Phrasebook

en In the discotheque   »   zh 在迪厅里

46 [forty-six]

In the discotheque

In the discotheque

46[四十六]

46 [Sìshíliù]

在迪厅里

zài dí tīng lǐ

Choose how you want to see the translation:   
English (UK) Chinese (Simplified) Play More
Is this seat taken? 这- 位子------吗-？ 这_ 位_ 是 空_ 吗 ？ 这- 位- 是 空- 吗 ？ -------------- 这个 位子 是 空的 吗 ？ 0
zà--d---ī-- lǐ z__ d_ t___ l_ z-i d- t-n- l- -------------- zài dí tīng lǐ
May I sit with you? 我-可--坐 在 您-边---？ 我 可_ 坐 在 您__ 吗 ？ 我 可- 坐 在 您-边 吗 ？ ---------------- 我 可以 坐 在 您旁边 吗 ？ 0
zài ---t--- lǐ z__ d_ t___ l_ z-i d- t-n- l- -------------- zài dí tīng lǐ
Sure. 很 -意 。 很 乐_ 。 很 乐- 。 ------ 很 乐意 。 0
z---e-w--z-------ō-g -- --? z____ w____ s__ k___ d_ m__ z-è-e w-i-i s-ì k-n- d- m-? --------------------------- zhège wèizi shì kōng de ma?
How do you like the music? 您--得 -音乐--么--？ 您 觉_ 这__ 怎__ ？ 您 觉- 这-乐 怎-样 ？ -------------- 您 觉得 这音乐 怎么样 ？ 0
z-----w-----s-ì --n---e-ma? z____ w____ s__ k___ d_ m__ z-è-e w-i-i s-ì k-n- d- m-? --------------------------- zhège wèizi shì kōng de ma?
A little too loud. 有点儿-太- 了-。 有__ 太_ 了 。 有-儿 太- 了 。 ---------- 有点儿 太吵 了 。 0
zh----w-i-i shì -ōn- -- -a? z____ w____ s__ k___ d_ m__ z-è-e w-i-i s-ì k-n- d- m-? --------------------------- zhège wèizi shì kōng de ma?
But the band plays very well. 但是 -个--队---得 -棒-。 但_ 这_ 乐_ 演__ 很_ 。 但- 这- 乐- 演-得 很- 。 ----------------- 但是 这个 乐队 演奏得 很棒 。 0
Wǒ-kě-- -u----- ní---á-gb--- m-? W_ k___ z__ z__ n__ p_______ m__ W- k-y- z-ò z-i n-n p-n-b-ā- m-? -------------------------------- Wǒ kěyǐ zuò zài nín pángbiān ma?
Do you come here often? 您-经- 到--里---吗 ？ 您 经_ 到 这_ 来 吗 ？ 您 经- 到 这- 来 吗 ？ --------------- 您 经常 到 这里 来 吗 ？ 0
Wǒ kě------ zà---ín -ángbiā----? W_ k___ z__ z__ n__ p_______ m__ W- k-y- z-ò z-i n-n p-n-b-ā- m-? -------------------------------- Wǒ kěyǐ zuò zài nín pángbiān ma?
No, this is the first time. 不--， 这是 -一- 。 不___ 这_ 第__ 。 不-的- 这- 第-次 。 ------------- 不是的， 这是 第一次 。 0
W- --yǐ-zu---ài-n-n--á-gb--n--a? W_ k___ z__ z__ n__ p_______ m__ W- k-y- z-ò z-i n-n p-n-b-ā- m-? -------------------------------- Wǒ kěyǐ zuò zài nín pángbiān ma?
I’ve never been here before. 我 以前 ----过 这--。 我 以_ 没_ 来_ 这_ 。 我 以- 没- 来- 这- 。 --------------- 我 以前 没有 来过 这儿 。 0
H-n--èy-. H__ l____ H-n l-y-. --------- Hěn lèyì.
Would you like to dance? 您-跳- 吗-？ 您 跳_ 吗 ？ 您 跳- 吗 ？ -------- 您 跳舞 吗 ？ 0
Hě---è-ì. H__ l____ H-n l-y-. --------- Hěn lèyì.
Maybe later. 也许 过 一-----。 也_ 过 一__ 吧 。 也- 过 一-儿 吧 。 ------------ 也许 过 一会儿 吧 。 0
Hěn l-yì. H__ l____ H-n l-y-. --------- Hěn lèyì.
I can’t dance very well. 我--得 -好-。 我 跳_ 不_ 。 我 跳- 不- 。 --------- 我 跳得 不好 。 0
N-n jué-é z-- y-n-uè-zě--- y---? N__ j____ z__ y_____ z____ y____ N-n j-é-é z-è y-n-u- z-n-e y-n-? -------------------------------- Nín juédé zhè yīnyuè zěnme yàng?
It’s very easy. 这 --简单 。 这 很 简_ 。 这 很 简- 。 -------- 这 很 简单 。 0
N------d- --- -īn-uè--ěnme yà--? N__ j____ z__ y_____ z____ y____ N-n j-é-é z-è y-n-u- z-n-e y-n-? -------------------------------- Nín juédé zhè yīnyuè zěnme yàng?
I’ll show you. 我-跳给 ---。 我 跳_ 您_ 。 我 跳- 您- 。 --------- 我 跳给 您看 。 0
Nín ---d---h---īny-- -ě-m- y-ng? N__ j____ z__ y_____ z____ y____ N-n j-é-é z-è y-n-u- z-n-e y-n-? -------------------------------- Nín juédé zhè yīnyuè zěnme yàng?
No, maybe some other time. 不--， ---下- 吧 ！ 不___ 还_ 下_ 吧 ！ 不-了- 还- 下- 吧 ！ -------------- 不用了， 还是 下次 吧 ！ 0
Y-u----- ----à- c---l-. Y__ d___ e_ t__ c______ Y-u d-ǎ- e- t-i c-ǎ-l-. ----------------------- Yǒu diǎn er tài chǎole.
Are you waiting for someone? 您 在 等 什--人 --？ 您 在 等 什_ 人 吗 ？ 您 在 等 什- 人 吗 ？ -------------- 您 在 等 什么 人 吗 ？ 0
Y-u d-ǎn -r tà- chǎ--e. Y__ d___ e_ t__ c______ Y-u d-ǎ- e- t-i c-ǎ-l-. ----------------------- Yǒu diǎn er tài chǎole.
Yes, for my boyfriend. 是啊- 在 - ------。 是__ 在 等 我_ 朋_ 。 是-， 在 等 我- 朋- 。 --------------- 是啊， 在 等 我的 朋友 。 0
Y-u-d--n-e----- chǎol-. Y__ d___ e_ t__ c______ Y-u d-ǎ- e- t-i c-ǎ-l-. ----------------------- Yǒu diǎn er tài chǎole.
There he is! 这不， --来 了-！ 这__ 他 来 了 ！ 这-， 他 来 了 ！ ----------- 这不， 他 来 了 ！ 0
D-n-hì ---g--yu---- y----u -é h-n-bàn-. D_____ z____ y_____ y_____ d_ h__ b____ D-n-h- z-è-e y-è-u- y-n-ò- d- h-n b-n-. --------------------------------------- Dànshì zhège yuèduì yǎnzòu dé hěn bàng.

Download MP3 (.zip files)

MP3 English (UK) + Chinese (Simplified) (1-100) MP3 Chinese (Simplified) (1-100)

Genes influence language

The language we speak is dependent on our ancestry. But our genes are also responsible for our language. Scottish researchers have come to this conclusion. They examined how English differs from Chinese. In doing so they discovered that genes play a role, too. Because genes influence the development of our brain. That is to say, they shape our brain structures. With this, our ability to learn languages is determined. Variants of two genes are crucial to this. If a particular variant is scarce, tonal languages develop. So tonal languages are spoken by people without these gene variants. In tonal languages, the meaning of words is determined by the pitch of the tones. Chinese is included in the tonal languages, for example. If this gene variant is dominant, however, other languages develop. English is not a tonal language. The variants of this gene are not evenly distributed. That means they occur with differing frequency in the world. But languages only survive if they are passed down. In order to do this, children must be able to imitate the language of their parents. So they must be able to learn the language well. Only then will it be passed down from generation to generation. The older gene variant is the one that promotes tonal languages. So there were probably more tonal languages in the past than there are today. But one mustn't overestimate the genetic components. They can only add to explaining the development of languages. But there isn't a gene for English, or a gene for Chinese. Anybody can learn any language. You don't need genes for that, but rather only curiosity and discipline!
Did you know?
Thai is a member of the Tai-Kadai language family. It is the native language of 20 million people. In contrast to most western languages, Thai is a tonal language. In tonal languages, the pronunciation of syllables changes their meaning. Most Thai words consist of only one syllable. A word takes on a different meaning depending on the pitch in which a syllable is spoken. Altogether Thai distinguishes between five pitches. Thai society was strictly divided over many centuries. As a result, Thai still recognizes at least five different levels of speech today. These range from a simple vernacular to a very polite form of speech. Furthermore, Thai is divided into many local dialects. The language's semiotic system is a hybrid of an alphabet and syllabic writing. The grammar construction is not very complex. Because Thai is an isolating language, there are no declensions or conjugations. Learn Thai - it is really a fascinating language!