Lesson 109 - Dating (1)

James: Hello, welcome to a brand new week on Chinese Studio on CRI – wo shi James.
Shanshan:  And I'm Shanshan. A brand new week and brand new hosts. James and I are sitting in for Cam and Yajie. The holiday is just over and we're back to work......
James: Which is a bit of shame because the holiday week is a time for special romances.
Shsh: Yeah, very true. But James, what romantic words would you say?
J: Well, I would completely at a loss, so this week let's find out how do we attract that special person.
Sh: Yeah, that's what we are going to learn.We are going to talk about
J: So, let’s check out some of the key words for today.

Key Words of the Day
Do you come here often? 你经常来这儿吗？（ni3 jing1chang2 lai2 zhe4r ma?）You look very pretty/handsome. 你真漂亮！(ni3 zhen1 piao4liang!) What is your phone number? 你的电话号码是多少？(ni3 de dian4hua4 hao4ma3 shi4 duo1shao?) All in today’s Chinese Studio.

Sh:  Do you come here often? 你经常来这儿吗？（ni3 jing1chang2 lai2 zhe4r ma?）
J:  你经常来这儿吗？（ni3 jing1chang2 lai2 zhe4r ma?）
Sh: 你 (ni3), third tone, you.
J: 你 (ni3)
Sh 经常 (jing1chang2), often.
J: 经常 (jing1chang2)
Sh: 来 (lai2), to come.
J: 来 (lai2)
Sh: 这儿 (zhe4r), here.
J: 这儿 (zhe4r)
Sh: 吗 (ma), a question mark.
J: 吗 (ma)
Sh: 你经常来这儿吗？（ni3 jing1chang2 lai2 zhe4r ma?）
J:你经常来这儿吗？（ni3 jing1chang2 lai2 zhe4r ma?） Do you come here often?

Conversation1:

Sh: James, what would you say to beautiful girls you meet.  
J: Well I would first call them very pretty.
Sh: Do you know how to say it in Chinese?
J: I don't know.
Sh: Okay.
J: Let's find out.
Sh: Right. It's 你真漂亮！(ni3 zhen1 piao4liang!)
J: 你真漂亮！(ni3 zhen1 piao4liang!)
Sh: You look very pretty.你真漂亮！(ni3 zhen1 piao4liang!)
J: 你真漂亮！(ni3 zhen1 piao4liang!)
Sh: 你 (ni3), as we mentioned just now,  you.
J:你 (ni3)
Sh:  真 (zhen1), very, really.
J:真 (zhen1)
Sh:  漂亮 (piao4liang), pretty. 
J: 漂亮 (piao4liang)
Sh: So the whole sentence reads 你真漂亮！(ni3 zhen1 piao4liang!)
J: 你真漂亮！(ni3 zhen1 piao4liang!) You look very pretty!
Sh: Girls prefer to say 谢谢（xie4xie4) after hearing the compliments.
J: 谢谢！（xie4xie4）Well, I want to have the phone number of that pretty Chinese girl that I was talking to. Could you please tell how I ask for it?
Sh: No problem! You can say 你的电话号码是多少？(ni3 de dian4hua4 hao4ma3 shi4 duo1shao?)
J: 你的电话号码是多少？(ni3 de dian4hua4 hao4ma3 shi4 duo1shao?)
Sh:  电话号码 (dian4hua4 hao4ma3), phone number.
J: 电话号码 (dian4hua4 hao4ma3)
Sh: 你的 (ni3 de), your.
J: 你的 (ni3 de)
Sh:  是 (shi4), is.
J: 是 (shi4)
Sh: 多少 (duo1shao), indicates an uncertain quantity.
J: 多少 (duo1shao),
Sh: So the whole sentence is 你的电话号码是多少？(ni3 de dian4hua4 hao4ma3 shi4 duo1shao?)
J:你的电话号码是多少？(ni3 de dian4hua4 hao4ma3 shi4 duo1shao?) What is your phone number?

Conversation3:

Key Words Reminder
Do you come here often? 你经常来这儿吗？（ni3 jing1chang2 lai2 zhe4r ma?）You look very pretty/handsome. 你真漂亮！(ni3 zhen1 piao4liang!) What is your phone number? 你的电话号码是多少？(ni3 de dian4hua4 hao4ma3 shi4 duo1shao?) 

Sh: Okay, hope these sentences help when another romance comes up.
J: Well, I certainly think it's a good start.
Sh: Okay, keep practicing.