Episode 14: Hurry up and try it!
In this episode, we jump straight into the dialogue. Then we spend some time riffing on a few of the more challenging and interesting phrases.
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)
Ah-Ming (M): 菜都上了！你快試試看！
Xiao Li (L): 好
M：好吃嗎？
L：好吃！但很辣！
M：你會怕辣嗎？
L：還好，不會，我喜歡
M：那就好，要不要喝一點茶？
L：好
M：來，我幫你倒
L：謝謝
M：鍋貼也吃看看吧
L：那是什麼？
M：美國沒有鍋貼嗎？
L：有啊，可是美國的鍋貼看起來有一點不一樣
M：我們這裡的鍋貼很好吃，你吃就知道了
L：裡面有什麼？
M：裡面有肉跟高麗菜，很好吃！
Dialogue text (w/ pinyin and translation)
Ah-Ming (M): 菜都上了！你快試試看！
Cài dōu shàngle! Nǐ kuài shì shìkàn!
The food's all here! Hurry up and try it!
Xiao Li (L): 好
Hǎo
Ok!
M：好吃嗎？
Hǎo chī ma?
Is it good?
L：好吃！但很辣！
Hǎo chī! Dàn hěn là!
It's good! But really spicy!
M：你會怕辣嗎？
Nǐ huì pà là ma?
Are you afraid of spice?
L：還好，不會，我喜歡
Hái hǎo, bù huì, wǒ xǐhuān
Not really, I'm not, I like it.
M：那就好，要不要喝一點茶？
Nà jiù hǎo, yào bùyào hè yīdiǎn chá?
That's good then. Do you want to drink some tea?
L：好
Hǎo
Sure.
M：來，我幫你倒
Lái, wǒ bāng nǐ dào
Here, I'll help you pour.
L：謝謝
Xièxiè
Thanks.
M：鍋貼也吃看看吧
Guōtiē yě chī kàn kàn ba
Also try the potstickers!
L：那是什麼？
Nà shì shénme?
What is that?
M：美國沒有鍋貼嗎？
Měiguó méiyǒu guōtiē ma?
America doesn't have potstickers?
L：有啊，可是美國的鍋貼看起來有一點不一樣
Yǒu a, kěshì měiguó de guōtiē kàn qǐlái yǒu yīdiǎn bù yīyàng
It does, but America's potstickers look a little bit not the same.
M：我們這裡的鍋貼很好吃，你吃就知道了
Wǒmen zhèlǐ de guōtiē hěn hào chī, nǐ chī jiù zhīdàole
Our potstickers here are really good, when you try them you'll know.
L：裡面有什麼？
Lǐmiàn yǒu shé me?
What's inside?
M：裡面有肉跟高麗菜，很好吃！
Lǐmiàn yǒu ròu gēn gāolí cài, hěn hǎo chī!
Inside there's meat and cabbage, it's really good!
Thank you for listening!
