Lesson 093 - Making a Phone Call (1)

Cam:  It’s a fresh new week here on Chinese Studio.  Dajia hao.  Wo shi Cam.
YJ:  And I’m Yajie – it’s time to perfect Chinese your way in only 5 minutes a day.  And this week we are going to focus on something that will be very useful for foreigners in China.
Cam:  Yes, this will be.  How to talk on the phone.

Key Words of the Day
Hello, I’d like to speak to Mr. Lee.. 您好。我找李先生。 I’m sorry, he’s not in at the moment. 对不起，现在他不在。 Would you like to leave a message? 您要留言吗？All in today’s Chinese Studio.

Cam: So Yajie, I tried calling your home the other day and your mom answered.  And I didn’t know what to say!
Yajie: Well, in that case you may say “您好。我找yajie。(nin2 hao3，.wo3 zhao3 ya4jie2)” . Hello, I’d like to speak to Yajie.
Cam:  您好。我找yajie。(nin2 hao3，.wo3 zhao3 ya4jie2)”
YJ: 您好。(nin2 hao3), hello, usually you will say “喂（wei2）” when you answer the phone. 喂（wei2）, the second tone.
Cam: 喂（wei2）
YJ: 我 means I.
Cam: 我，wo3.
YJ: 找， originally means to look for. Of course here it means I would love to speak to someone.
Cam: That’s much easier, just one word. Zhao3.
YJ：wei, wo zhao Cam…
Cam: I see. Then I just need to put the person’s name directly after zhao3, right?
YJ: right.

Conversation1:

YJ: As you heard in the conversation, if he or she is not in at the moment, you may say “对不起，现在她不在。(dui4buqi3, xian4zai4 ta1 bu2 zai4.)” I’m sorry, he or she is not in at the moment.
Cam: 对不起，现在她不在。(dui4buqi3, xian4zai4 ta1 bu2 zai4.)
YJ: 对不起 (dui4buqi3), sorry.
Cam: 对不起 (dui4buqi3)
YJ: 现在 (xian4zai4), at the moment. 
Cam: 现在 (xian4zai4)
YJ: 她(ta1) means he/she.
Cam: 她(ta1)
YJ: 不在 (bu4 zai4), not in.
Cam: 不在 (bu4 zai4)
YJ: 对不起，现在她不在。(dui4buqi3, xian4zai4 ta1 bu2 zai4.)
Cam: 对不起，现在她不在。(dui4buqi3, xian4zai4 ta1 bu2 zai4.) I’m sorry, he or she is not in at the moment.

Conversation2:

Cam: Yajie, one of your friends just called, but you weren’t here, how should I say “would you like to leave a message”?
YJ: That’s  so sweet, Cam. You can say  您要留言吗？(nin2 yao4 liu2 yan2 ma1?)
Cam: 您要留言吗？(nin2 yao4 liu2 yan2 ma1?)
YJ: 您 is you. 
Cam: 您（nin2）
YJ: 要（yao4）, want to.
Cam:要（ yao4）.
YJ: 留 （liu2） means to leave.
Cam: 留 （liu2）
YJ: 言 （yan2） is abbreviation for message in Chinese, the second tone.
Cam: 言（yan2）
YJ: 留言（liu2 yan2）, to leave a message.
Cam: 留言（liu2 yan2）.
YJ: 您要留言吗？(nin2 yao4 liu2 yan2 ma1?) would you like to leave a message.
Cam: 您要留言吗？(nin2 yao4 liu2 yan2 ma1?)

Conversation3:

Key Words Reminder

Hello, I’d like to speak to Mr. Lee.  您好。我找李先生。 I’m sorry, he’s not in at the moment. 对不起，现在他不在。 Would you like to leave a message? 您要留言吗？