第一课 打车 Lesson One Taking a Taxi (2)

Dominic: These days most taxis in Beijing are equipped with a reliable metre that starts at 10 yuan for the first three kilometres, which works out at approximately 1.5 dollars, and then increases at around 2 yuan per kilometre after that. Nevertheless, it’s still sensible to get a good idea of the price before you start your journey. To do that, you can simply say 大概多少钱？
Dominic to taxi driver: 师傅，大概多少钱？

GRAPHIC FLASH: 大概多少钱？Let’s break this down a little. 大概 means approximately, 多少 means how much, (多means more, 少 means less. So literally “how much” can be translated as “more less”. As complicated as Chinese seems at first, there is a simple underlying logic to many of the phrases.) now we simply add 钱, which means money, onto the end of the sentence to get 大概多少钱？once again, 大概多少钱？Approximately how much is it?

Dominic: Now the Bird’s Nest Stadium is one of the most famous locations in Beijing, so it would be very unusual if a taxi driver didn’t know how to get there. Having said that, more often than not, you need to go to a location a little more difficult to describe. In this situation, it is highly recommended to have a written version of your address, like this 鸟巢. In this case, simply point and tell the driver 我要去这里。我要去这里。

(Shot of Dominic’s piece of paper with instructions)
(Dominic’s phone rings. It’s PK.)

Dominic: Hey, PK.
PK: Hi, Dominic. 你在哪儿？
Dominic: I don’t know. I ask the driver. 
Dominic to taxi driver: 师傅，我们到哪里了？
 
GRAPHIC FLASH: 师傅，我们到哪里了？To address the driver, it’s recommended to use the polite address 师傅. 我 means I, 我们 means us,到, to arrive at, 哪里wher, 师傅，我们到哪里了？Shifu, wher are we now？

Taxi driver to Dominic: 我们到中关村了。
Dominic to PK on the phone: 我到中关村了。
PK to Dominic: 你才到中关村？ 
Dominic to PK: Don’t worry. Don’t worry. We are not so far away. 
PK: Come on. Hurry up! 
Dominic: OK, we’re coming.

Dominic: If you are learning Chinese, getting a taxi in Beijing is a perfect opportunity for some conversation practice because the driver can’t escape! Let’s try some now.
Dominic: 师傅，你是哪里人？
Taxi driver: 我是北京人。你是哪里人？
Dominic: 我是英国人。

(Shot of taxi running through Beijing)

Dominic: I think we’re getting close. But I can check with the driver by asking我们到了吗？
Dominic to taxi driver: 师傅，我们到了吗？
Taxi driver: 我们到了。

Dominic: Oh, we’re here. 我们到了。When you are ready for the taxi driver to stop, you can simply say 师傅，就停这儿吧。
Dominic to driver: 师傅，就停这儿吧。

GRAPHIC FLASH: 就停这儿吧。Remember, 停 means stop, and 这儿 means here. 就停这儿吧。We can just stop here.