Lesson 065 Visiting a Friend

YJ: Perfect Chinese your way, in only five minutes a day. Welcome to Chinese Studio. Wo3 shi4 YJ.
Cam:Da4 Jia1 hao3, Wo3 shi4 cam. It’s the beginning of the work week, although I am planning to visit a friend later this week.
YJ: Is he or she a Chinese friend?
Cam:  Yeah… so I need to practice some new phrases.
Yaj: Good idea. First let’s check Key Words of the Day.   

Key Words of the Day
好久没见了。Haven’t seen you for a long time.  冰箱里有什么？What do you have in refrigerator? 可口可乐, Coca Cola. All in today’s Chinese Studio.

Cam: YJ, I haven’t seen my friend for about 6 months. So what should I say to greet her?
YJ: Well, you can say好久没见了(Hao3jiu3 Mei2 jian4 le)。I haven’t seen you for a long time, 好久means long time.
Cam: Hao3jiu3 And I know 没(mei2) means ‘not’.
YJ: Right. And 见(jian4), j-i-an, fourth tone, means to ‘see’ . 没见, not see. 好久没见了(Hao3jiu3 Mei2 jian4 le).  Long time no see.
Cam: Hao3jiu3 Mei2 jian4 le. Long time no see.
YJ: Then you could continue by saying 你好吗？（ni2 hao3 ma1）, means ‘How are you?’
Cam: 你好吗？how are you? Then if I feel “Not bad”, how can I say it in Chinese?
YJ: 还不错(Hai2 bu2 cuo4)”. Not bad. 还(Hai2) means still. 不错(bu2 cuo4), not bad. “还不错(Hai2 bu2 cuo4)”. Not bad.
Cam: 还不错(Hai2 bu2 cuo4).

Conversation1:

YJ: It’s very hot in Beijing. So drinking fluid is keep yourself hydrated is very important.
Cam: I do prefer cold drinks. So I’d better ask what my friend has in the refrigerator first. I hope it won’t sound impolite. 
YJ: Of course not. You can ask冰箱里有什么 (Bing1 Xiang1 li3 you3 shen2 me)？冰箱(Bing1 Xiang1), both in the first tone, means refrigerator. 里, third tone, means inside. 冰箱里(Bing1 Xiang1 li3), in the refrigerator. 
Cam: 冰箱里(Bing1 Xiang1 li3) means ‘in the refrigerator’.
YJ: And 有什么(you3 shen2 me) means ‘have what’. 冰箱里有什么 (Bing1 Xiang1 li3 you3 shen2 me)? What’s in the refrigerator？
Cam: Bing1 Xiang1 li3 you3 shen2 me? What’s in the refrigerator？
YJ: 冰箱里有可乐和橙汁(Bing1xiang1 li3 you3 ke3le4 he2 cheng2zhi1). There is Coca Cola and orange juice in the refrigerator. 可乐, also known as 可口可乐, is the Chinese for Coca Cola.
Cam: Coca Cola, 可口可乐(ke3 kou3 ke3 le4). Sounds very close to the English.
YJ: Yeah. And可口可乐(ke3 kou3 ke3 le4) is often shortened into可乐(ke3 le4) in oral Chinese. In addition, orange juice- 橙汁- is also welcomed. 橙, second tone. 汁, first tone. 橙汁(cheng2 zhi1), orange juice.
Cam: Cheng2 zhi1 is orange juice. And可乐(ke3 kou3 ke3 le4) is Coca Cola.
YJ: 冰箱里有可乐和橙汁(Bing1xiang1 li3 you3 ke3le4 he2 cheng2zhi1). There is Coca Cola and orange juice in the refrigerator.
Cam: Bing1xiang1 li3 you3 ke3le4 he2 cheng2zhi1.
YJ: Very good. But if it’s too long for you, it could be shortened into “可乐和橙汁” (you3 ke3le4 he2 cheng2zhi1) as a reply. 
Cam: ke3le4 he2 cheng2zhi1. Much easier.

Conversation2:

Cam: Actually I prefer Cheng2 zhi1. So I think I’m going to have some orange juice. YJ, how do you say it?
YJ: You can say 我喝橙汁(Wo3 he1 cheng2 zhi1)。Remember, 喝 means to drink。
Cam: 我喝橙汁(Wo3 he1 cheng2 zhi1). I’d like to have orange juice.

Conversation3:

Key Words Reminder
好久没见了。Haven’t seen you for a long time. 冰箱里有什么？What do you have in refrigerator? 橙汁，orange juice, 可口可乐, Coca Cola.