Sentence Pattern
请问……在吗?(Qǐngwèn……zài ma?)
Is ... available?
Words
1.喂(wèi):[inter](of greeting)hello;hey
2.错(cuò):[adj.,adv]wrong
3.没(méi):[adv]no
4.个(gè):[quantifier](measure word for people or things)
5.小名(xiǎomíng):[n]nick name
6.马上(mǎshàng):[adv]right away, at once
7.真(Zhēn):[adv]really
8.吃饭(chīfàn):to have a meal
9.那(nà):[pron]that
10.晚(wăn):[adj]late
11.再(zài):[adj]again
Background
In the dorm Dachuan and Gao Qiang are playing Chinese chess. Then the telephone rings, and Dachuan answers it.
Dialogue One
Wèi, nǐhǎo.
喂,你好。
Hello.
Nǐhǎo. Qǐngwèn Xiǎo Qiáng zài ma?
你好。请问小强在吗?
Hello. Is Xiaoqiang there?
Xiǎo Qiáng? Nǐ dǎ cuò le. Zhèr méiyǒu zhè ge rén.
小强?你打错了。这儿没有这个人。
Xiaoqiang? Wrong number. There is no person here with such a name.
Xiǎo Qiáng shì wǒ de xiǎomíng. Hǎo de, wǒ mǎshàng lái.
小强是我的小名。好的,我马上来。
Xiaoqiang is my nick name. Ok. I'm coming.
Background
Dachuan is watching TV and is mimicking Taichi, a television character, when the telephone rings again. Dachuan gets up to answer the phone.
Dialogue Two
Wèi, nǐhǎo.
喂,你好。
Hello.
Nǐhǎo. Qǐngwèn Gāo Qiáng zài ma?
你好。请问高强在吗?
Hello. Is Gao Qiang in?
Zhēn bùqiǎo, tā qù chīfàn le.
真不巧,他去吃饭了。
Sorry, he is out at the moment.
Nà wǒ wǎn yìdiǎnr zài dǎ gěi tā. Xièxie, zàijiàn.
那我晚一点儿再打给他。谢谢,再见。
I'll phone him later. Thanks. Bye.
Zàijiàn
再见。
Bye.