User Comments - light487

Posted on: Clearing the Table

@Amber:
Yes.. hrmm.. what a stupid question. :) I guess I was just confused and needed the clarification.. the simple things always seem to confuse me.

What I was asking was, can I say: 可以帮我一下这个吗？ Kěyǐ bāng wǒ yīxià zhège ma?

So that it can be used in any context with the type of help implied by the situation. So I might have a map to follow, or a form to fill out, or in the above case a bag/parcel to carry etc..

Posted on: Clearing the Table

Could the "na2" be removed to make it more generic then? Or does it need an action in there for it to make sense?

Posted on: Rating Restaurants on Dianping

There's no English translation or sister site in English? Be nice to have something like this for my trip to China next year in March but I doubt my skills will be adequate by then to use a resource like this in pure Chinese.

Posted on: A Month as a Monk and Chinese Business Meetings

Yes.. the old "spilled" drink trick is a good one but be sure not to spill it all otherwise you will have another full one in your hand in no time. Some Australians like a big booze up too and I don't like it that much.. so I have used a bunch of techniques..

Another good technique, if you don't mind buying your way out of a bad situation, is to buy a few rounds of drinks yourself from the bar. As you are the person buying, you can order a fake bourbon and coke, or whatever else you fancy.. The idea is to make them think you are drinking ther real deal and noone is the wiser for it.. unless they try to sniff or sip your drink.. :)

Posted on: Clearing the Table

@Amber:
In reference to - keyi bang wo na yixia zhege ma?

There is no "ni3" at the beginning?

So this is more literally meaning: Can you help me with this?

I am not seeing a "carry" word in there, simply a request for help with "this".. and the type of help is implied by the context?

Posted on: Clearing the Table

@crosslink
Yeh I get this "patronising" attitude in restaurants in Chinatown (Sydney). It's a shame really because it does detract from the eating experience greatly as you are wondering whether you are even welcome in their restaurant or just a nuisance.

They bring you a fork even when you tell them you don't want one; bring you menus that they think you want and then are flustered when you want the other menu that everyone else is ordering from. By the end of the meal they usually realise that you are quite capable but the magic of the night is already lost by then.

@cPOD:
I notice in the dialogue, more noticeable when Jenny is going through the sentences individually, the sentence "zai na dian..." is being spoken as "zai na dianr..." I realise it is a northern accent thing as this comes up a lot but why is it not written as such in the PDF? It makes it slightly more confusing when you are trying to follow along with the PDF, unless you already know to add the 儿 mentally.

Posted on: All in the Family

But which is more commonly used? there are lots of different ways to say things..

Posted on: All in the Family

Hrmm.. I was taught the way Amber is suggesting:

你有哥哥弟弟和姐姐妹妹吗？
nǐ yǒu gēge dìdi hé jiějie mèimei ma?

It does seem a little long-winded though.. and since Chinese seems to be more a language of economy of words.. I would have thought something a little shorter would be better.. but this is now the second time I have seen the "long way" used by teachers.

My answer would be:

我有两个哥哥和一个姐姐。
wǒ yǒu liǎng gè gēge hé yī gè jiějie.

Posted on: Post-Holiday Preview

Feeling better now, John? :)

Posted on: Post-Holiday Preview

Yeh hehe.. I have set it forward 1 hour.. the only problem with that is that the company I work for has its head office in Brisbane.. so we all start an hour early and there's no one to call if we have problems.. and the people on late shift have to work till 9pm.. Major pain in the rear..