How to Ask for Clarification - Lesson Focus

Learn the key pattern to ask for clarification

Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Transcript

Let's take a closer look at the conversation.

Do you remember how Haoran introduces himself?

你好。我叫黄浩然。 (Nǐhǎo. Wǒ jiào Huáng Hàorán.)

First is 你好 (nǐhǎo), meaning, "Hello." 你好. 你好。

When meeting someone for the first time, you often start with 你好 (nǐhǎo). It can be used in both formal and informal situations.

Next is 我叫黄浩然。(Wǒ jiào Huáng Hàorán.) "My name is Haoran Huang." 我叫黄浩然. 我叫黄浩然。

First is 我 (wǒ), "I." 我. 我。

Next is 叫 (jiào), meaning "to be called," in this context. 叫. 叫。

Together, 我叫 (wǒ jiào), literally means "I'm called..." but translates as "My name is…." 我叫. 我叫。

Next is the neighbor's full name: 黄浩然 (Huáng Hàorán).

First is his family name, 黄 (Huáng), followed by his given name, 浩然 (Hàorán).

For Chinese names, the order is family name followed by given names.

Altogether, it's 你好。我叫黄浩然。(Nǐhǎo. Wǒ jiào Huáng Hàorán.) "Hello. My name is Haoran Huang."

你好。我叫黄浩然。 (Nǐhǎo. Wǒ jiào Huáng Hàorán.)

Sasha can't catch his name.

Do you remember how she asks,

"Sorry, please say it one more time. Please say it slowly."

不好意思，请再说一遍。请说慢一点。 (Bù hǎoyìsi, qǐng zài shuō yí biàn. Qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn.)

First is 不好意思 (bù hǎoyìsi), which literally means "to be embarrassed," but it translates as "sorry," in this context. 不好意思. 不好意思。

Next is 请再说一遍 (qǐng zài shuō yí biàn), "Please say it one more time." 请再说一遍.

This has several parts:

First is 请 (qǐng), "please." 请. 请.

After this is 再 (zài), "again." 再. 再.

Next is 说 (shuō), "say," as in "please say [it] again." 说. 说.

Last is 一遍 (yíbiàn), meaning, "one time." 一遍. 一遍.

All together, 请再说一遍 (qǐng zài shuō yí biàn) literally means "Please again say one time," but translates as "Please say [it] one more time." 请再说一遍.

The last part of Sasha's response is 请说慢一点 (Qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn) "Please say it slowly."

First is 请 (qǐng), "please." 请.

Next is 说 (shuō), "say." 说.

After that is 慢 (màn), "slow." 慢. 慢.

And finally 一点 (yìdiǎn), meaning "a little." 一点 (yìdiǎn). 一点 (yìdiǎn).

Pronunciation note: People in the north part of Chinese tend to pronounce it as 一点儿 (yìdiǎnr). 一点儿.

Combining 慢 with 一点，慢一点 means "slow [down] a bit" or "slowly." 慢一点. 慢一点.

All together, it's 请说慢一点 (Qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn.) Literally, "Please say slow a little," but translates as "Please say it slowly." 请说慢一点.

Sasha's whole response is:

不好意思，请再说一遍。请说慢一点。 (Bù hǎoyìsi, qǐng zài shuō yí biàn. Qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn.)

不好意思，请再说一遍。请说慢一点。 (Bùhǎo yìsi, qǐng zài shuō yíbiàn. Qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn.)