Friendship: the best investment we can ever make.

A life that is rich in friendship is one worth living to the full.

The Short And Sweet English Learning Podcast

Friendship: the best investment we can ever make

Don’t take these Chinese phrases too seriously...
Here come 5 friendly lies your Chinese friends might say 👀

#1 我想死你了!
wǒ xiǎng sǐ nǐ le!
I miss you like crazy!
( They’re just being dramatic. )
#2 下次 / 有空请你吃饭。
xià cì yǒu kòng qǐng nǐ chī fàn .
I’ll treat you sometime!
#3 改天再聊。
gǎi tiān zài liáo .
"Let’s talk another day."
#4 有事儿你说话。
yǒu shì ér nǐ shuō huà .
"Let me know if you need anything!"
(Sure... depends what you need 😉)
#5 有空常联系。
"Let’s keep in touch!"
yǒu kòng cháng lián xì .

🎯 Follow me on YouTube YMC Learn Chinese  & let’s talk on italki!!


Learn Chinese with Lucky Yancy

Chinese White Lies Between Friends

Hey! Have you ever noticed waiters in China always say the SAME things when your food is running late?


The 3 Most Common “White Lies” in Chinese Restaurants

On a bustling street, you're walking and suddenly bump into someone... ... 
1.
不好意思,你没事儿吧？
bù hǎo yì sī, nǐ méi shì ér ba ?
Sorry, are you okay?

2.
对不起,我来晚了。
duì bù qǐ, wǒ lái wǎn le .
Sorry, I’m late.

3.
抱歉,不能帮你了。
bào qiàn, bù néng bāng nǐ le .
Sorry, I can’t help you.

Resource: YMC Learn Chinese on YouTube


3 Ways to Say "I'm Sorry" in Chinese

Ever had that moment when you're talking to someone in Chinese and you’re like... “Wait, did I get that right?” If you’re thinking, “I’m not sure we’re on the same page.”

3 Phrases to Prevent Misunderstandings in Chinese

Key Phrase of the Day:
您有尝试过哪些解决方法吗？
nín yǒu cháng shì guò něi xiē jiě jué fāng fǎ ma ?
Have you tried any solutions yet? 
 
Script: 
客服: 喂，您好。请问有什么可以帮到您吗？
wèi , nín hǎo . qǐng wèn yǒu shén me kě yǐ bāng dào nín ma ?
1. 摄像头: webcam
顾客: 诶，您好。我的电脑摄像头好像坏了。视频时对方看不到我。
éi , nín hǎo . wǒ de diàn nǎo shè xiàng tóu hǎo xiàng huài le . shì pín shí duì fāng kàn bú dào wǒ .
客服: 女士，请问您贵姓？
nǚ shì , qǐng wèn nín guì xìng ?
顾客: 我姓王。
wǒ xìng wáng .
客服: 您好，王女士。我想问一下，您有没有尝试过哪些解决方法？
nín hǎo , wáng nǚ shì . wǒ xiǎng wèn yī xià , nín yǒu méi yǒu cháng shì guò něi xiē jiě jué fāng fǎ ?
 2. 解决方法: solutions
 顾客: 嗯，我尝试过关机重启，还有更新系统，都没有用。
èn , wǒ cháng shì guò guān jī chóng qǐ, hái yǒu gēng xīn xì tǒng , dōu méi yǒu yòng .
 3. 关机重启: restart a computer 
 4. 更新系统: update a system
客服: 哦，都没用。是这样，王女士。我现在怀疑可能是您的硬件出了问题。我建议您去当地的客服中心，让他们检查一下。
ò , dōu méi yòng . shì zhè yàng , wáng nǚ shì . wǒ xiàn zài huái yí kě néng shì nín de yìng jiàn chū le wèn tí . wǒ jiàn yì nín qù dāng dì de kè fú zhōng xīn , ràng tā men jiǎn chá yī xià .
 5. 怀疑: suspect
 6. 硬件: hardware
 7. 客服中心: service center 
 8. 检查一下: check it out

Source: YMC Learn Chinese on YouTube


Avoid Saying this in Chinese! (Business Chinese B1)

In this episode, we're gonna learn a tale of a fisherman and a journalist. When you listen to this story, please take this question in your mind: why does Mr. Yang not want to donate his car? 

The Fisherman
垂钓者的故事
一个晴朗的下午, 杨先生开着车去钓鱼。
☆晴朗: sunny  ☆钓鱼: go fishing.

他把车停在了湖边。
☆湖边 by the lake.

在他准备钓鱼的时候,一个摄影师和一个记者走到了他的身边。
☆摄影师:   photographer  ☆记者:  journalist 

记者问他,“对不起, 先生。打扰您一下。”
我们是电视台的。想采访您一下, 行吗?”
☆电视台:  a television station  采访: interview 

“嗯。”
"Sure".

“您贵姓啊?”

  “姓杨。”

"噢, 杨先生, 您看着镜头。"
 ☆看镜头: look at the camera.

”嗯”。

“杨先生, 我们想问您, 如果您有一百万, 您愿意捐给那些需要帮助的人吗?
☆捐: donate

杨先生低头想了一会儿, 然后抬头看着记者说,“都捐了啊?”
☆低头: lowered his head   ☆抬头: lifted his head up 

“您看着镜头。”

“诶诶。”

 “对, 都捐了。”

  “愿意。”
  
  “您有一千万呢?”

   "愿意。”

“您有一个亿呢?”

“十个亿都行。”

“那您如果有一辆汽车, 您愿意捐给别人吗?”

杨先生看了一眼他的车, 然后对着记者摆了摆手表示不愿意。
☆摆了摆手: shook his hand

“为什么呀?”

“别的都行, 就是汽车不行。”

"您有十个亿您都愿意捐。为什么车就不行了?”

“因为我真有一辆汽车。”
 
For more Chinese stories to help you practice your beginner and intermediate Chinese, please visit our YouTube channel, YMC Learn Chinese. 
Thank you for watching and listening! I'm Lucky Yancy. Good luck to you everyday! 下次见!＾０＾~


3. The Fisherman 垂钓者的故事

Common Chinese Sentence Pattern😇
 5 Ways to say "not only... but also" in Chinese
 
1.
不但 ⋯⋯ ，而且 ⋯⋯
她不但漂亮, 而且很幽默。
Tā bùdàn piàoliàng, érqiě hěn yōumò.
She is not only pretty, but also very humorous.

2.
不但 ⋯⋯ , 还⋯⋯
这道菜不但好吃，还好看。
Zhè dào cài bùdàn hǎochī, hái hǎokàn.
This dish is not only delicious, but also attractive.


3.
不只 ⋯⋯ ，也⋯⋯

他不只会唱歌, 也会跳舞。
Tā bùzhǐ huì chànggē, yě huì tiàowǔ.
He can not only sing, but dance as well.


4.
不仅 ⋯⋯ ，还⋯⋯

他不仅 懒, 还馋。
Tā bùjǐn lǎn, hái chán.
He is not only lazy, but also greedy.

5.
不但 ⋯⋯ ，更⋯⋯
我不但喜欢你的性格，更喜欢你笑的样子。
wǒ bù dàn xǐ huān nǐ de xìng gé , gèng xǐ huān nǐ xiào de yàng zi .
I not only like your character but also the way you laugh.

Thank you for listening! Welcome to my class!! See you soon!

2.  5 Ways to say  "not only... but also"  in Chinese

一. Dialogue 对话

A：今晚我和丽丽想去K歌，你要不要来？ 
Jīn wǎn wǒ hé lì lì xiǎng qù K gē ，nǐ yào bú yào lái ？ 

B：我不太会唱歌。我怕我唱不好。 
wǒ bú tài huì chàng gē 。wǒ pà wǒ chàng bÙ hǎo 。 

A：没关系的，一起玩开心就好啦！ 
méi guān xì de ，yī qǐ wán kāi xīn jiù hǎo lā ！

二. Words & Expressions: 

 1.【今晚】jīn wǎn: tonight 

 2.【歌】gē: song 

 3. 【唱歌】chàng gē: sing 
 
 4. 【怕】pà：be afraid of, fear 

 5. 【开心】kāi xīn : happy

三. Dialogue Explanation: 
 1. 今晚我和丽丽想去K歌，你要不要来？ 
Jīn wǎn wǒ hé lì lì xiǎng qù K gē ，nǐ yào bú yào lái ？ 
Lily and I want to go to Karaoke tonight, do you want to to join us? 

2. 我不太会唱歌。我怕我唱不好。 
Wǒ bú tài huì chàng gē 。wǒ pà wǒ chàng bÙ hǎo 。 
I’m not good at singing, I’m afraid that I can’t sing well. 
 note: "不太“ literally means "not too", which means "not very" or "not so". 

 3. 没关系的，一起玩开心就好啦！ 
Méi guān xì de ，yī qǐ wán kāi xīn jiù hǎo lā ！ 
Don’t worry, let’s just have fun together! 

 ☞ (不太会唱歌和唱不好是)没关系的= 没关系的 abbr. 
 
 ☞The "是... 的" construction for emphasizing details
the 是⋯⋯的 construction is frequently used when asking or telling details about the past.Although this structure is called the 是⋯⋯的 construction, the 是 is nearly always optional. You will often hear this structure with 是 omitted, so be aware. The only time 是 is required in this construction is when it's being negated. Other than that, 是 is commonly omitted.

e.g. 1
A: 你 骑 自行车 来 的 吗 ？(Emphasizing "by bike")
     nǐ qí zìxíngchē lái de ma?
      Did you come by bike? 

B: 我 走 来 的 。(Emphasizing "by foot")
     Wǒ zǒu lái de.
     I came by foot.

 e.g.2
A: 谁 告诉 你 的 ？(Emphasizing "who")
    shéi gàosu nǐ de?
     Who told you? 

B: 一 个 同事 告诉 我 的 。(Emphasizing "a colleague")
    yī gè tóngshì gàosu wǒ de.
    A colleague told me.


