想買一些信紙和信封。I would like to buy some paper and envelopes.

你想要寫信給誰呢？To whom are you writing?

是—是文文對不對？It’s— Wen-Wen, right?

嗯！你看哪一種比較好呢？Yes! Which kind of paper is better?

這種紙是五十元一包，那一種是六十元一包。This kind of paper is fifty dollars a pack, and that one is sixty dollars a pack.

那一種比較好呢？Which one is better?

貴的那種比較好。The more expensive one is better.

好吧。 信封要多少錢呢？All right. How much is an envelope?

兩塊錢一個。Two dollars each.

我買一打吧，一共是多少錢？I would like a dozen, and how much is that all together?

一共是八十四元。您還要買其他的東西嗎？That’ll be eight-four dollars. Do you need anything else?

我想再買一本介紹臺灣文化的書。I would like to buy one more book about Taiwanese culture.

好的！你慢慢看！Okay, take your time.

買東西 shopping

先生，您要買什麼？What would you like to buy, Sir?

我想買一些紙和信封。 I would like to buy some paper and envelopes.

這種紙是五十元一包，那一種要六十元一包。One kind of paper is fifty NTD a pack and one is sixty NTD a pack.

哪一種比較好呢？Which kind is better?

貴的那種比較好呢？容易書寫。The more expensive one is better. It is very good to write with.

好吧。 信封要多少錢呢？Okay. And how much are these envelopes?

兩塊錢一個。Two NTD each.

我買一打吧，一共是多少錢？I would like to buy a dozen. How much is that altogether?

一共是八十四元。您還買別的東西嗎？That will be eighty-four NTD all together. Would you like anything else? Continue reading

嗨!文文。請問現在幾點鐘?Excuse me. What time is it?
現在是十點十五分了! It’s ten fifteen.
還好, 還趕得上。Thank God! I am not too late.
我要去台中,請問下一班火車什麼時候開? I am going to Tai-Chung. When is the next train leaving?
十五分鐘後有一班車, 十點三十分開。There will be another one in fifteen minutes. It leaves at ten thirty.
一張票多少錢? How much is a ticket?
你要來回票, 還是單程票? Do you need round–trip or one–way?
我要單程票,多少錢? I need one-way. How much is it?
自強號380元。It’s three hundred and eighty dollars for Tzu-Chiang Train.
在哪裡買呢? Where to but it?
在那邊! 你可以跟售票員買, 也可以到自動售票機買。
Over there. You can either buy the ticket at the counter or at the ticket vending machine.
那裏排了好多人, 還是到自動售票機買好了!
There are so many people at the counter. Let’s go to the ticket machine.
嗯! Umm. 這是你的車票。This is your ticket.
在哪上車呢? Where do I get on the train at?
就在那邊! 第二月台上車!Over there. The second platform.

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買火車票Buying A Train Ticket

我要去臺北，請問下一班火車什麼時候開？I would like to go to Taipei. May I ask when the next train departs?

十五分鐘後有一班車，十點三十分開。The next train is in fifteen minutes.  It departs at ten thirty.

一張票多少錢？How much is one ticket?

您要來回票，還是單程票？Would you like a round trip ticket or one way?

我要單程票，多少錢？I would like a one way ticket. How much is that?

九十元。 這是您的車票。Ninety NTD. Here is your ticket.

在哪兒上車呢？Where do I get on the train at?

就在那邊兒， 您的左邊兒 Over there. To your left.
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打電話Making a Phone Call
今年的花卉展設計得真好! The design of the flower exhibition this year is great.
是啊! Yes, it is.
欸! 有了! 找芳芳一起來賞花。Right, let’s invite Fang Fang to watch the flowers together.
嗯！Um.
找你的! It’s for you.
大年嗎? Is this Da-Nian?
我就是, 您哪位? Yes, speaking. Who is this?
我是文文. 大年,您好。This is Wen-Wen. Hello, Da-Nian
文文. 有什麼事嗎?Wen-Wen, What can I do for you?
您有王芳芳的電話號碼嗎? Do you have the phone number of Wang Fang-Fang?
對不起， 我聽不清楚， 請大聲一點兒. I’m sorry. I can’t hear you clearly. Could you speak a little louder please?
電話有雜音， 請掛上電話， 我再撥一次。There is some static on the line. I’ll hang up and call again later.

Continue reading