Episode 12: Let's hurry up and order!
Why am I making Mandarin From the Ground Up?
In this episode, I share my personal story — how I came to be a fluent Mandarin speaker, and how I started making a podcast to help others do the same.
A note about learning Chinese characters
Teaching Chinese characters is outside the scope of this podcast, but if you are learning Chinese characters through another course or method, you can use the transcript below to follow along.
Learning characters can be a fulfilling project, and can help you to remember and differentiate similar-sounding words. And, of course, it opens up more avenues for practicing your Mandarin, such as reading (books, children's books, comic books) and corresponding with Chinese speakers via email and other messaging apps. I highly encourage you to give it a try!
However, if the thought of memorizing all those characters now gives you a headache, rest assured: you can start speaking Mandarin without being able to read or write. Millions of preliterate children speak Mandarin fluently, and so can you. If and when you are ready to start learning the characters, speaking some Mandarin already will make it that much easier.
The bottom line is this: Don't let anything stop you or discourage you. The best method is the method you actually use, and any method you choose is better than no method at all. Find a way to move forward. You can always make adjustments later. And most important of all, enjoy!
Daily Practice Session
Dialogue text (Chinese characters)
L：到了！好餓！
M：我也是，我們快一點點菜吧！
L：好，菜單呢？
M：菜單在這裡！看你想吃什麼...
L：呃...
M：怎麼了？
L：我看不懂...
M：喔！你看不懂中文字！
L：對啊，還是看不太懂
M：那我幫你，來... 這個是「飯」，這邊是「青菜」，然後這邊有「湯」，看你要哪一個
L：我不知道...
M：沒關係，還是我幫你點好了
L：好，謝謝！
M：不客氣！
Dialogue text (w/ pinyin and translation)
L：到了！好餓！
L: Dàole! Hǎo è!
L: We’re here! So hungry!
M：我也是，我們快一點點菜吧！
M: Wǒ yěshì, wǒmen kuài yīdiǎn diǎn cài ba!
M: Me too, let’s hurry up and order!
L：好，菜單呢？
L: Hǎo, càidān ne?
L: Ok, and... the menu?
M：菜單在這裡！看你想吃什麼...
M: Càidān zài zhèlǐ! Kàn nǐ xiǎng chī shénme...
M: Here’s the menu! See what you want to eat.
L：呃...
L: È...
L: Uh...
M：怎麼了？
M: Zěnmele?
M: Something wrong?
L：我看不懂...
L: Wǒ kàn bù dǒng...
L: I can’t understand this...
M：喔！你看不懂中文字！
M: Ō! Nǐ kàn bù dǒng zhōngwén zì!
M: Oh! You don’t understand Chinese characters!
L：對啊，還是看不太懂
L: Duì a, háishì kàn bù tài dǒng
L: Yeah, I still can’t really understand them.
M：那我幫你，來...
M: Nà wǒ bāng nǐ, lái...
M: Then I’ll help you, come on…
M: 這個是「飯」，這邊是「青菜」
M: Zhège shì `fàn', zhè biān shì `qīngcài'
M: This one is “rice”, this side is “vegetables,” ...
M: 然後這邊有「湯」，看你要哪一個
M: Ránhòu zhè biān yǒu `tāng', kàn nǐ yào nǎ yīgè
M: ...and then this side has “soup." Depends which one you want.
L：我不知道...
L: Wǒ bù zhīdào...
L: I don’t know...
M：沒關係，還是我幫你點好了
M: Méiguānxì, háishì wǒ bāng nǐ diǎn hǎole
M: No problem, how about I just help you order.
L：好，謝謝！
L: Hǎo, xièxiè!
L: Ok, thanks!
M：不客氣！
M: Bù kèqì!
M: Don’t mention it!
Thank you for listening!
