Cam: Hello, daji hao! Welcome to Chinese Studio! Wo shi Cam.
Yajie: Dajia hao. Wo shi Yajie.
Cam: In the last lesson we learned how to ask for help and making requests in Chinese. Now what if I want to say “no”, and refuse a request?
Yajie: Well, that wouldn’t be very easy! But it’s certainly something you’ll need to know. Let’s listen to Key Words of the Day.
****** key words of the day
对不起,我不进去了。Sorry, I won’t go inside.真对不起,今天我有事。 I’m really sorry, but I’ve got something to do today. All in today’s Chinese studio.
Yajie: “进来坐一会儿吧”, means come in and have a seat. Remember we learned “请进,请坐” yesterday? Well, this is a more informal way for inviting a friend to dro by.
Cam: 进来坐一会儿吧(jinlai zuo yi huir ba).
Yajie: 进来 means come in.
Cam: 进来(jinlai).
Yajie: 坐, zuo, the fourth tone, to sit down.
Cam: 坐, zuo.
Yajie: 一会儿, a moment.
Cam: 一会儿(yi huir).
Yajie: 进来坐一会儿吧。
Cam: 进来坐一会吧(jinlai zuo yi huir ba) , come in and have a seat.
Yajie: Of course if you like, you could come in. But if there is something urgent and important to do, you have to refuse the invitation politely. Then you could say “对不起,我不进去了”, sorry, I won’t go inside.
Cam: 对不起,我不进去了. (duibuqi, wo bu jinqu le.)
Conversations(1):
Yajie: Cam, remember we talked about dating in a previous show?
Cam: I sure do. But I’m still not sure how to ask a Chinese girl out. I haven’t had too much luck!
Yajie: Well, Chinese girls like it if you invite them to dinner or ask them to go to the cinema. For example, would you like to go for dinner tonight? 今天晚上我们一起去吃饭,好吗?(jintian wanshang women yiqi qu chifan, hao ma?)
Cam: 今天晚上我们一起去吃饭,好吗?(jintian wanshang women yiqi qu chifan, hao ma?)
Yajie: If the girl likes the boy, she could accept the invitation. But if she doesn’t find him very cool, then she could say “真对不起,今天我有事。改天吧。” I’m really sorry, but I’ve got something to do today. How about another day?
Cam: 真对不起,今天我有事。改天吧。(zhen dui bu qi, jintian wo youshi. Gai tian ba.)
Yajie: 真 means really. 真对不起, I’m really sorry.
Cam: 真对不起 (zhen dui bu qi).
Yajie: 有事, meaning being busy, or have something to do.
Cam: 有事 (you shi).
Yajie: 今天我有事, I’m busy today.
Cam: 今天我有事(jintian wo you shi).
Yajie: 改天吧, let’s choose another day.
Cam: 改天吧, let’s choose another day.
Yajie: 真对不起,今天我有事。改天吧。 I’m really sorry, but I’ve got something to do today. How about another day?
Cam: 真对不起,今天我有事。改天吧。(zhen dui bu qi, jintian wo youshi. Gai tian ba.)
Conversations(2):
Cam: 周末我们一起去看电影,好吗?(zhoumo women yiqi qu kan dianying, haoma?) Let’s go to the cinema this weekend, ok?
Yajie: 周末, weekend.
Cam: 周末(zhoumo).
Yajie: 我们,we。
Cam:wo men.
Yajie: 一起means together, 去means to go
Cam: yi4 qi3 qu4.
Yajie: 看电影, to watch a film.
Cam: 看电影(kan dianying).
Yajie: 周末我们一起去看电影,好吗?
Cam: Yajie, 周末我们一起去看电影,好吗?(zhoumo women yiqi qu kan dianying) Let’s go to the cinema this weekend, ok?
Yajie: 真对不起,周末我有事。下次吧。(zhen dui bu qi, jintian wo youshi. xiaciba.)
I’m really sorry, but I’ve got something to do this weekend. How about next time?
Cam: oh, no… not again this time.
Conversations(3):
****** key words reminder
对不起,我不进去了。Sorry. I won’t go inside. 真对不起,今天我有事。 I’m really sorry, but I’ve got something to do today.