Learn about the Chinese continuous aspect and above all, what shopping in a Chinese market is like
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Brendan: Welcome to Chineseclass101.com, the fastest, easiest and funniest way of learning Chinese. I’m Brendan. |
| Echo: 嗨，大家好，我是Echo。 (Hāi, dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì Echo.) |
| Brendan: We’re coming at you today with Lower Intermediate Series, Season 1, Lesson 9 – “Shopping at Hongqiao Market”. |
| Echo: I like this lesson a lot. |
| Brendan: Our dialogue today takes place in the famous? |
| Echo: 红桥 (Hóng qiáo) Market in Beijing. |
| Brendan: We’re going to listen to a tourist as he tries to return a jacket. |
| Echo: Yes, it’s going to be hard. |
| Brendan: Yes, there especially. |
| Echo: And since our speakers are doing business, they’re speaking casual mandarin. |
| Brendan: And we’re going to take you to the dialogue in just a second, but before we do that, a reminder. If you’d like to improve your casual mandarin, we’ve got tutors who are standing by to help you with one on one tutoring, custom designed to improve your spoken Chinese. |
| Echo: Exactly. |
| Brendan: It’s a great deal. Let’s go to the dialogue. Yes, this pretty much never works. |
| DIALOGUE |
| A:你不是说这件外套是防水的吗？ (nǐ bù shì shuō zhè jiàn wàitào shì fángshuǐ de ma?) |
| B:对啊。我们有保单的。 (duì a. wǒmen yǒu bǎodān de.) |
| A:我知道，所以我要退货。 (wǒ zhīdào, suǒyǐ wǒ yào tuìhuò.) |
| B:你先告诉我这件外套有什么问题？ (nǐ xiān gàosu wǒ zhè jiàn wàitào yǒu shénme wèntí?) |
| A:我穿着它去游泳，但是身上还是湿了。 (wǒ chuānzhe tā qù yóuyǒng, dànshì shēn shàng hái shì shī le.) |
| B:游泳不在保单内。 (yóuyǒng bù zài bǎodān nèi.) |
| Brendan: Once more, slowly. |
| A:你不是说这件外套是防水的吗？ (nǐ bù shì shuō zhè jiàn wàitào shì fángshuǐ de ma?) |
| B:对啊。我们有保单的。 (duì a. wǒmen yǒu bǎodān de.) |
| A:我知道，所以我要退货。 (wǒ zhīdào, suǒyǐ wǒ yào tuìhuò.) |
| B:你先告诉我这件外套有什么问题？ (nǐ xiān gàosu wǒ zhè jiàn wàitào yǒu shénme wèntí?) |
| A:我穿着它去游泳，但是身上还是湿了。 (wǒ chuānzhe tā qù yóuyǒng, dànshì shēn shàng hái shì shī le.) |
| B:游泳不在保单内。 (yóuyǒng bù zài bǎodān nèi.) |
| Brendan: And now, with English translation. |
| A:你不是说这件外套是防水的吗？ (nǐ bù shì shuō zhè jiàn wàitào shì fángshuǐ de ma?) |
| A: Didn’t you say this jacket was waterproof. |
| B:对啊。我们有保单的。 (duì a. wǒmen yǒu bǎodān de.) |
| B: It is. There's a warranty. |
| A:我知道，所以我要退货。 (wǒ zhīdào, suǒyǐ wǒ yào tuìhuò.) |
| A: I know, so I want to return it. |
| B:你先告诉我这件外套有什么问题？ (nǐ xiān gàosu wǒ zhè jiàn wàitào yǒu shénme wèntí?) |
| B: First tell me what wrong with the jacket. |
| A:我穿着它去游泳，但是身上还是湿了。 (wǒ chuānzhe tā qù yóuyǒng, dànshì shēn shàng hái shì shī le.) |
| A: I went swimming with it on, but I still got wet. |
| B:游泳不在保单内。 (yóuyǒng bù zài bǎodān nèi.) |
| B: Swimming isn't covered in the warranty. |
| POST CONVERSATION BANTER |
| Echo: Yes. |
| Brendan: Like, lesson learned, because you basically cannot return things you buy at HongQiao Market. |
| Echo: Yes, or any kind of similar markets. |
| Brendan: Yes, like 秀水街 or 雅秀, (Xiùshuǐ jiē or yǎxiù,) or any these places. |
| Echo: Yes. |
| Brendan: I’ve had shoes that I bought at 秀水街, (Xiùshuǐ jiē,) fall apart after like wearing them four times. |
| Echo: 真的？ (Zhēn de?) |
| Brendan: Yes, and that was all I needed them for. They were, they were cheap, nasty, kind of fake, formal shoes. |
| Echo: And? |
| Brendan: We’re not talking high quality workmanship here. Don’t expect to be able to return them, not even if they break apart, not even if they burst in the flames. |
| Echo: 只要你付钱了，这个 (Zhǐyào nǐ fù qiánle, zhège) business 就已经结束了。 (Jiù yǐjīng jiéshùle.) |
| Brendan: Yes, exactly. That one is gone, it’s not coming back. |
| Echo: Yes. So, 虹桥 (Hóngqiáo) salers are a little bit of 小气。 (Xiǎoqì.) |
| Brendan: Yes, it’s on the other hand, it’s kind of hard to blame the salary in this case. |
| Echo: I think you seen the right, actually. |
| Brendan: Yes, I mean swimming with a jacket on, not many… |
| Echo: 那不算防水。 (Nà bù suàn fángshuǐ.) |
| Brendan: No. Anyway, let’s listen to our new vocabulary for this lesson. |
| VOCAB LIST |
| C: And now, the vocab section. |
| Echo: 雨衣 (yǔyī) |
| Brendan: “Rain coat” |
| Echo: 防水 (fángshuǐ) |
| Brendan: “To be waterproof” |
| Echo: 保障 (bǎozhàng) |
| Brendan: “Guarantee” |
| Echo: 保单 (bǎodān) |
| Brendan: “Warrantee” |
| Echo: 换货 (huàn huò) |
| Brendan: “To exchange a product” |
| Echo: 客户服务 (kèhùfúwù) |
| Brendan: “Customer Service” |
| Echo: 雨伞 (sǎn) |
| Brendan: “Umbrella” |
| Echo: 游泳 (yóuyǒng) |
| Brendan: “To swim” |
| Echo: 退货 (tuìhuò) |
| Brendan: “To return a product” |
| Echo: 退货 (tuìhuò) |
| VOCAB AND PHRASE USAGE |
| Brendan: Ok, now let’s take a closer look at the usage for some of these words and phrases. |
| Echo: The first phrase is… |
| Brendan: Two words, actually, that have to do with rain. |
| Echo: First one is 雨衣 (yǔyī) |
| Brendan: “Raincoat” |
| Echo: 雨衣. (Yǔyī.) And next one is 雨伞。 (Yǔsǎn.) |
| Brendan: “Umbrella” |
| Echo: 雨伞。雨衣 and 雨伞。穿雨衣。 (Yǔsǎn. Yǔyī and yǔsǎn. Chuān yǔyī.) |
| Brendan: That is “to wear a raincoat”. |
| Echo: 带雨伞。 (Dài yǔsǎn.) |
| Brendan: And that’s “carry an umbrella”. |
| Echo: 对. Or, 打雨伞。 (Duì. Or, dǎ yǔsǎn.) |
| Brendan: Right. Which is really “to put up an umbrella”. |
| Echo: Yes. 不是 (Bùshì)“to hit” |
| Brendan: Right. |
| Echo: 穿雨衣 and 带雨伞。 (Chuān yǔyī and dài yǔsǎn.) |
| Brendan: Now, in our dialogue, our customer didn’t buy a 雨衣 or 雨伞。 (Yǔyī or yǔsǎn.) |
| Echo: But he bought a 外套, (Wàitào,) that was supposed to be 防水。 (Fángshuǐ.) |
| Brendan: That is “waterproof”. |
| Echo: 防水。这件防水雨衣其实不防水。 (Fángshuǐ. Zhè jiàn fángshuǐ yǔyī qíshí bù fángshuǐ.) |
| Brendan: Yes, and that is the conflict, the heart of our dialogue. |
| Echo: 对，这件防水雨衣其实不防水。 (Duì, zhè jiàn fángshuǐ yǔyī qíshí bù fángshuǐ.) |
| Brendan: “This waterproof raincoat isn’t waterproof.” |
| Echo: 对，它漏水。 (Duì, tā lòushuǐ.) |
| Brendan: “It leaks water.” |
| Echo: Yes, 防水 (Fángshuǐ) is opposite of 漏水。 (Lòushuǐ.) |
| Brendan: And now we come to the problem with shopping at HongQiao or similar places. |
| Echo: They have great price, but you can’t 换货 or 退货. (Huàn huò or tuìhuò.) |
| Brendan: Yes, and let’s hear those again. |
| Echo: 换货 (huàn huò) |
| Brendan: “To exchange a product” |
| Echo: 换货 or 退货。 (Huàn huò or tuìhuò.) |
| Brendan: “To return a product” |
| Echo: 退货。不满意可以退货，可以换货。 (Tuìhuò. Bù mǎnyì kěyǐ tuìhuò, kěyǐ huàn huò.) |
| Brendan: “If you’re not satisfied, you can return the products or exchange them.” |
| Echo: 不满意可以退货，可以换货。 (Bù mǎnyì kěyǐ tuìhuò, kěyǐ huàn huò.) |
| Brendan: “Don’t you believe it.” |
| Echo: 他们的保单一般也没有效。 (Tāmen de bǎodān yībān yě méiyǒu xiào.) |
| Brendan: Yes, but actually you can’t return things in most stores in China. Just ask when you’re buying it. |
| Echo: Yes, and make sure you want the 发票。 (Fāpiào.) |
| Brendan: Yes, the recite. Now, a lot of the time you actually won’t have a 保单. (Bǎodān.) In most stores, you’ll just get a… |
| Echo: 收据。 (Shōujù.) |
| Brendan: Right. A “recite”. |
| Echo: 收据。 (Shōujù.) |
| Brendan: No, I actually, the times I’ve been given a 保单 (Bǎodān) it’s only been for things like computers… |
| Echo: 对，就是很贵的东西。 (Duì, jiùshì hěn guì de dōngxī.) |
| Brendan: Yes, or something like that. |
| Echo: Yes, is not as common as 收据. (Shōujù.) |
| Brendan: Now, maybe we should translate 保单 (Bǎodān) in something like a “warrantee card”. |
| Echo: 保单。 (Bǎodān.) |
| Brendan: And that’s pretty close actually to the word “guarantee”, which will hear… |
| Echo: 保障。 (Bǎozhàng.) |
| Brendan: It’s a “guarantee”. |
| Echo: 保障。 (Bǎozhàng.) When you buy something, you can ask 你们这的东西有保障吗？ (Nǐmen zhè de dōngxī yǒu bǎozhàng ma?) |
| Brendan: Which really means “Are the things you have here under warrantee?” |
| Echo: Yes, 有保障。 (Yǒu bǎozhàng.) |
| Brendan: That is “to have a guarantee” or “to have a warrantee”. |
| Echo: Yes, and if they do, be sure to get a 保单。 (Bǎodān.) |
| Brendan: Or a 收据。 (Shōujù.) So, that’s our key vocabulary for today. And now, the best part of our lesson, the bit that really spins my wheels. |
| Echo: The grammar point. |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| Brendan: Grammar time. |
| C: It’s grammar time. |
| Brendan: Now, you may have thought this lesson was about returning a defective raincoat. But, no. it is about the Continuous Aspect. |
| Echo: Yes, this sounds scary, but it isn’t. |
| Brendan: Yes, it’s actually really easy. Now, in the dialogue, we heard this line: |
| Echo: 我穿着它去游泳，但是身上还是湿了。 (Wǒ chuānzhuó tā qù yóuyǒng, dànshì shēnshang háishì shīle.) |
| Brendan: “I weren’t swimming, but I still got wet.” |
| Echo: 我穿着它去游泳，但是身上还是湿了。 (Wǒ chuānzhuó tā qù yóuyǒng, dànshì shēnshang háishì shīle.) |
| Brendan: And what we’re talking about here is that… |
| Echo: 穿着。 (Chuānzhuó.) |
| Brendan: And zooming in even for their more specifically, we’re talking about that 着. (Zhe.) |
| Echo: Yes. ”穿着“ 的 ”着“。 (Chuānzhuó “de”zhe “.) |
| Brendan: Now this is an aspectual particle. |
| Echo: 着 (Zhe) |
| Brendan: In Chinese, we added after a verb to create a continuous sense. |
| Echo: Yes, like 穿着 (Chuānzhuó) |
| Brendan: “To be wearing” |
| Echo: 我穿着它去游泳。 (Wǒ chuānzhuó tā qù yóuyǒng.) |
| Brendan: “I wore it to go swimming.” Or really, “I was wearing it when I went swimming.”. |
| Echo:我穿着它去游泳。 (Wǒ chuānzhuó tā qù yóuyǒng.) |
| Brendan: “I wore it to go swimming.” because “wearing” is something that’s going on. It’s not a single discrete action, it kept happening. Now, in English we wouldn’t translate this into a continuous tense. |
| Echo: There’s no “ing”. |
| Brendan: Right, not in the sense that we would normally think of it in Standard English. |
| Echo: 对. (Duì.) All right. Let’s try a more difficult sentence. |
| Brendan: “Holding a trophy in his hands, XiaoMing is very happy.” |
| Echo: 小明手里拿着奖杯非常开心。 (Xiǎomíng shǒu lǐ názhe jiǎngbēi fēicháng kāixīn.) |
| Brendan: Yes, and the translation here it’s ugly, it’s Chinglish, but you get the point. |
| Echo: 小明手里拿着奖杯非常开心。 (Xiǎomíng shǒu lǐ názhe jiǎngbēi fēicháng kāixīn.) |
| Brendan: Right. And the emphasis there is on? |
| Echo: 拿着 (Názhe) |
| Brendan: That is to say it happens at more than one point. |
| Echo: One more point. 他打着伞去了学校。 (Tā dǎzhe sǎn qùle xuéxiào.) |
| Brendan: Right. We often see this in chain verbs where we’ve got more than one verb in a sentence. |
| Echo: Yes. 打着伞去了 (Dǎzhe sǎn qùle) |
| Brendan: That is “went carrying the umbrella”. |
| Echo: 打着伞去了 (Dǎzhe sǎn qùle) |
| Brendan: So, here, we’ve got the verb with 着, (Zhe,) and it’s being used to describe the state in which the second verb happens. |
| Echo: Yes. |
| Brendan: This can be a bit tricky, because like we said, English doesn’t really work this way. It’s a little bit different in Chinese. And also, there’s not really a distinction between the Present and the Past Tense using this. |
| Echo: Right. It’s all about feeling. |
Outro |
| Brendan: Yes, but now that you know what’s happening, you shouldn’t have any problem figuring it out. With that, we want to remind you, if you do have problems figuring it out or if you have any, any other questions about today’s lesson, we’re always here, we’re always waiting to hear from you. |
| Echo: You can write to us at contactus@Chineseclass101.com or leave a comment for us on the site. |
| Brendan: And we look forward to hearing from you. From Beijing, I’m Brandon. |
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