{"id":17069,"date":"2020-02-10T09:14:07","date_gmt":"2020-02-10T09:14:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/teaching-examination\/learn-chinese-l25-sorry-i-m-late\/"},"modified":"2020-02-10T09:14:07","modified_gmt":"2020-02-10T09:14:07","slug":"learn-chinese-l25-sorry-i-m-late","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/my\/learn-chinese-l25-sorry-i-m-late\/","title":{"rendered":"Learn Chinese L25: Sorry. I’m late."},"content":{"rendered":"

\tThe people are just about to blow out the candles at Lei Mei's birthday party when there is a knock on the door.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\tDialogue One
\t<\/strong><\/p>\n

duì\u3000bù\u3000q\u01d0\u3000w\u01d2\u3000 lái\u3000w\u01cen\u3000le
\t\u5bf9\u3000 \u4e0d\u3000\u8d77\uff0c\u6211\u3000 \u6765\u3000 \u665a\u3000 \u4e86\u3002 \t<\/div>\n
Sorry. I'm late. \t<\/div>\n
w\u0101\u3000w\u01d2\u3000 y\u01d0\u3000wéi\u3000n\u01d0\u3000bú\u3000huì\u3000lái\u3000le
\t\u54c7\uff01 \u6211\u3000 \u4ee5\u3000\u4e3a\u3000 \u4f60\u3000\u4e0d\u3000 \u4f1a\u3000\u6765\u3000\u4e86\uff01 \t<\/div>\n
Oh, I thought you wouldn't come. \t<\/div>\n
w\u01d2\u3000xi\u01ceng\u3000g\u011bi\u3000n\u01d0\u3000 yí\u3000 gè\u3000j\u012bng\u3000 x\u01d0
\t\u6211\u3000\u3000\u60f3\u3000\u3000\u7ed9\u3000\u4f60\u3000\u4e00\u3000\u4e2a\u3000 \u60ca\u3000 \u559c\u3002 \t<\/div>\n
I want to give you a surprise. \t<\/div>\n
zì\u3000 xíng\u3000 ch\u0113\u3000w\u01d2\u3000tài\u3000x\u01d0\u3000huan\u3000le
\t\u81ea\u3000 \u884c\u3000\u3000\u8f66\uff01 \u6211\u3000 \u592a\u3000\u559c\u3000 \u6b22\u3000 \u4e86\uff01 \t<\/div>\n
A bicycle! Thank you! \t<\/div>\n

Dialogue Two
\t<\/strong><\/p>\n

duì\u3000bù\u3000q\u01d0\u3000duì\u3000bù\u3000q\u01d0\u3000w\u01d2\u3000bú\u3000shì\u3000gù\u3000 yì\u3000de
\t\u5bf9\u3000 \u4e0d\u3000\u8d77\uff0c\u5bf9\u3000 \u4e0d\u3000\u8d77\uff0c\u6211\u3000 \u4e0d\u3000\u662f\u3000 \u6545\u3000\u610f\u3000\u7684\u3002 \t<\/div>\n
Sorry, I didn't do that on purpose. \t<\/div>\n
méi\u3000gu\u0101n\u3000 xi
\t\u6ca1\u3000\u3000\u5173\u3000\u3000\u7cfb\u3002 \t<\/div>\n
No worries. \t<\/div>\n
kuài\u3000c\u0101\u3000ca\u3000ba
\t\u5feb\u3000\u3000\u64e6\u3000\u64e6\u3000\u5427\uff01 \t<\/div>\n
Clear it quickly! \t<\/div>\n
h\u01ceo\u3000 de\u3000 xiè\u3000xie
\t\u597d\u3000\u3000\u7684\uff0c \u8c22\u3000 \u8c22\u3002 \t<\/div>\n
OK. Thanks. \t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

\tExplanation of difficult points <\/strong><\/p>\n

\t<\/p>\n

1. \u4ee5\u4e3a \t<\/div>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

"\u4ee5\u4e3a" (y\u01d0 wéi) means "to be under the impression that…". For example: "\u6211\u4ee5\u4e3a\u662f\u4ed6\u5462\uff0c\u6ca1\u60f3\u5230\u662f\u4f60\u3002" (w\u01d2 y\u01d0 wéi shì t\u0101 ne méi xi\u01ceng dào shì n\u01d0) which means "I thought it was him, I didn't realise it was you."<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

\t<\/p>\n

2. \u60ca\u559c \t<\/div>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

"\u60ca\u559c" (j\u012bng x\u01d0) always describes a good surprise.<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

\t<\/p>\n

3. \u64e6\u64e6 \t<\/div>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

"\u64e6\u64e6" (c\u0101 ca) is an example of the habit of duplicating verbs to denote short duration or casualness. It has the same effect as saying "\u64e6\u4e00\u4e0b" (c\u0101 yí xià), as covered in Lesson 16; another way to say it is "\u64e6\u4e00\u64e6" (c\u0101 yi c\u0101). The second character in a duplicating verb is always pronounced with a lighter tone.<\/div><\/p>\n