YJ: Foreigners need to know how to ask for help… it’s very imp0rtant, whether you are at the supermarket, bank, or a restaurant.
Cam: Right. So let’s get started.
Key words of the day
Would you open the door for me, please? 能帮我开一下门吗？Could someone please help! 谁来帮帮我！You are welcome. 不客气 Can you fix the computer for me？ 能帮我修一下电脑吗？ All in today’s Chinese Studio.
Cam: There are many ways to ask for help Yajie, depending on the situation. If I am lifting a bunch of groceries in a supermarket, for example, and need someone to open the door for me… how do I say that in Chinese?
Yajie: well you can say 能帮我开一下门吗？
Cam: neng2 bang1 wo3 kai1 yi2xia4 men2 ma?
YJ: neng2 bang1 wo3, Can you help me
Cam: neng2 bang1 wo3,
YJ: kai1 yi2xia4, to open,
Cam: kai1 yi2xia4
YJ: men2 means door,
Cam: men2.
YJ: kai1 men2, to open the door,
Cam: kai1 men2.
YJ: 能帮我开一下门吗？
Cam: neng2 bang1 wo3 kai1 yi2xia4 men2 ma? Would you open the door for me, please?
Conversation1:
Ａ：能帮我开一下门吗？
Ｂ：好的。
Ａ：谢谢，
Ｂ：不客气。
Cam: Now if you were under lots of pressure, and trying to get something done, and nobody was helping you, you could yell “Could somebody please help!!”
YJ: Haha, you ARE asking for help!
Cam: And how do I say that in Chinese?
YJ: You can say 谁来帮帮我！
Cam: shei2 lai2 bang1 bang1 wo3!
YJ: shei2 originally means who, here it means someone,
Cam:shei2,
YJ: lai2 means to come,
Cam: lai2,
YJ: bang1 bang1 has the same meaning with bang1, which means to help,
Cam: bang1 bang1.
YJ: wo3 means I
Cam: wo3.
YJ: shei2 lai2 bang1 bang1 wo3!
Cam: shei2 lai2 bang1 bang1 wo3!
YJ: btw, it sounds like a question, but actually it’s an exclamation.
Cam: right, which means I DO need help from someone.
Conversation2:
Ａ：谁来帮帮我！
Ｂ：怎么了？
Ａ：活儿太多了，我一个人干不过来。
Ｂ：别担心，我来帮你。
Cam: After somebody helps me, I shall say fei1 chang2 gan3 xie4. which means thanks a million.
Yajie: And they might say, you are welcome. 不客气。
Cam: bu2 ke4qi .But I do need more help since my computer doesn’t work, and I need someone to help me with that. YJ: you can say “能帮我修一下电脑吗？”
Cam: neng2 bang1 wo3 xiu1 yi2xia4 dian4 nao3 ma?
YJ: neng2 bang1 wo3, would you help me,
Cam: neng2 bang1 wo3,
YJ: xiu1 yi2xia4, to fix,
Cam: xiu1 yi2xia4
YJ: dian4 nao3, computer,
Cam: dian4 nao3
YJ: xiu1 dian4 nao3, to fix the computer,
Cam: xiu1 dian4 nao3
YJ: neng2 bang1 wo3 xiu1 yi2xia4 dian4 nao3 ma?
Cam: neng2 bang1 wo3 xiu1 yi2xia4 dian4 nao3 ma? Can you fix the computer for me?
Conversation3:
Ａ：能帮我修一下电脑吗？
Ｂ：没问题。
Ａ：非常感谢。
Ｂ：不客气。
Key words reminder
Would you open the door for me, please? 能帮我开一下门吗？Could someone please help! 谁来帮帮我！You are welcome. 不客气 Can you fix the computer for me？ 能帮我修一下电脑吗？ All in today’s Chinese Studio.
