S02, Episode 05: What to do? (Part 2)
About this lesson
As a beginning Mandarin learner, remember that it’s not your sole responsibility to keep the conversation going. Your job is hard enough already!
It’s okay to ask for help. It’s even okay to sit back and be a passive learner sometimes. In the last episode, I suggested that when you speak Mandarin with a language parent, it can be good to let the other person take the lead and ask you questions. My favorite language parents are friends or teachers who are curious about me. They remember things about me, and they are always asking me questions — not just for the sake of asking, but because they genuinely want to know more.
On the other hand, if you feel up to the challenge, there are some simple ways you can take the lead. One way to do this, which works for any level, and has some great benefits, is to conduct an interview.
In this episode, I explain how it’s done.
Then we'll hear a line-by-line translation of the dialogue from Lesson 04.
Lesson Outline:
[00:21] How do you conduct an interview in Mandarin?
[03:49] The three biggest reasons to do an interview in Mandarin
[07:00] Dialogue (normal speed)
[07:45] Complete translation
[10:37] Dialogue with pauses for echoing (normal speed)
Dialogue transcript (Chinese characters only)
阿明：我們到了！
小李：我真的好久沒有回家。
阿明：你會緊張嗎？
小李：有一點
阿明：你在擔心什麼？
小李：我擔心我家裡有很多蟑螂！
阿明：是哦。。。你家不是很乾淨嗎？
小李：是啊，蠻乾淨的，可是。。。
阿明：那應該沒問題吧
小李：也是，可是。。。
阿明：那我們先進去吧，我幫你拿行李
小李：好，麻煩你了
阿明：不會，你先去開門
小李：天哪！
阿明：怎麼了？
小李：好多蟑螂！怎麼辦？
Dialogue transcript (w/ pinyin and translation):
阿明：我們到了！
Wǒmen dàole!
We’ve arrived!
小李：我真的好久沒有回家。
Wǒ zhēn de hǎojiǔ méiyǒu huí jiā.
I really haven’t been home in a long time.
阿明：你會緊張嗎？
Nǐ huì jǐnzhāng ma?
Are you nervous?
小李：有一點
Yǒu yīdiǎn
A little.
阿明：你在擔心什麼？
nǐ zài dānxīn shénme?
What are you worried about?
小李：我擔心我家裡有很多蟑螂！
Wǒ dānxīn wǒ jiālǐ yǒu hěnduō zhāngláng!
I’m worried my home has a lot of cockroaches!
阿明：是哦。。。你家不是很乾淨嗎？
Shì ó... Nǐ jiā bùshì hěn gānjìng ma?
Oh… isn’t your house really clean?
小李：是啊，蠻乾淨的，可是。。。
Shì a, mán gānjìng de, kěshì...
It is, it’s pretty clean, but...
阿明：那應該沒問題吧
Nà yīnggāi méi wèntí ba
Then it shouldn’t be a problem.
小李：也是，可是。。。
yěshì, kěshì...
That’s true, but…
阿明：那我們先進去吧，我幫你拿行李
Nà wǒmen xiān jìnqù ba, wǒ bāng nǐ ná xínglǐ
Well let’s go in first, I’ll help you carry your luggage.
小李：好，麻煩你了
hǎo, máfan nǐle
Ok, sorry to trouble you.
阿明：不會，你先去開門
bù huì, nǐ xiān qù kāimén
No problem, go open the door first.
小李：天哪！
tiān nǎ!
Oh God!
阿明：怎麼了？
Zěnmele?
What’s wrong?
小李：好多蟑螂！怎麼辦？
Hǎoduō zhāngláng! Zěnme bàn?
So many cockroaches! What are we gonna do?
