Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 105 of 240

New here? This is lesson 105 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.

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At the clinic in Traditional Chinese

Dr. Chen's clinic is just across the lane from Banyan Breakfast. Maya goes in to register, but she has to check whether she brought her health card.

Learn how to register, answer the nurse about your card, ask about the queue, and find the registration desk.

A-Li reads Maya's number aloud while she waits. Listen for the tone pattern in 哪裡, and remember: the clinic visit is ordinary, even if A-Li's timing seems uncanny.

By the end of this lesson

Register at a clinic, answer whether you have your health card, and ask about your place in the queue.

  • 我要掛號I'd like to register.
  • 有健保卡I have my health card.
  • 我忘記帶健保卡I forgot my health card.
  • 叫到幾號了？What number are they on?
  • 過號了My number has passed.
  • 請問掛號在哪裡？Where is registration?

Scene — a visit across the lane

Dr. Chen's clinic is across the lane from Banyan Breakfast. Maya stops at the front desk to register, and the nurse asks about her health card.

A-Li waits nearby with his unfinished soy milk. He reads Maya's number aloud, but the queue still moves at an ordinary clinic pace.

Maya registers at the clinic desk while A-Li waits nearby with unfinished soy milk.

Learn — checking in at the clinic

These six useful lines help you check in at a neighborhood clinic. You can register, explain that you forgot your card, and ask where to go.

Listen closely to the question about the queue and the short phrase for a number that has passed.

  1. Maya politely asks to register at the clinic front desk.

    我要掛號

    I'd like to register.

    When to use it: Use this to tell the clinic desk you want to register for a visit.

    掛號 is the word for registering at a clinic; 我要 makes this a clear request.

    Say it: 掛號 has two falling tones; keep each syllable clear.

  2. The nurse asks Maya whether she has her health card.

    有健保卡

    I have my health card.

    When to use it: Say this when the nurse asks whether you have your health card with you.

    In a short answer, 有 can mean “Yes, I have it”; the object follows 有.

    Say it: 卡 has a third tone; let its pitch dip before rising.

  3. Maya explains that she forgot to bring her health card.

    我忘記帶健保卡

    I forgot my health card.

    When to use it: Use this to explain that you forgot to bring your health card.

    帶 means to bring or carry; 忘記帶 says you forgot to bring something.

    Say it: 帶 has a falling tone; 卡 has a third tone.

  4. A-Li leans toward Maya with soy milk as Maya asks what number they are on.

    叫到幾號了？

    What number are they on?

    When to use it: Ask this when you want to know which queue number has been called.

    了 here marks the current queue update; 幾號 asks which number.

    Say it: 幾號 has a third tone followed by a falling tone.

  5. Maya realizes her turn has passed and tells the nurse.

    過號了

    My number has passed.

    When to use it: Say this when your queue number has already been called.

    過號了 means your turn has passed; 了 marks the changed situation.

    Say it: 過號 has two falling tones; keep both clear.

  6. Yijun asks the nurse where to register, gesturing toward the front desk.

    請問掛號在哪裡？

    Where is registration?

    When to use it: Use this polite question to ask where the registration desk is.

    哪裡 stays in place in a question asking where something is.

    Say it: 哪裡 has two third tones; the first rises in speech.

Story — Maya takes a number

Maya visits the clinic across the lane and checks in with the nurse. A-Li is waiting nearby and reads Maya's number aloud.

On another visit, Maya remembers her health card. The small fortune slip stays folded in the breakfast shop.

  1. Maya不好意思，請問掛號在哪裡？Excuse me, where is registration?
  2. Clinic nurse您好，這裡就是掛號櫃檯。Hello, this is the registration desk.
  3. Maya我要掛號。I'd like to register.
  4. Clinic nurse請問有健保卡嗎？Do you have your health card?
  5. Maya我忘記帶健保卡。I forgot my health card.
  6. Clinic nurse沒關係，先拿號碼牌。That's okay. Take a number first.
  7. A-Li瑪雅，三號，是妳的！Maya, number three is yours!
  8. Maya叫到幾號了？What number are they on?
  9. Clinic nurse剛剛叫到三號了。They just called number three.
  10. Maya過號了。My number has passed.
  11. On her next visit, Maya remembers to bring her health card.
  12. Clinic nurse今天有健保卡嗎？Do you have your health card today?
  13. Maya有健保卡。I have my health card.

Practice — check in and answer

Try ten quick activities to check in and respond clearly to the nurse. You will recognize greetings, build a useful phrase, and choose a fitting answer.

Use the English meaning as a clue, then listen again and say the Chinese line aloud.

0 of 10 done

  1. What does it mean?

    您好

  2. What do you say?

    At the desk, tell the nurse you'd like to register before discussing whether you have your health card.

  3. Fill the gap

    I forgot my health card.

    我忘記帶____

  4. Match the pairs

    Traditional Chinese

    我要掛號Drop the English here
    有健保卡Drop the English here
    我忘記帶健保卡Drop the English here
    過號了Drop the English here

    English

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

  5. What did you hear?

  6. Pick the reply

    Clinic nurse says:

    請問有健保卡嗎？

    The nurse asks if you have your health card; in this scene, you do.

    And you reply with:

  7. Build the line

    I'd like to register.

    Tap the words in order.

  8. What do you say?

    You realize your queue number has already been called. Tell the nurse your turn has passed.

  9. What do you say?

    You need to get the clinic nurse's attention politely before asking a question.

  10. True or false?

    You have just arrived and cannot find the clinic's registration desk. This line fits the moment.

Say it — your clinic visit

You play Maya as she checks in at Dr. Chen's clinic. Listen to each nurse cue, then say the line that fits your situation.

Speak at a comfortable pace and keep the health-card details clear. Your last turn is your response after your number has been called.

  1. Maya reaches the front desk.
  2. Maya (you)Tell the nurse you'd like to register.

    我要掛號

    I'd like to register.

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
我要掛號I'd like to register.
有健保卡I have my health card.
我忘記帶健保卡I forgot my health card.
叫到幾號了？What number are they on?
過號了My number has passed.
請問掛號在哪裡？Where is registration?
Next: lesson 106Telling the doctor

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Review these clinic phrases in Yak Cards and practise answering the nurse.

Try a few clinic cards again tomorrow so the useful answers come quickly.

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