S: Péngyoumen, nǐmenhǎo! Wǒshì Stuart.
M: Last lesson we’ve learned qíngtiān, sunny day, xiàyǔ, to rain, xiàyǔ. Xiàxuě, to snow, xiàxuě. And guādàfēng, to blow heavily, guādàfēng. Qíngtiān, xiàyǔ, xiàxuě, and guādàfēng.
S: And the tiānqìyùbào, the weather forecast, tiānqìyùbào, was right. It snowed this morning, and now it’s quite gloomy and really windy. Jīntiān zǎochén xiàxuěle, xiànzài tiān hěn yīn, hái guādàfēng. ML, I don’t feel … very well today.
M: Sure, I can see that. How do you feel now?
S: Wǒ tóuténg, hóulong yěténg, hái fāshāo. I have a headache, a sore throat, and a fever. 我头疼,喉咙也疼,还发烧.
M: Did you take medicine? 你吃药了吗Nǐ chīyàole ma?
S: Not yet. Méine! And after work I’m going to the hospital and see a doctor. Wǒ xiàbānhòu qùyiīyuàn kànyīshēng.
M: It’s very gloomy and windy today. 天很阴,还刮大风。Tiān hěn yīn, hái guā dà fēng。Yīn, YIN, first tone, means gloomy, or cloudy, yīn.
S: So no way I can get some sun, shàitàiyáng, shài tàiyáng.
M: Without sunshine, poor Stuart has a headache, a sore throat, and a fever. 他头疼,喉咙也疼,还发烧 Tā tóuténg, hóulong yěténg, hái fāshāo.
S: Right. Wǒ tóuténg, hóulong yěténg, hái fāshāo.
M: Tóuténg. Tóu TOU head, tóu. Téng, TENG, téng, second tone, means to ache. And hóulong, HOU LONG, hóulong, means ‘throat’. So tóuténg means ‘headache’, tóuténg; while hóulong téng mean ‘throat-ache’, or a ‘sore throat’, hóulong téng.
S: So how do we say, “my arm aches” in Chinese? A clue. ‘Arm’ in Chinese is 胳膊 gēbo.
M: Fēichānghǎo! 我的胳膊疼 Wǒde gēbo téng.
S: Moreover, 我还发烧 I also have a fever. Wǒhái fāshāo.
M: Stuart, did you take any medicine? Nǐ chīyàole ma? Chī, to eat. Yào, medicine, yào. Chīyào, eat medicine, to take medicine. Now you people at home say ‘did you take any medicine’ in Chinese. Hěnhǎo, 你吃药了吗?Nǐ chīyàole ma?
S: Méine! Wǒ xiàbānhòu qùyīyuàn kànyīshēng. After work I’m going to the hospital and see a doctor.
M: Yīyuàn, YI YUAN, yīyuàn, first tone fourth tone, hospital. And yīshēng, YI SHENG, yīshēng, doctor.
S: And we learnt ages ago that xiàbān means get off work, and ‘hòu means after. So the whole sentence is, 我下班后去医院看医生 Wǒ xiàbānhòu qùyīyuàn kànyīshēng.
M: Ok, now let’s go over the stuff we learnt today. Ready? 一二三,开始!
S: Jīntiānzǎochén xiàxuěle, xiànzài tiān hěnyīn, hái guādàfēng.Wǒ tóuténg, hóulong yěténg, hái fāshāo.
M: Poor Stuart! Nǐ chīyàole ma? Nǐ chīyàole ma?
S: Méine! Wǒ xiàbānhòu qùyīyuàn kànyīshēng. Wǒ xiàbānhòu qùyīyuàn kànyīshēng.
M: I think you should stop working right now and take a good rest.
S: Good idea! 朋友们,我们明天见!
M: Míngtiānjiàn!