Traditional Chinese - Chatting With Coworkers

Lesson 125 of 152

Traditional Chinese Taiwan Mandarin lesson on chatting with coworkers, showing two office workers smiling near a desk with laptops and coffee cups. The scene feels friendly, modern, and workplace-focused.

Goal: Friendly office small talk without getting stuck at someone’s desk forever.

Free traditional Chinese lessons with Taiwan Mandarin audio and speaking practice.

Welcome to lesson 125! Today we’re making workplace chats feel smoother: a quick comment, a friendly question, a polite exit… and no awkward printer-side silence.

Level B1: In this lesson, you’ll practice natural Taiwan Mandarin phrases for chatting with coworkers about busy weeks, office atmosphere, shared news, small wins, and current projects. You’ll also learn polite ways to check if you’re interrupting and to wrap up a conversation gracefully. Tiny talk, big yak energy.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Comment on a busy or stressful period with 最近真的滿___的。 (Zuìjìn zhēn de mǎn ___ de.)
  • Start light workplace conversation using 你有聽說___嗎？ (Nǐ yǒu tīngshuō ___ ma?) and 你現在手上有什麼有趣的案子嗎？ (Nǐ xiànzài shǒu shàng yǒu shénme yǒuqù de ànzi ma?)
  • Use polite workplace boundaries with 如果我有打擾到你，請跟我說一聲。 (Rúguǒ wǒ yǒu dǎrǎo dào nǐ, qǐng gēn wǒ shuō yì shēng.) and 我就不耽誤你工作了。 (Wǒ jiù bù dānwù nǐ gōngzuò le.)
A bright Taiwan office scene for a Traditional Chinese lesson, with coworkers making casual small talk about busy projects. Sticky notes, monitors, and meeting room glass create a realistic workplace atmosphere.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

最近真的滿___的。

Zuìjìn zhēn de mǎn ___ de.

Things have been pretty ___ lately.

Meaning: 最近真的滿___的。 = Things have been pretty ___ lately.

When to use: Use this to casually describe a recent period at work. Common words include 忙 (máng), 累 (lèi), 亂 (luàn), and 壓力大 (yālì dà).

Tip: Don’t drop the final 的 (de) here; it makes the sentence sound more complete and natural.

最近真的滿忙的。

Zuìjìn zhēn de mǎn máng de.

Things have been pretty busy lately.
最近真的滿壓力大的。

Zuìjìn zhēn de mǎn yālì dà de.

Things have been pretty stressful lately.

這裡平常都這麼___嗎？

Zhèlǐ píngcháng dōu zhème ___ ma?

Is it always this ___ around here?

Meaning: 這裡平常都這麼___嗎？ = Is it always this ___ around here?

When to use: Use this as friendly small talk about the workplace atmosphere, like busy, quiet, or lively.

這裡平常都這麼忙嗎？

Zhèlǐ píngcháng dōu zhème máng ma?

Is it always this busy around here?
這裡平常都這麼安靜嗎？

Zhèlǐ píngcháng dōu zhème ānjìng ma?

Is it always this quiet around here?

你有聽說___嗎？

Nǐ yǒu tīngshuō ___ ma?

Did you hear about ___?

Meaning: 你有聽說___嗎？ = Did you hear about ___?

When to use: Use this to bring up shared news, updates, meetings, or changes at work.

Tip: 聽說 (tīngshuō) is used for information you heard from others, not something you personally saw.

你有聽說下午的會議改時間了嗎？

Nǐ yǒu tīngshuō xiàwǔ de huìyì gǎi shíjiān le ma?

Did you hear that the afternoon meeting changed time?
你有聽說新同事下週會來嗎？

Nǐ yǒu tīngshuō xīn tóngshì xià zhōu huì lái ma?

Did you hear that the new coworker is coming next week?

我終於知道怎麼___了。

Wǒ zhōngyú zhīdào zěnme ___ le.

I finally figured out how to ___ .

Meaning: 我終於知道怎麼___了。 = I finally figured out how to ___.

When to use: Use this to share a small work success, especially after something was confusing or difficult.

我終於知道怎麼用那個系統了。

Wǒ zhōngyú zhīdào zěnme yòng nàge xìtǒng le.

I finally figured out how to use that system.
我終於知道怎麼整理報表了。

Wǒ zhōngyú zhīdào zěnme zhěnglǐ bàobiǎo le.

I finally figured out how to organize the report.

一直聽到你的名字，終於見到本人了。

Yīzhí tīngdào nǐ de míngzi, zhōngyú jiàndào běnrén le.

It's nice to put a face to the name.

Meaning: 一直聽到你的名字，終於見到本人了。 = It’s nice to put a face to the name.

When to use: Use this when meeting someone you’ve heard about before. It sounds friendly and warm.

一直聽到你的名字，終於見到本人了。

Yīzhí tīngdào nǐ de míngzi, zhōngyú jiàndào běnrén le.

It’s nice to put a face to the name.
Sarah，一直聽到你的名字，終於見到本人了。

Sarah, yīzhí tīngdào nǐ de míngzi, zhōngyú jiàndào běnrén le.

Sarah, it’s nice to finally put a face to the name.

如果我有打擾到你，請跟我說一聲。

Rúguǒ wǒ yǒu dǎrǎo dào nǐ, qǐng gēn wǒ shuō yì shēng.

Let me know if I'm interrupting.

Meaning: 如果我有打擾到你，請跟我說一聲。 = Let me know if I’m interrupting.

When to use: Use this before starting a chat, especially if the other person looks busy.

Tip: This is polite, but not overly formal. It works well with coworkers in Taiwan.

如果我有打擾到你，請跟我說一聲。

Rúguǒ wǒ yǒu dǎrǎo dào nǐ, qǐng gēn wǒ shuō yì shēng.

Let me know if I’m interrupting.
我想問你一件事，如果我有打擾到你，請跟我說一聲。

Wǒ xiǎng wèn nǐ yí jiàn shì, rúguǒ wǒ yǒu dǎrǎo dào nǐ, qǐng gēn wǒ shuō yì shēng.

I’d like to ask you something; let me know if I’m interrupting.

我就不耽誤你工作了。

Wǒ jiù bù dānwù nǐ gōngzuò le.

I don't want to keep you from your work.

Meaning: 我就不耽誤你工作了。 = I don’t want to keep you from your work.

When to use: Use this to politely end a chat and let the other person get back to work.

那我就不耽誤你工作了。

Nà wǒ jiù bù dānwù nǐ gōngzuò le.

Then I won’t keep you from your work.
謝謝你，我就不耽誤你工作了。

Xièxie nǐ, wǒ jiù bù dānwù nǐ gōngzuò le.

Thanks, I don’t want to keep you from your work.

___還順利嗎？

___ hái shùnlì ma?

How did ___ go?

Meaning: ___還順利嗎？ = How did ___ go?

When to use: Use this to ask about how a meeting, task, presentation, or event turned out.

早上的會議還順利嗎？

Zǎoshàng de huìyì hái shùnlì ma?

How did the morning meeting go?
昨天的簡報還順利嗎？

Zuótiān de jiǎnbào hái shùnlì ma?

How did yesterday’s presentation go?

你現在手上有什麼有趣的案子嗎？

Nǐ xiànzài shǒu shàng yǒu shénme yǒuqù de ànzi ma?

Are you working on anything interesting right now?

Meaning: 你現在手上有什麼有趣的案子嗎？ = Are you working on anything interesting right now?

When to use: Use this as friendly workplace small talk when asking about someone’s current projects.

你現在手上有什麼有趣的案子嗎？

Nǐ xiànzài shǒu shàng yǒu shénme yǒuqù de ànzi ma?

Are you working on anything interesting right now?
最近很忙耶，你現在手上有什麼有趣的案子嗎？

Zuìjìn hěn máng ye, nǐ xiànzài shǒu shàng yǒu shénme yǒuqù de ànzi ma?

It’s been busy lately—are you working on anything interesting right now?

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna stops by David’s desk at a Taiwan office after a busy morning.

Two coworkers in a Taiwan Mandarin mini-dialogue using Traditional Chinese phrases for polite workplace chatting. One person stops by the other’s desk while checking if they are interrupting.

What kind of chat is this: a friendly coworker check-in, a customer complaint, or a job interview?

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

David，如果我有打擾到你，請跟我說一聲。

David, rúguǒ wǒ yǒu dǎrǎo dào nǐ, qǐng gēn wǒ shuō yì shēng.

David, let me know if I’m interrupting.

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

不會，剛好休息一下。最近真的滿忙的。

Bú huì, gānghǎo xiūxí yíxià. Zuìjìn zhēn de mǎn máng de.

Not at all, I’m taking a quick break. Things have been pretty busy lately.

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

對啊。你有聽說下午的會議改時間了嗎？

Duì a. Nǐ yǒu tīngshuō xiàwǔ de huìyì gǎi shíjiān le ma?

Yeah. Did you hear that the afternoon meeting changed time?

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

有，我剛看到通知。早上的簡報還順利嗎？

Yǒu, wǒ gāng kàndào tōngzhī. Zǎoshàng de jiǎnbào hái shùnlì ma?

Yes, I just saw the notice. How did the morning presentation go?

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

還不錯，而且我終於知道怎麼用那個新系統了。

Hái búcuò, érqiě wǒ zhōngyú zhīdào zěnme yòng nàge xīn xìtǒng le.

Pretty well, and I finally figured out how to use that new system.

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

太好了！那我就不耽誤你工作了。

Tài hǎo le! Nà wǒ jiù bù dānwù nǐ gōngzuò le.

That’s great! Then I won’t keep you from your work.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which phrase means “Things have been pretty busy lately”?

You want to politely check whether it’s okay to start talking. What should you say?

Which phrase is best for asking how yesterday’s presentation went?

You’re meeting a coworker you’ve heard about many times. Which phrase fits?

Let me know if I’m interrupting.

你看起來在忙，___，請跟我說一聲。

Did you hear that the afternoon meeting changed time?

等一下要開會，我剛看到群組訊息；你有聽說___嗎？

I finally figured out how to use that new system.

剛剛資訊部教我操作流程，我終於知道怎麼___了。

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

最近真的滿___的。

Zuìjìn zhēn de mǎn ___ de.

Things have been pretty ___ lately.

Say this phrase out loud:

這裡平常都這麼___嗎？

Zhèlǐ píngcháng dōu zhème ___ ma?

Is it always this ___ around here?

Say this phrase out loud:

你有聽說___嗎？

Nǐ yǒu tīngshuō ___ ma?

Did you hear about ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

我終於知道怎麼___了。

Wǒ zhōngyú zhīdào zěnme ___ le.

I finally figured out how to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

一直聽到你的名字，終於見到本人了。

Yīzhí tīngdào nǐ de míngzi, zhōngyú jiàndào běnrén le.

It's nice to put a face to the name.

Say this phrase out loud:

如果我有打擾到你，請跟我說一聲。

Rúguǒ wǒ yǒu dǎrǎo dào nǐ, qǐng gēn wǒ shuō yì shēng.

Let me know if I'm interrupting.

Say this phrase out loud:

我就不耽誤你工作了。

Wǒ jiù bù dānwù nǐ gōngzuò le.

I don't want to keep you from your work.

Say this phrase out loud:

___還順利嗎？

___ hái shùnlì ma?

How did ___ go?

Say this phrase out loud:

你現在手上有什麼有趣的案子嗎？

Nǐ xiànzài shǒu shàng yǒu shénme yǒuqù de ànzi ma?

Are you working on anything interesting right now?