Chinese Time

Conversations (1):

A: 图书馆在哪儿？
B: 就在大礼堂旁边。

B: Now if I go to the library, someone is bound to ask me, do you have a library card? How will they say that?
Y: They will say: 你有借书证吗？
B: ni2 you3 jie4 shu1 zheng4 ma?
Y: ni3 means you,
B: ni3,
Y: you3 means have,
B: you3,
Y: jie4 shu1 zheng4, we just mentioned it, and it means library card,
B: jie4 shu1 zheng4,
Y: the syllable ma is used to form a question,
B: ma,
Y: ni2 you3 jie4 shu1 zheng4 ma?
B: ni2 you3 jie4 shu1 zheng4 ma? Do you have a library card?

Conversations (2):

(1)A: 你有借书证吗？
B: 没有。
(2) A: 你有借书证吗？
B: 有，但是我忘带了。

B: I don’t have a card but I’d love one, how do I ask, how do I join the library?
Y: You may say it like this: 怎么办借书证？
B: Let me try that… zen3me ban4 jie4 shu1 zheng4?
Y: zen3me means how,
B: zen3me,
Y: ban4 means apply for,
B: ban4,
Y: jie4 shu1 zheng4, library card,
B: jie4 shu1 zheng4
Y: zen3me ban4 jie4 shu1 zheng4?
B: zen3me ban4 jie4 shu1 zheng4? How do I apply for a library card? /how do I join the library?

Conversations (3):

A: 怎么办借书证？
B: 你需要准备一张一寸的照片，以及10块钱的工本费。

B: Great, I’ve now got a library card, so let’s get down to the business of borrowing some books. Can I borrow these books?
Y: You need to ask, 这些书可以外借吗？
B: zhe4 xie1 shu1 ke2 yi3 wai4 jie4 ma?
Y: zhe4 xie1 shu1 these books, as shu1 means books,
B: zhe4 xie1 shu1,
Y: ke2 yi3 means be allowed to do sth,
B: ke2 yi3,
Y: wai4 jie4 means borrow,
B: wai4 jie4,
Y: zhe4 xie1 shu1 ke2 yi3 wai4 jie4 ma?
B: zhe4 xie1 shu1 ke2 yi3 wai4 jie4 ma? Can I borrow these books?

Conversations (4):

A: 这些书可以外借吗？
B: 不可以，这是图书馆的规定。

B: I’m going to browse the shelves. Coming Y?

Now question of the day: How do you say "How do I join the library?", in Chinese.

Conversations (1):

A: 怎么查询图书馆目录？
B: 到主页上看看吧。

B: Ok, great I’ve found the catalogue, but on second thoughts it just might be easier to look on the shelves. Bookshelves, what do we call those?
Y: You mean, shu1 jia4.
B: shu1 jia4,
Y: shu1 is books, and jia4 is shelves, shu1 jia4,
B: shu1 jia4. bookshelves. Let’s check out the reading room, where is it?
Y: Reading room, that’s: yue4 lan3 shi4,
B: yue4 lan3 shi4,
Y: yue4 lan3 means reading,
B: yue4 lan3,
Y: and shi4 means the room,
B: shi4,
Y: yue4 lan3 shi4,
B: yue4 lan3 shi4, reading room, …..So, where is the reading room must be yue4 lan3 shi4 zai4 na3er.?
Y: Yes. yue4 lan3 shi4 zai4 na3er? Where’s the reading room?

Conversations (2):

A: 阅览室在哪儿？
B: 就在隔壁。

B: Let’s catch up on a bit of news, so do you have any foreign books and newspapers?
Y: I guess so… But let’s ask the librarian…zhe4er you3 wai4 wen2 shu1 kan1 bao4 zhi4 ma?
B: zhe4er you3 wai4 wen2 shu1 bao4 za2 zhi4 ma?
Y: zhe4er means here, at this library,
B: zhe4er,
Y: you3 means have,
B: you3,
Y: wai4 wen2 means foreign,
B: wai4 wen2,
Y: shu1 kan1 means books and periodicals,
B: shu1 kan1,
Y: and bao4 zhi3 means newspapers,
B: bao4 zhi3,
Y: zhe4er you3 wai4 wen2 shu1 kan1 bao4 zhi4 ma?
B: zhe4er you3 wai4 wen2 shu1 bao4 za2 zhi4 ma? Do you have any foreign books and newspapers?

Conversations (3):

A: 这儿有外文书刊报纸吗？
B: 当然有了。就在二楼阅览室。

B: This is great, there’s enough books and newspapers to keep us busy for a while. And Y, you’ll have to remind me cos I’ve forgotten, magazines, what are they again?
Y: It’s zazhi.
B: Zazhi.
Y: And let me guess, you want to ask, (where are the magazines)?
B: You can read my mind like a book, actually like a zazhi.
Y: haha, let’s practice the sentence: na2er you3 za2 zhi4,
B: na2er you3 za2 zhi4
Y: na2er you3 literally means where have,
B: na2er you3
Y: and za2 zhi4 means magazines,
B: za2 zhi4
Y: na2er you3 za2 zhi4
B: na2er you3 za2 zhi4 Where are the magazines?

Conversations (4):

A: 哪有杂志？
B: 期刊阅览室就有。

B: I just spotted my favourite magazine, and I’m gonna grab it before some else does. Quickly though, what’s our question of the day Y

Now question of the day: How do you say "Where's the reading room?", in Chinese.

Conversations (1):

A: 哪儿有电脑？　
B: 阅览室门口就有。

B: Great, we’re sitting at the keyboard, and I’m a little lost, I just what to find a digital catalogue.
Y: Just click here, dian3 zhe4er, and here it is….
B: Could you repeat the sentence again, Y?
Y: Sure…. Dian3 zhe4er, just click here,
B: Dian3 zhe4er
Y: as dian3 means click, and zhe4er means here,
B: Dian3 zhe4e, click here,

Conversations (2):

A: 怎么进入目录查询？
B: 点这儿就可以了。

B: While we’re on the computer let’s get on line.
Y: You’re talking about the Internet, in Chinese it’s: hu4 lian2 wang3,
B: hu4 lian2 wang3
Y: hu4 means mutual,
B: hu4,
Y: lian2 means connection,
B: lian2,
Y: wang3 means web,
B: wang3,
Y: hu4 lian2 wang3
B: hu4 lian2 wang3 Internet. …. And how do I ask, how do I get online?
Y: you can say: zen3 me shang4 wang3?
B: zen3 me shang4 wang3?
Y: zen3 me means how,
B: zen3 me,
Y: shang4 wang3 means get online,
B: shang4 wang3,
Y: zen3 me shang4 wang3?
B: zen3 me shang4 wang3? How do I get online?

Conversations (3):

A: 我想查一下邮件。您能告诉我该怎么上网吗？
B: 没问题。连上网线就可以了。

B: These days libraries also have CDs, let’s find out where we can listen to some CDs, hao ma?
Y: Sure, we better say na3er neng2 ting1 CD?
B: na3er neng2 ting1 CD?
Y: na3er means where,
B: na3er
Y: neng2 means be able to do sth,
B: neng2,
Y: ting1 means listen to,
B: ting1,
Y: it’s okay for you to say CD in Chinese, no matter it’s single or plural…
B: CD,
Y: 哪儿能听CD?
B: na3er neng2 ting1 CD? Where can we listen to some CDs?

Conversations (4):

A: 哪儿能听CD?
B: 你可以问问管理员。

B: Now that we’ve found the CDs it’s time to sit down and put the headphones on.
Y. Yes it’s time for us to disappear, but not without a question first

Now question of the day: How do you say "Internet?", in Chinese.