第十二课 逛酒吧街 Lesson Twelve: Visiting the Beijing Bar Districts (1)

(Dominic on a street in Beijing. It’s springtime, so weather is warm.)

Dominic: Beijing is widely known for being Chinese capital of culture. But once you‘ve experienced the wealth of museums, temples and cultural sites the city has to offer, it’s necessary to relax a little. And that is precisely what we plan to do today by going to one of the city’s most popular bar districts. But before we go, I need to find a drinking partner.

(Dominic calls Zheng Zhi.)

Dominic: 嗨，郑治， 今天下午有时间吗？
Zheng Zhi: 有啊，你想干嘛？
Dominic: 我想去酒吧喝酒。你愿意和我一起去吗？
Zheng Zhi: 好啊，当然可以！你想去哪儿？
Dominic: 太好了！去后海怎么样？
Zheng Zhi: 非常好。我很喜欢后海。
Dominic: 好的。咱们下午三点在那见，行吗？
Zheng Zhi: 好啊，下午三点见。 
Dominic: 好的。

[Houhai is actually an artificial lake and was made in the 14th century during the Yuan Dynasty. Its original function was to create a harbour for all the barges delivering goods to the emperor from across China and beyond. The Forbidden City, wher the emperor resided is just the other side of those trees.]

GRAPHIC FLASH: 我想去酒吧喝酒。我想 means I’d like to, 去酒吧 go to a bar, 喝酒 drink, in most cases, it refers to drink alcohol, so我想去酒吧喝酒。together, I’d like to go to a bar for a drink.

你愿意和我一起去吗？你愿意 means do you want to, 一起 means together, 去 means go, altogether, 你愿意和我一起去吗？Do you want to come? Or do you want to go together?

去后海怎么样？去means go to, 后海 is a place name, 怎么样can be translated to how about, and in Chinese it can be used at the end of the sentence to put forward a suggestion, altogether, 去后海怎么样？How about going to Houhai?

(Dominic enters Houhai.)
(Dominic and Zheng Zhi meet at by side of lake.)

Zheng Zhi: 嗨，多米尼克！
Dominic: 嗨，郑治！你最近怎么样？
Zheng Zhi: 我最近很好，你呢？
Dominic: 不错，你知道在这儿哪个酒吧比较好吗？
Zheng Zhi: 我觉得这儿的酒吧都不错。
Dominic: 好的，我们去喝酒吧。
Zheng Zhi: 好的，我们走吧。

GRAPHIC FLASH: 你知道这儿哪个酒吧比较好吗？你 you, 知道 know, 这儿 in the sentence means in this area, 哪个 is often used to put forward a question, 酒吧 bar, 好 means good, altogether, 你知道在这儿哪个酒吧比较好吗？Do you know any good bars in this area?