Learn about repetition and cab drivers that may not be so honest
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| INTRODUCTION |
| David: Welcome to Chineseclass101.com. I’m David. |
| Amber: 大家好，我是安伯。(Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì ān bó.) |
| David: And, we’re here today with Upper Beginner, Season 1, Lesson 20 – Don’t let the Cab driver take you for a ride in China. |
| Amber: 下车的时候要小心。(Xià chē de shíhòu yào xiǎoxīn.) |
| David: Right. So, Amber, our dialogue takes place where? |
| Amber: 当然是在出租车里。(Dāngrán shì zài chūzū chē lǐ.) |
| David: Right. It’s in a cab and it’s a dialogue between a cab driver and the passenger. And, everyone here is speaking casual mandarin, as always. |
| Amber: 没错。(Méi cuò.) |
| David: So, let’s get to the dialogue. So, Amber, you think he’s really getting ripped off or…? |
| DIALOGUE |
| Cab Driver: 你不下车吗？(Nǐ bù xiàchē ma?) |
| Passenger: 你还没找钱呢。(Nǐ hái méi zhǎoqián ne.) |
| Cab Driver: 找钱？我已经找给你了。(Zhǎoqián? Wǒ yǐjīng zhǎo gěi nǐ le.) |
| Passenger: 你就给了我30。(Nǐ jiù gěi le wǒ sānshí.) |
| Cab Driver: 对呀，你给我50。(Duì ya, nǐ gěi wǒ wǔshí.) |
| Passenger: 不，我给了你100。(Bù, wǒ gěi le nǐ yībǎi.) |
| Cab Driver: 哦，对对对，我的错，不好意思。(Ò, duì duì duì, wǒ de cuò, bùhǎoyìsi.) |
| Cab Driver: 你不下车吗？(Nǐ bù xiàchē ma?) |
| Cab Driver: Aren't you going to get out of the cab? |
| Passenger: 你还没找钱呢。(Nǐ hái méi zhǎoqián ne.) |
| Passenger: You still haven't given me change. |
| Cab Driver: 找钱？我已经找给你了。(Zhǎoqián? Wǒ yǐjīng zhǎo gěi nǐ le.) |
| Cab Driver: Change? I already gave you your change. |
| Passenger: 你就给了我30。(Nǐ jiù gěi le wǒ sānshí.) |
| Passenger: You only gave me 30. |
| Cab Driver: 对呀，你给我50。(Duì ya, nǐ gěi wǒ wǔshí.) |
| Cab Driver: That's right, you gave me 50. |
| Passenger: 不，我给了你100。(Bù, wǒ gěi le nǐ yībǎi.) |
| Passenger: No, I gave you 100. |
| Cab Driver: 哦，对对对，我的错，不好意思。(Ò, duì duì duì, wǒ de cuò, bùhǎoyìsi.) |
| Cab Driver: Oh, you're right, it's my fault, I'm sorry. |
| POST CONVERSATION BANTER |
| David: So Amber, do you think he’s really getting ripped off, or… |
| Amber: 或者就是特别困。(Huòzhě jiùshì tèbié kùn.) |
| David: I’m thinking, yes, I’m thinking ,maybe, the cab driver is just really tired, because… |
| Amber: 没错，因为他们晚上有些时候开车。(Méi cuò, yīnwèi tāmen wǎnshàng yǒuxiē shíhòu kāichē.) |
| David: Yes, you get people to drive for 12 hours or sometimes even, sometimes, sometimes 24 hours. So… |
| Amber: 对，我就怕他睡着了。(Duì, wǒ jiù pà tā shuìzhele..) |
| David: Yes. So, maybe if this happens to you, you’re not being ripped off. Maybe the cab driver is just really out of it. But… |
| Amber: 对。(Duì.) |
| David: Our vocab today is all about giving change. |
| VOCAB LIST |
| Amber: 下车。(Xià chē.) |
| David: To get out of the car. |
| Amber: 下 车, 下车, 找钱。(xià chē, xiàchē, zhǎoqián.) |
| David: To give change. |
| Amber: 找 钱, 找钱, 零钱。(zhǎo qián, zhǎoqián, língqián.) |
| David: Small change. |
| Amber: 零 钱, 零钱, 整钱。(líng qián, língqián, zhěngqián.) |
| David: Large bills. |
| Amber: 整 钱, 整钱, 大钱。(zhěng qián, zhěngqián, dàqián.) |
| David: Old Chinese currency. |
| Amber: 大 钱, 大钱, 给。(dà qián, dàqián, gěi.) |
| David: To give. |
| Amber: 给, 给, 对。(gěi, gěi, Duì.) |
| David: Right. |
| Amber: 对, 对, 错。(Duì, Duì, cuò.) |
| David: Fault. |
| Amber: 错, 错, 不好意思。(cuò, cuò, bùhǎoyìsi.) |
| David: I’m sorry. |
| Amber: 不 好 意 思, 不好意思。(bù hǎo yì si, bùhǎoyìsi.) |
| VOCAB AND PHRASE USAGE |
| David: Ok. So, you’re in the cab and you want to tell the driver: “Driver, I want to get out of the cab.” |
| Amber: 师傅，我要下车。(Shīfù, wǒ yào xià chē.) |
| David: That’s the verb you use. |
| Amber: 下车。(xià chē.) |
| David: To get out of a car. |
| Amber: 对，下车。师傅，我要下车。(Duì, xià chē. Shīfù, wǒ yào xià chē.) |
| David: Right. Now, when you get out of a cab, you need to pay, so, you’re likely to give the cab driver a large bill. |
| Amber: 没错。(Méi cuò.) |
| David: And, he’s going to look for change for you. |
| Amber: 找钱。(Zhǎoqián.) |
| David: To look for change. |
| Amber: 找钱。(Zhǎoqián.) |
| David: Now, in English you look for change and then you give change. In Chinese, it’s the same thing. So… |
| Amber: 没错, 它是一个过程。(Méi cuò, tā shì yīgè guòchéng.) |
| David: Yes. So, the act of giving is included in this verb. |
| Amber: 找钱。比如说 我没有零钱, 你找钱吧！(Zhǎoqián. Bǐrú shuō wǒ méiyǒu língqián, nǐ zhǎoqián ba!) |
| David: “I don’t have small change, you’ll have to give me change.” |
| Amber: 我没有零钱, 你找钱吧！(Wǒ méiyǒu língqián, nǐ zhǎoqián ba!) |
| David: “I don’t have 零钱 (Língqián), you’ll have to give me change.” |
| Amber: 没错。(Méi cuò.) |
| David: And, that’s actually our next word. |
| Amber: 零钱。(Llíngqián.) |
| David: “Paddy cash” |
| Amber: 零钱。(Língqián.) |
| David: Or, literally, “small money”. |
| Amber: 没错。(Méi cuò.) |
| David: Right? So, small change, pocket change, paddy cash. |
| Amber: 对。(Duì.) |
| David: And, that literally means ”zero”. |
| Amber: 零。(Líng.) |
| David: “Money” |
| Amber: 钱。(Qián.) |
| David: “Small money” |
| Amber: 零钱, 你还可以说 我只有零钱，没有整钱。(Língqián, nǐ hái kěyǐ shuō wǒ zhǐyǒu língqián, méiyǒu zhěng qián.) |
| David: “I just have small bills, I don’t have big bills.” |
| Amber: 对，我只有零钱，没有整钱。(Duì, wǒ zhǐyǒu língqián, méiyǒu zhěng qián.) |
| David: Right. As your fumbling for 20 块 or the one 块 outs. [unintelligible 00:04:37] |
| Amber: 对，都是一块的。(Duì, dōu shì yīkuài de.) |
| David: Yes. So, we’ve got the word for “small change”… |
| Amber: 零钱。(Língqián.) |
| David: The opposite is “big bills”… |
| Amber: 整钱。(Zhěng qián.) |
| David: “Big bills” |
| Amber: 整钱。(Zhěng qián.) |
| David: Right. And, this 整 (Zhěng) means “entire” or “whole”, the same as “the entire day”. |
| Amber: 整天。(Zhěng tiān.) |
| David: “The entire year” |
| Amber: 整年。(Zhěng nián.) |
| David: Right. So, a hundred 块 would count as 整钱.(Zhěng qián.) |
| Amber: 整钱。(Zhěng qián.) |
| David: 50 块 (50 Kuài) to… but, again, it depends where you are… |
| Amber: 对。(Duì.) |
| David: And, what living costs are. |
| Amber: 没错。(Méi cuò.) |
| David: So, again, we’ve got these two words: “small change”. |
| Amber: 零钱。(Língqián.) |
| David: “Big bills” |
| Amber: 整钱。(Zhěng qián.) |
| David: Don’t use 找钱 (Zhǎoqián) and 大钱 (Dàqián). |
| Amber: 对，我们不这么说。(Duì, wǒmen bù zhème shuō.) |
| David: Right. There’s a reason for that, though, which is that big money… |
| Amber: 大钱。(Dàqián.) |
| David: Is the name of an older 19th century Ching Dynasty coin. |
| Amber: 对，尤其是清朝的时候。(Duì, yóuqí shì qīngcháo de shíhòu.) |
| David: Yes. So, it’s Ching Dynasty currency, that’s why people don’t use it for big bills. |
| Amber: 没错。(Méi cuò.) |
| David: Right. You have to say: |
| Amber: 整钱。(Zhěng qián.) |
| David: Right. For instance, “I’ll give you a big bill, you give me change.” |
| Amber: 我给你整钱，你找钱吧！(Wǒ gěi nǐ zhěng qián, nǐ zhǎoqián ba!) |
| David: “I’ll give you a big bill, you give me change.” |
| Amber: 我给你整钱，你找钱吧！(Wǒ gěi nǐ zhěng qián, nǐ zhǎoqián ba!) |
| David: Right. So, the key vocab here is for: looking for change, getting change, getting the proper change. |
| Amber: 没错。(Méi cuò.) |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| David: In our grammar section, we want to talk about how to really sound like a native Chinese when you say “No, no, no, no, no.” |
| Amber: 或者 对对对对对! (Huòzhě duì duì duì duì duì!) |
| David: Now, Amber, today we’re going to talk about something that’s uniquely Chinese. |
| Amber: 对。(Duì.) |
| David: Or, that’s really different in Chinese than it is in English. Now, this is a way of speaking. It’s a way of communicating emotion. We hear it in the last line of our dialogue. |
| Amber: 哦，对对对，我的错，不好意思。(Ó, duì duì duì, wǒ de cuò, bù hǎoyìsi.) |
| David: “Oh. That’s right. It’s my fault, I’m sorry.” |
| Amber: 哦，对对对，我的错，不好意思。(Ó, duì duì duì, wǒ de cuò, bù hǎoyìsi.) |
| David: Listen again to this: |
| Amber: 对对对。(Duì duì duì.) |
| David: “That’s right.” |
| Amber: 对对对。(Duì duì duì.) |
| David: Right. What’s interesting here, is we’ve got a repetition of three sounds. |
| Amber: 对，对，对。(Duì, duì, duì.) |
| David: Right. And, this is, this is a Chinese way of speaking. You know, in English when we’re emphasizing something , we might drag out, we might say: “Oh. That’s right.” |
| Amber: Ah, 对。(Duì.) |
| David: In Chinese, people will tend to repeat the word three times. |
| Amber: 对对对。(Duì duì duì.) |
| David: And, we get this with 对 (Duì) , that’s right? We also get it with “no” or “not”. |
| Amber: 不 不 不。(Bù bù bù.) |
| David: “No, no, no, no.” |
| Amber: 不 不 不。(Bù bù bù.) |
| David: Right. And, that’s the most common set of repetitions, of repetitions of three times. |
| Amber: 对。(Duì.) |
| David: However, we will also hear these words repeated six times. |
| Amber: 比如说 对对对对对对。(Bǐrú shuō duì duì duì duì duì duì.) |
| David: Or? |
| Amber: 不 不 不 不 不 不。(Bù bù bù bù bù bù.) |
| David: Right. And, for extra emphasis, Chinese speakers will sometimes even turn it up to seven. |
| Amber: 没错, 有些时候会听到 不 不 不 不 不 不不, 或者 对对对对对对对。(Méi cuò, yǒuxiē shíhòu huì tīng dào bù bù bù bù bù bù bù, huòzhě duì duì duì duì duì duì duì.) |
| David: No, no, no. |
| Amber: 它的意思是 (Tā de yìsi shì), I can’t agree more. |
| David: Ok, ok. Right. And, what we want to emphasize in this lesson is that these numbers are arbitrary. You’re not going to hear people give you two repetitions. |
| Amber: 没错。(Méi cuò.) |
| David: You’re not going to hear people give you four repetitions or five repetitions. |
| Amber: 对, 尤其 … 五。(Duì, yóuqí… wǔ.) |
| David: It’s going to be three or six. Or, if they’re really into it, seven. |
| Amber: 没错。(Méi cuò.) |
| David: Now, we hear this with: |
| Amber: 对。(Duì.) |
| David: And? |
| Amber: 不。(Bù.) |
| David: You’re also going to hear this with a few other characters. |
| Amber: 比如说 “别”。(Bǐrú shuō “bié”.) |
| David: “Don’t” |
| Amber: 别, 别,别。(Bié, bié, bié.) |
| David: “Don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t do that.” |
| Amber: 或者 别, 别, 别, 别, 别,别。(Huòzhě bié, bié, bié, bié, bié, bié.) |
| David: Right. |
| Amber: 或者有的时候 别别别别别别别！(Huòzhě yǒu de shíhòu bié bié bié bié bié bié bié!) |
| David: Right. We also hear it with: |
| Amber: 好。(Hǎo.) |
| David: Meaning “good” or “ok”. |
| Amber: 有的时候你会听到 好好好, 或者好好好好好好！(Yǒu de shíhòu nǐ huì tīng dào hǎohǎohǎo, huòzhě hǎohǎohǎo hǎo hǎo hǎo!) |
| David: We also hear this with another more colloquial way of saying “Ok.” |
| Amber: 行。(Xíng.) |
| David: “Ok.” |
| Amber: 行。(Xíng.) |
| David: And, people would repeat this when they don’t want to hear anymore about it. They agreed and they say: “Ok. Stop talking.” |
| Amber: 行行行 。(Xíng xíng xíng.) |
| David: Or? |
| Amber: 行行行行行行 。(Xíng xíng xíng xíng xíng xíng.) |
| David: Right. So, five words that Chinese speakers will repeat frequently. |
| Amber: “对”, “不”, “别”, “好”, 还有 “行”。(“Duì”, “bù”, “bié”, “hǎo”, hái yǒu “xíng”.) |
| David: And, the key thing to take away from this lesson is that when native speakers want to emphasize these words, they repeat them in group of three, six or seven. |
| Amber: 对，没错。(Duì, méi cuò.) |
| David: Now, if you get this down, your Chinese is going to sound a lot more native. One other thing that is going to make you sound more native is knowing more about society and life in China. |
| Amber: 没错。(Méi cuò.) |
| David: Part of this, in our premium transcript we’ve got a section called The Cultural Insight… |
| Amber: 对，没错。(Duì, méi cuò.) |
| David: Where, every last we write down something that most people don’t know about China. But, that, when you know, you’re going to understand what’s happening around you and the way people are behaving much better. |
| Amber: 它对你在中国生活很有帮助。(Tā duì nǐ zài zhōngguó shēnghuó hěn yǒu bāngzhù.) |
| David: Yes. Small stuff that most foreigners don’t know. |
| Amber: 没错。(Méi cuò.) |
Outro |
| David: But, this simplifies life here. And, with that, that’s all the time we have. From Beijing, I’m David. |
| Amber: 我是安伯。(Wǒ shì ān bó.) |
| David: Thanks for listening and we’ll see you on Chineseclass101.com. |
| Amber: 咱们网上见, 拜拜！(Zánmen wǎngshàng jiàn, bàibài!) |
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