Lesson Twenty-six
Is there any underground railway in Beijing
Basic expressions
Asking for travel information is an important skill when travelling in China, especially in a big city. Today’s dialogue could give you some ideas of asking in Chinese how to go from place A to place B.
Let learn some new words first. There are some new words in the dialogue which need to be explained.
1. |
tīngshuō |
听 说 |
|
it is said |
hear say |
We have learned tīng听to listen and shuō说to speak. The meaning of the combination is was told
wŏ tīngshuō nĭ míng nián qù Zhōngguó
a. 我 听说 你 明 年 去 中国。
I heard that you were going to China next year.
nĭ tīng shuō guo xià xīngqi wŏmen bú shàng kè ma
b. 你 听 说 过 下 星期 我们 不 上 课 吗?
Have you heard that we will have no classes next week?
wŏ méi you tīngshuō guo
c. 我 没 有 听说 过。
No, I haven’t.
2. |
…shìma |
…是吗 |
|
is it right? |
…yes MA |
This expression is often placed at the end of a statement to form a question. It is used to ask listeners to confirm statement which is preceded shìma 是吗, as in
zhōngwen nán xué shìma
a. 中文 难 学, 是 吗?
Chinese difficult study yes MA
Chinese is difficult to study, is it right?
tā shuō hànyŭ shuō de hĕn huài shìma
b. 她 说 汉语 说 得 很 快,是 吗?
she speak Chinese speak DE very fast yes MA
She speaks Chinese very fast, is it right?
3. |
dǎting |
打 听 |
|
to find out, to ask for |
hit listen |
láojià, wŏ dătīng yíxià cèsuŏ zài năr
a. 劳驾, 我 打听 一下,厕所 在 哪儿?
Excuse me. May I ask you where the toilet?
qĭng nĭ dătīng yíxià zhèli yŏu méi yŏu yóu jú
b. 请 你 打听 一下,这里 有 没 有 邮 局?
Could you please find out if there is a post office nearby?
4. |
jiāotōng |
交 通 |
|
traffic |
together connect |
5. |
qíngkuàng |
情 况 |
|
condition,/ situation/, state of affair |
situation |
nàli de qíngkuàng hĕn hăo
a. 那里 的 情况 很 好。
The situation there is very good.
tā xuéxí qíngkuàng zĕnmeyàng
b. 他 学习 情 况 怎么样?
his study situation how about
How is his study?
6. |
shŏudū |
首 都 |
|
capital of a country |
head city |
7. |
shìnèi |
市 内 |
|
inner city |
city inside |
bĕijīng shìnèi yŏu huŏchēzhàn ma
a. 北京 市内 有 火车 站 吗 ?
Is there any railway station in Beijing?
lúndūn shìnèi yŏu dìtiĕ ma
b. 伦敦 市内 有 地铁 吗?
Is there any subway in London?
8. |
gōnggòng qìchē |
公共 汽车 |
|
bus |
public vehicle |
gōnggòng 公共 public is placed before a noun, as in gōnggòng cèsuŏ 公共 厕所 Public toilet.
9. |
sìtōngbādá |
四 通 八 达 |
|
to extends in all directions (traffic) |
four connection eight reach |
10. |
wài |
外 |
|
foreign, outside |
outside |
wàidì 外地 part of the country other than one is; wài guó 外 国 foreign country; wàiguórén 外国人 foreigner; wài yŭ 外语 foreign language.
wài 外 outside can also be placed after a monosyllabic noun, as in
guówài 国外outside of a country, abroad
guówài yĕ yŏu hĕn duō zhōngguórén
a. 国 外 也 有 很 多 中 国 人。
There are also many Chinese abroad.
lóuwài yŏu hĕn duō huār
b. 楼外 有 很 多 花儿。
There are many flowers outside the building.
11. |
zuò |
坐 |
|
to take (transport) |
sit |
a. zuò huǒchē 坐火车 lit. to sit on train: to go by train
b. zuò fēijī 坐飞机 to go by air
c. zuò dìtiĕ 坐地铁to go by tube
d. zuò chūzūchē 坐出租车 to go by taxi
12. |
zài…de shíhou |
在…的时候 |
|
at time…, when… |
in…DE time |
zài zhōngguó de shíhou wŏ bù shuō yīngyŭ
a. 在 中国 的 时候 ,我 不 说 英语。
I don’t speak English when I am in China.
zài xuéxi hànyŭ de shíhou tā bù shuō yīngyŭ
b. 在 学习 汉语 的 时候, 他 不 说 英语。
He does not speak English when he is learning Chinese.
13. |
tiāntiān |
天 天 |
|
everyday, daily |
day day |
We have learned the word tiān 天 day and the words which consist of the character tiān 天 as in tiānqì 天气 weather, mĕitiān 每天 everyday, jīntiān 今天 today and míngtiān 明天tomorrow. In this lesson tiān天, as in tiāntiān天天is used as a measure word. A reduplicated measure word means every, as in
a. gè 个 gègè 个个
b. bĕn 本 bĕnbĕn 本本
c. fēng 封 fēngfēng 封封
d. xià 下 xiàxià 下下
e. cì 次 cìcì 次次
14. |
shàngxiàbān |
上 下 班 |
|
going to word and leaving work |
up down shifts |
This expression is short for shàngbānxiàbān 上班下班: shàngbān上班 go to work and xiàbān下班 leave work
15. |
kuài |
快 |
|
fast |
quick |
huŏchē kuài fēijī gèng kuài
a. 火车 快,飞机 更 快。
Trains run fast, but planes fly even faster.
tā shuō de kuài, wo shuō de màn .
b. 他 说 得 快,我 说 得 慢。
He speaks fast, but I speak slowly.
16. |
zhǔnshí |
准 时 |
|
on time, punctual |
accurate time |
wŏmen tiāntiān zhŭnshí shàng kè
a. 我们 天天 准时 上 课。
we everyday on time have lesson
We go to classes on time everyday.
huŏchē zhŭnshí dào.
b. 火车 准时 到。
The train arrives on time.
17. |
ānquán |
安 全 |
|
safe, safety |
safe complete |
huŏchē bĭ fēijī ānquán ma
a. 火车 比 飞机 安全 吗 ?
Are trains safer than planes?
ānquán dìyī
b. 安全 第一。
Safety is first.
18. |
yòu…yòu… |
又…又 … |
|
both …and… |
again…again… |
Listen to the new words again.
Conversation
xuésheng: nín hǎo liú lǎoshi
学生: 您 好, 刘 老师。
you good Liu teacher
Student: Hello, Professor Liu.
liú lăoshi: nǐ hǎo yǒu shì ma
刘 老师: 你 好。 有 事 吗?
you good have matter ma
Prof. Liu : Hello. Can I do anything for you?
xuésheng: tīngshuō nín shì cóng běijīng lái de shì ma
学生: 听 说 您 是 从 北京 来 的。是 吗?
be told you are from Beijing come DE is it right
Student: I heard that you are from Beijing. Is it right?
liú lăoshī: shì
刘 老师 : 是。
yes
Prof. Liu: Right.
xuésheng: wŏ xiǎng dǎting yí xià běijīngde jiāotōng qíngkuàng
学生: 我 想 打听 一 下 北京的 交通 情 况 。
I want ask about YIXIA Beijing traffic situation
Student: I would like to ask you about travelling in Beijing.
liú lăoshī: běijīng shì zhōngguóde shǒudū jiāotōng hěn fāngbiàn.
刘 老师: 北京 是 中国 的 首都 , 交通 很 方便 。
Beijing is China DE capital traffic very convenient
Prof. Liu: Beijing is the capital of China. It’s easy to travel around.
shìnèi yǒu hěn duō gōnggòng qìchē chūzūchē jiāotōng sìtōngbādá
市内 有 很 多 公共 汽车 、出租车, 交通 四通八达。
in city there are very many public bus taxi traffic extend in all directions
There are many buses, taxies in the city. There is no problem of getting around.
rúguŏ nǐ xiăng dào wài dì qù kěyǐ zuò huǒchē fēijī
如果 你 想 到 外 地 去,可以 坐 火车 、 飞机。
if you want go outside place go can take trains planes
If you want to leave Beijing for other places, there are also trains and planes which can take you everywhere.
xuésheng: běijīng yǒu dìtiě ma
学生: 北京 有 地铁 吗?
Beijing there is underground ma
Student: Is there any underground railway in Beijing?
liú lăoshī: yǒu zài běijīng de shíhòu wǒtiāntiān zuò dìtiě shàngxiàbān
刘老师: 有。 在 北京 的 时候,我 天天 坐 地铁 上 下 班,
there is in Beijing de time I everyday take tube go to get off work
Prof. Liu: Yes, when I was in Beijing, I commuted by tube everyday.
yòu kuài yòu zhǔnshí yòu ānquán
又 快, 又 准 时, 又 安全 。
both fast and punctual and safe
It’s both quick and safe.
Practice
1. Listen to the dialogue and answer the following questions based on the dialogue.
[1] liú lăoshī shi cóng shénme dìfang lái de
刘 老师 是 从 什么 地方 来 的?
[2] xuéshēng yào dătīng shénme qíngkuàng
学生 要 打听 什么 情况 ?
[3] bĕijīng shi nă guó de shŏudū
北京 是 哪 国 的 首都 ?
[4] bĕijīng de jiāotōng zĕnmeyàng
北京 的 交通 怎么样 ?
[5] bĕijīng shìnèi yŏu gōnggòng qìchē chūzūchē ma
北京 市内 有 公共 汽车 、 出租车 吗 ?
[6] zài Bĕijīng kĕyi zuò huŏchē fēijī ma
在 北京 可以 坐 火车 、飞机 吗 ?
[7] zài bĕijīng de shíhou liú lăoshī zuò shénme shàngbān
在 北京 的 时候 , 刘 老 师 坐 什么 上 班 ?
[8] bĕijīng de dìtiĕ zĕnmeyàng?
北京 的 地铁 怎么样 ?
2. Explain the following in Chinese
A student of Chinese asked Mr. Liu who came from Beijing about travelling in Beijing inner city. Mr. Liu told him that travelling in Beijing is both cheap and convenient. There are many public buses, taxies and as well as underground. If one would like to go out of Beijing there are trains or planes.
Mr. Liu went to office by underground everyday, as the underground in Beijing is both fast and safe.
3. Read the dialogue, the new words and the examples out loud. Pay attention to the tones and pronunciation
4. Talk about travelling in London in Chinese.
Tape version
1. |
student |
xuéshēng |
2. |
be told, hear of |
tīngshuō |
3. |
ask about, inquire about |
dǎting |
4. |
traffic |
jiāotōng |
5. |
situation, condition |
qíngkuàng |
6. |
capital city |
shǒudū |
7. |
city |
shì |
8. |
within, in, inside |
nèi |
9. |
extend in all directions |
sìtōngbādá |
10. |
parts of the country other than where one is |
wàidì |
11. |
train |
huǒchē |
12. |
aeroplane |
fēijī |
13. |
everyday |
tiāntiān |
14. |
go to work |
shàngbān |
15. |
get off work |
xiàbān |
16. |
punctual, on time |
zhǔnshí |
17. |
safe |
ānquán |
A |
I would like ask about YIXIA Beijing traffic situation |
I’d like to ask about the traffic conditions in Beijing. |
B |
in Beijing de time I everyday take underground go to get off work |
When I was in Beijing, I took the underground to work everyday. |
a. |
you good Liu teacher |
Hello, Teacher Liu. |
b. |
you good have business MA |
Hello. What can I do for you? |
a. |
be told you are from Beijing come DE are MA |
I was told that you are from Beijing. Is that right? |
b. |
yes |
That’s right. |
a. |
I would like ask about YIXIA Beijing traffic situation |
I’d like to ask you about travelling in Beijing. |
b. |
Beijing is China’s capital traffic very convenient in city there are very lot public bus taxi traffic extend in all directions if you would like go other place go can take train plane |
Beijing is a capital city and it is very easy to travel around. There are many buses, taxies in the city. There is no problem of getting around. If you want to leave Beijing for other places, there are also trains and planes which can take you everywhere. |
a. |
Beijing there is underground MA |
Is there any underground railway in Beijing? |
b. |
there is in Beijing DE time I everyday take underground go to get off work both fast and punctual and safe |
Yes, when I was in Beijing, I commuted by tube everyday. It’s both quick and safe. |