Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 40 of 240

New here? This is lesson 40 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.

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Where is the MRT in Traditional Chinese

It is Maya's first trip out in Taipei. At the corner, she asks A-Li how to get to the MRT station.

Learn to ask where the station, a shop, or a restroom is. You can also ask whether a place is near or far and how long the walk takes.

A-Li points toward the station, then heads in the opposite direction. His soy milk is still unfinished, and the fortune slip stays a mystery.

By the end of this lesson

Ask where a station, shop, or restroom is, whether it is near or far, and how many minutes it takes to walk there.

  • 請問___怎麼去？Excuse me, how do I get to ___?
  • 捷運站在哪裡？Where is the MRT station?
  • 離這裡遠嗎？Is it far from here?
  • 離這裡近嗎？Is it near here?
  • 廁所在哪裡？Where's the restroom?
  • 走路要幾分鐘？How many minutes on foot?

Scene — asking the way

Maya is taking her first trip out from Banyan Lane. At the corner, she asks A-Li how to find the MRT station and whether it is a long walk.

A-Li points toward the station, then walks the other way. Maya later stops at Banyan Breakfast to ask Auntie Lin about the restroom.

Maya sets out on her first trip from Banyan Lane and studies the way ahead.

Learn — ask where a place is

These questions help you find a station or another place and ask about the walk. Listen to each line, then try saying it aloud.

For the first question, replace the blank with the name of a place.

  1. Maya politely asks A-Li how to get to the MRT station while he points toward it.

    請問___怎麼去？

    Excuse me, how do I get to ___?

    When to use it: Use this polite question to ask how to get to a place.

    Learn it as one piece, replacing the blank with a place.

  2. Maya scans the street and asks where the MRT station is as A-Li points toward it.

    捷運站在哪裡？

    Where is the MRT station?

    When to use it: Ask this when you need to find the MRT station.

  3. Maya gestures toward the long stretch of road as she asks whether the station is far away.

    離這裡遠嗎？

    Is it far from here?

    When to use it: Ask this about the distance to a place.

    Say it: The question particle 嗎 has a light, neutral tone here.

  4. Maya makes a small-distance gesture as she asks whether the station is nearby.

    離這裡近嗎？

    Is it near here?

    When to use it: Ask this when checking whether a place is nearby.

    Say it: The question particle 嗎 has a light, neutral tone here.

  5. Maya asks Auntie Lin where the restroom is inside the breakfast shop.

    廁所在哪裡？

    Where's the restroom?

    When to use it: Ask this when you need to find a restroom.

  6. Maya asks Auntie Lin how many minutes the walk will take while Lin points out the route.

    走路要幾分鐘？

    How many minutes on foot?

    When to use it: Ask how long it takes to walk to a place.

Story — A-Li points the way

Maya is heading out for the first time and asks A-Li about the MRT station. He points her toward the corner, but then walks the other way.

At Banyan Breakfast, Maya asks Auntie Lin where the restroom is. A-Li's soy milk remains unfinished.

  1. Maya您好，請問捷運站怎麼去？Hello, excuse me, how do I get to the MRT station?
  2. A-Li就在轉角。It's right at the corner.
  3. Maya捷運站在哪裡？Where is the MRT station?
  4. A-Li就在轉角。It's right at the corner.
  5. Maya離這裡遠嗎？Is it far from here?
  6. A-Li不遠，走路兩分鐘。Not far, two minutes on foot.
  7. A-Li points toward the station, then heads off in the opposite direction.
  8. Maya廁所在哪裡？Where's the restroom?
  9. Auntie Lin裡面，美女。Inside, beautiful.
  10. Maya離這裡近嗎？Is it near here?
  11. Auntie Lin很近，就在裡面。Very near, right inside.
  12. Maya走路要幾分鐘？How many minutes on foot?
  13. Auntie Lin走路一分鐘。One minute on foot.

Practice — find the right question

Try ten short exercises about finding places in Taipei. Choose the question that fits each situation, listen for the key words, and build a full line.

Check each explanation, then say the useful questions aloud.

0 of 10 done

  1. What does it mean?

    捷運站在哪裡？

  2. What do you say?

    Ask how to get to the MRT station. Put the station name in the blank.

  3. Build the line

    How many minutes on foot?

    ？

    Tap the words in order.

  4. Fill the gap

    Where's the restroom?

    ____在哪裡？

  5. Match the pairs

    Traditional Chinese

    捷運站在哪裡？Drop the English here
    離這裡遠嗎？Drop the English here
    離這裡近嗎？Drop the English here
    廁所在哪裡？Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Traditional Chinese, or tap one and then the other.

  6. What did you hear?

  7. What do you say?

    Ask if the MRT station is far from where you are.

  8. What do you say?

    Ask if the place you are looking for is nearby.

  9. What did you hear?

  10. What do you say?

    Choose a respectful greeting when meeting an unfamiliar older adult.

Say it — ask your way

You are Maya, asking A-Li and Auntie Lin for directions and a restroom. Listen to each cue, then say the question aloud.

Use the place or distance named in the cue. Speak clearly, then listen to the reply before asking your next question.

  1. Maya stops A-Li at the corner to ask for directions.
  2. Maya (you)Ask politely how to get to the MRT station. Say the station name in the blank.

    請問___怎麼去？

    Excuse me, how do I get to ___?

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
請問___怎麼去？Excuse me, how do I get to ___?
捷運站在哪裡？Where is the MRT station?
離這裡遠嗎？Is it far from here?
離這裡近嗎？Is it near here?
廁所在哪裡？Where's the restroom?
走路要幾分鐘？How many minutes on foot?
Next: lesson 41Straight, left, right

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