Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 198 of 240

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Giving advice in Traditional Chinese

Maya looks worn out after a long stretch of remote work on Banyan Lane. At breakfast A-Li notices, and across the lane Dr. Chen offers calm, practical advice.

You will learn friendly ways to say someone should rest, had better see a doctor, and should not push too hard. You will also suggest asking first and trying something small.

These lines are for neighbors and friends, not lectures. A-Li's own advice is simpler: eat more. His soy milk stays unfinished.

By the end of this lesson

Give friendly advice with 應該, 最好, and 別, and tell someone not to push too hard.

  • 你應該多休息You should rest more.
  • 你最好去看醫生You'd better see a doctor.
  • 別擔心Don't worry.
  • 我建議你先問問看I suggest asking first.
  • 你可以試試看You can give it a try.
  • 不要太勉強自己Don't push yourself too hard.

Scene — a tired morning

The clinic sits across Banyan Lane from the breakfast shop. Maya has been working late, and A-Li sees it in her face before she orders.

Dr. Chen is calm and dry, the person you see when someone is actually worn down. Later, back at the shop, A-Li's advice is to eat more, and his soy milk still sits untouched.

A narrow Taipei lane with a breakfast shop facing a small clinic, Maya small at the shop front, and A-Li the yak watching from a pair of stools.

Learn — friendly advice

Here are six friendly ways to give advice in Taiwan Mandarin. Listen to each line first, then say it out loud.

Notice 應該, 最好, and 別: they range from a soft should to a short don't.

  1. A-Li the yak looks up from a pair of stools at Maya leaning on the breakfast counter before she has ordered.

    你應該多休息

    You should rest more.

    When to use it: Use this when someone looks tired and needs more rest.

    應該 shows what someone ought to do, without giving an order.

  2. Auntie Lin points Maya toward the clinic across the lane while Maya hesitates empty-handed at the shop opening.

    你最好去看醫生

    You'd better see a doctor.

    When to use it: Use this when you think someone needs a doctor soon.

    最好 is stronger than 應該 and closer to you'd better.

  3. Dr. Chen sits beside Maya in a small clinic exam room and holds a still open-palm gesture.

    別擔心

    Don't worry.

    When to use it: Reassure someone who is anxious about a small problem.

    別 is a short don't that sits right before the verb.

  4. Dr. Chen stands with Maya at a clinic-side pharmacy hatch and indicates she should ask there first.

    我建議你先問問看

    I suggest asking first.

    When to use it: Suggest checking with someone before they decide or act.

    Doubling 問 and adding 看 means ask and then see.

    Say it: The second 問 is often a light neutral tone.

  5. Dr. Chen holds out a small paper pouch toward Maya as she puts her backpack on at the exam table.

    你可以試試看

    You can give it a try.

    When to use it: Encourage someone to try a small step that might help.

    看 after 試試 means try it and see the result.

  6. Seated A-Li the yak nudges a food tray toward Maya while soy milk sits untouched on the table.

    不要太勉強自己

    Don't push yourself too hard.

    When to use it: Tell someone to ease off when they are overworking.

    太 before a verb or adjective means doing that thing too much.

    Say it: The first third tone rises before the next third tone.

Story — rest, then eat more

Maya is tired at Banyan Breakfast, and A-Li sends her across the lane. Listen to Dr. Chen's calm advice, then to A-Li's simpler idea: eat more.

His soy milk is still waiting on the table.

  1. A-Li你看起來很累。You look very tired.
  2. Maya我該怎麼辦？What should I do?
  3. A-Li你最好去看醫生。You'd better see a doctor.
  4. Maya好喔，我現在過去。Okay, I'll go over now.
  5. Across the lane, Maya sits down in Dr. Chen's clinic.
  6. Dr. Chen怎麼了？What's wrong?
  7. Maya我覺得不舒服。I don't feel well.
  8. Dr. Chen別擔心。Don't worry.
  9. Maya我最近都在加班。I've been working overtime a lot lately.
  10. Dr. Chen你要不要先休息？Do you want to rest first?
  11. Maya下午還要開會。I still have a meeting this afternoon.
  12. Dr. Chen你應該多休息。You should rest more.
  13. Maya案子還沒做完。The project still isn't finished.
  14. Dr. Chen不要太勉強自己。Don't push yourself too hard.
  15. Maya那工作怎麼辦？Then what about work?
  16. Dr. Chen我建議你先問問看。I suggest asking first.
  17. Maya好，我待會傳訊息。Okay, I'll send a message later.
  18. Dr. Chen你可以試試看。You can give it a try.
  19. Back at Banyan Breakfast, A-Li is still at the back table.
  20. A-Li看完醫生了嗎？Did you finish seeing the doctor?
  21. Maya他說我應該多休息。He said I should rest more.
  22. A-Li那你多吃一點。Then eat a bit more.

Practice — pick the advice

Try these exercises to pick the right advice for each moment. Some items ask you to hear a line or fill one word.

After each answer, read why the other options do not fit, then say the line again.

0 of 11 done

  1. What does it mean?

    你應該多休息

  2. What do you say?

    A-Li has been coughing for two days. Tell him he'd better see a doctor.

  3. Build the line

    Don't push yourself too hard.

    Tap the words in order.

  4. Fill the gap

    I suggest asking first.

    我____你先問問看

  5. What did you hear?

  6. Swap the word

    Maya is unsure about sending the message. Encourage her to try.

    你____試試看

  7. Pick the reply

    A-Li says:

    我現在就去開會。

    I'm going to the meeting right now.

    And you reply with:

  8. What do you say?

    Dr. Chen asks what is wrong. Tell him you don't feel well.

  9. Match the pairs

    Traditional Chinese

    你應該多休息Drop the English here
    你最好去看醫生Drop the English here
    別擔心Drop the English here
    你可以試試看Drop the English here

    English

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

  10. Fill the gap

    You should rest more.

    你應該____休息

  11. What do you say?

    You feel worn out and ask Dr. Chen what you should do.

Say it — your advice

You play Maya and give A-Li friendly advice at the shop. Listen to each cue, then say the line out loud.

Tap the microphone to speak. You can replay his line before your turn.

  1. A-Li looks worn out at the back table, and his soy milk is still full.
  2. A-Li我今天好累。I'm so tired today.
  3. Maya (you)Tell him he should rest more.

    你應該多休息

    You should rest more.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
你應該多休息You should rest more.
你最好去看醫生You'd better see a doctor.
別擔心Don't worry.
我建議你先問問看I suggest asking first.
你可以試試看You can give it a try.
不要太勉強自己Don't push yourself too hard.
Next: lesson 199Asking for a recommendation

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