Communicate in Chinese 交际汉语 Lesson 6: Making phone calls

会话 A
(刘经理的办公室)
刘明：(看文件，自言自语地说) 下班了，给夫人打个电话，请她吃饭。喂，是北京大学吗？请转232分机。占线？过一会(儿)再打。
刘明：(一分钟后) 你好，请转232分机。喂，你好，我找李红老师。
甲：对不起，她现在不在办公室。
刘明：能麻烦您给留个言吗？
甲：请讲。
刘明：请转告她我是刘明。请她回来后给我回个电话。
甲：您的电话号码？
刘明：我的电话是62183328。
Translation:
(Manager Liu's office.)
Liu Ming:(Reading documents, said to himself). It's time to finish work, give my wife a ring and invite her for dinner. Hello, is this Peking University? Please put me through to extension 232. The line is engaged? I'll call back shortly.
Liu Ming: (after a minute) Hello, please put me through to extension 232. Hello, I'd like to speak to Teacher Li Hong.
A: Sorry, she's not in the office right now.
Liu Ming: Could you please leave a message for her?
A: Please go on.
Liu Ming: Please tell her that I'm Liu Ming and ask her to call me back.
A: Your phone number?
Liu Ming: My phone number is 62183328.
会话 B
(小江 走进李老师的办公室。)
小江：没人，先打个电话……68796162。喂，喂，怎么没 声音啊！我再拨
一次号码，68796162。喂，喂，(看看 电话) 怎么回事(儿)，连忙音都没有啊？我再试试……
李红：(走进来)小江，你在干什么呢？
小江：李老师，我在打电 话呢！可是总也打不通。
李红：小江，这只是部电话机。你看，电话线还没装呢！
小江：啊？
Translation:
(Xiao Jiang walks into Teacher Li's office.)
Xiao Jiang: Nobody's here, I'll make a call...68796162. Hello, hello, how come there's no sound! I'll dial the number again, 68796162. Hello, hello, (looks at phone) what's the matter, there's not even a busy tone? I'll try again...
Li Hong: (walks in) Xiao Jiang, what are you doing?
Xiao Jiang: Teacher Li, I'm making a phone call! But I can't get through.
Li Hong: Xiao Jiang, this is only a telephone handset. Look, the cord hasn't even been plugged in yet!
Xiao Jiang: Uh?
会话 C
(电话亭旁)
小江：喂，是1 1 4 吗？请帮我查一下(儿) 长城 饭店的电话号码……谢谢。
甲：长城饭店，我能为你做些什么？(拨号)
小江：喂，你好。请转526房间。
甲：对不起，房间没有人。
小江：那我可以留言吗?
甲：可以。
小江：谢谢。 请转告房间的客人给我回电话，我叫小江，电话号码是67777101。
Translation:
(Next to the phone booth.)
Xiao Jiang: Hello, is this 114? Can you please look up the phone number for the Great Wall Hotel? Thank you.
(dials number)
A: Great Wall Hotel, how can I help you?
Xiao Jiang: Hello, please transfer me to room 526.
A: Sorry, no one is in the room.
Xiao Jiang: Then could I leave a message?
A: Sure.
Xiao Jiang: Thank you. Please tell the guest to return my call, my name is Xiao Jiang, the phone number is 67777101.
Cultural Background
How to make phone calls in China
Every major city in China has its own telephone number directory, or the "Yellow Pages" referred to in other countries. The number for directory assistance is 114 throughout the country. This is a free service, where an operator will help you find a number for a company or an organization. But if you are looking for a residential number, 114 would not be able to tell you as phone books in China do not list residential numbers.
The speedy development of Chinese telecommunications means that it is now one of the most mobile-connected countries in the world, where cell phones are seen and used almost everywhere. Cellular phones can also be rented. There are also direct dial numbers where by dialing a local number in China, one can reach free of charge an operator in other countries. Then the charges will occur on the other side, not in China.
When people answer the phone in China they say "喂", which doesn't have a specific meaning. It is just the way of starting off the conversation. Except for large hotels or sino-foreign joint venture companies, it is not common practice to say the receiver's name or organization's name. Therefore it makes sense to confirm the other party's telephone number first when making a call.
Language Points
1、The preposition "给" can be used to introduce the receiver of an action of behaviour，it means "to". For example, I'm making a call to Da Niu. He gave me a book.
2、The "再" in "我再试试" － "I'll try again." and "我再拨" "I’ll dial again." is used with a verb，denotes that an action or condition will be repeated or continued. For example, "再给他打个电话。", "Call him again."
Substitutional Drills
1、Can never get through…
There is never any news.
Never comes.
Can never get it right.
Can never get on it.
2、 I'm on the phone
I'm writing.
I'm reading a book.
I'm singing.
3、My phone number is…
My phone number is 68177274.
My phone number is 65125689.
4、Please tell...
Please tell Teacher Li.
Please tell my friend.
5、Could you please...
Could you please tell me...
Could you please help me...
6、Please tranfer to...
Please transfer me to extension 203.
Please transfer me to room 516.
Please transfer me to the service desk on the 8th floor.
7、Is this...
Is this Tsinghua University?
Is this Teacher Li?
Is this Da Niu?
8、give...
Give Liu Ming a call.
Give the school a call.