Cam: It's time to perfect Chinese your way in only five minutes a day. Wo shi Cam.
YJ: And wo shi Yajie… it's time for a review of everything we've learned this week.
Cam: Right, it's been all about how to ask for help. So let's get started.
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Sentences in the week
Would you do me a favor? 能帮我个忙吗? Sure当然可以。Can you fix the computer for me?能帮我修一下电脑吗？Thanks a million, 非常感谢。You've been a great help.你真是帮了大忙了。
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Cam: Yajie, in many cases, whether at the chao shi, bank, restaurant, or whatever, we need to ask for help.
Yajie: Right. You can say 能帮我个忙吗?
Cam: neng2 bang1 wo3 ge4 mang2 ma?
YJ: 能neng2 means would you?
Cam: neng2.
YJ: 帮我 bang1 wo3 means to help me,
Cam: bang1 wo3,
YJ: 个 ge4 is short for 一个 yi2ge4, which means one,
Cam: ge4.
YJ: 帮忙 bang1 mang2, help.
Cam: bang1 mang2.
YJ: 能帮我个忙吗？neng2 bang1 wo3 ge4 mang2 ma?
Cam: neng2 bang1 wo3 ge4 mang2 ma? Would you do me a favor?
Conversation 1:
A: 能帮我个忙吗?
B: 当然可以。怎么了?
A: 你能替我寄封信吗?
B: 好的,没问题。
A: 谢谢。
B: 不客气。
Cam: And if I ask somebody to do me a favor, what will their response be?
Yajie: Most friendly people will say 当然可以, which means Sure.
Cam: dang1 ran2 ke2 yi3.
YJ: 当然 dang1 ran2 means of course,
Cam: dang1 ran2.
YJ: 可以 ke2 yi3 imply that I can help,
Cam: ke2 yi3
YJ: 当然可以 dang1 ran2 ke2 yi3.
Cam: dang1 ran2 ke2 yi3. of course I can.
Conversation 2:
A: 能帮我个忙吗?
B: 当然可以了,怎么了?
A: 能帮我去楼下取个快件吗?
B: 没问题。
Cam: Yajie, my computer isn't working, so I need someone to help me with that. How do I say that in Chinese?
YJ: you can say “能帮我修一下电脑吗?”
Cam: neng2 bang1 wo3 xiu1 yi2xia4 dian4 nao3 ma?
YJ: 能帮我 neng2 bang1 wo3, would you help me,
Cam: neng2 bang1 wo3,
YJ: 修一下 xiu1 yi2xia4, to fix,
Cam: xiu1 yi2xia4
YJ: 电脑 dian4 nao3, computer,
Cam: dian4 nao3
YJ: 修电脑 xiu1 dian4 nao3, to fix the computer,
Cam: xiu1 dian4 nao3
YJ: 能帮我修一下电脑吗？neng2 bang1 wo3 xiu1 yi2xia4 dian4 nao3 ma?
Cam: neng2 bang1 wo3 xiu1 yi2xia4 dian4 nao3 ma? Can you fix the computer for me?
Conversation 3:
A: 能帮我修一下电脑吗?
B: 没问题。
A: 非常感谢,
B: 不客气。
YJ: And if somebody helps you, you will want to thank them.
Cam: I can say fei1 chang2 gan3 xie4, which means thanks a million.
YJ: 非常 fei1 chang2 means very much,
Cam: fei1 chang2
YJ: 感谢 gan3 xie4. thanks
Cam: gan3 xie4.
YJ: 非常感谢 fei1 chang2 gan3 xie4.
Cam: fei1 chang2 gan3 xie4. Thanks a million.
YJ: But you may want to say more than that, such as “You've been a great help.”
Cam: What's the Chinese for that?
YJ: it's 你真是帮了大忙了。
Cam: ni3 zhen1shi4 bang1 le da4 mang2 le.
YJ: 你 ni3 means you,
Cam: ni3,
YJ: 真是 zhen1 shi4, really,
Cam: zhen1 shi4,
YJ: 帮大忙 bang 1 da4 mang2, means a great help.
Cam: bang1 da4 mang2.
YJ: 你真是帮大忙了 ni3 zhen1shi4 bang1 le da4 mang2 le.
Cam: ni3 zhen1shi4 bang1 le da4 mang2 le. You've been a great help
Conversation 4
A: 非常感谢!你真是帮了大忙了。
B: 别客气,要帮忙就给我打电话。
A: 好的。
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Sentences in the week
Would you do me a favor? 能帮我个忙吗? Sure当然可以 Can you fix the computer for me?能帮我修一下电脑吗?Thanks a million, 非常感谢。You've been a great help. 你真是帮了大忙了。All in todays sentences in the week.
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Cam: Yajie, this has been very helpful… no pun intended. Would you like to give our question of the day?
YJ: Sure… how do you say "thanks a million" in Chinese?
Cam: I'd like to say thanks a million for this week's lessons, Yajie!
YJ: No problem. We'll see everyone next week!
Cam: Zhou mo kuai le!
