Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 208 of 240

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Telling people what someone said in Traditional Chinese

A-Jie calls the shop and talks fast. Auntie Lin hears him, but Maya only catches the start.

Then Lin passes the news to Maya and to A-Li, and she does not say it the same way twice.

Learn how to ask what someone just said, pass a message on, and report a person's words. Practice catching the rest of a line you missed.

You will also ask a neighbor to tell him you are waiting. A-Li's soy milk stays unfinished.

By the end of this lesson

Pass on a message accurately, report what someone said, and ask when you missed the rest.

  • 他剛剛說什麼？What did he just say?
  • 我幫你轉告I'll pass it on for you.
  • 他說他不能來He says he can't come.
  • 她問你方便嗎She asks if it's convenient for you.
  • 你可以告訴他我在等嗎？Can you tell him I'm waiting?
  • 我沒聽到後面I didn't hear the rest.

Scene — a message at breakfast

Late morning at Banyan Breakfast. A-Jie calls from the night market, talks quickly, and hangs up. Maya is at the counter but missed most of it.

Auntie Lin will pass his words to Maya, then tell A-Li in a different way. His soy milk is still on the table, unfinished as always.

A wide late-morning view of Banyan Breakfast shows Maya idle at the counter after a rushed call, Auntie Lin holding a silent phone, and A-Li sitting with unfinished soy milk.

Learn — passing on a message

These six lines help you pass on what someone said. Listen, then say each one.

Notice how 說 and 問 introduce another person's words, and how 轉告 is for carrying the message.

  1. Maya leans toward Auntie Lin with open palms, trying to catch what the caller just said, while Lin faces her across the counter with the phone already down.

    他剛剛說什麼？

    What did he just say?

    When to use it: Ask this when you missed what a man just said.

    剛剛 marks that the talking happened a moment ago.

  2. Auntie Lin’s open palm offers to pass the message along beside the silent phone, while Maya’s folded arms rest on the counter.

    我幫你轉告

    I'll pass it on for you.

    When to use it: Offer this when you will pass someone's words along.

    轉告 means you carry the message; you are not the original speaker.

  3. Auntie Lin delivers the news to Maya with a small head-shake and a flat can’t-come hand, while Maya grips the counter and listens.

    他說他不能來

    He says he can't come.

    When to use it: Use this to report that a man cannot come.

    After 說, keep 他 and then report his words as a full clause.

    Say it: 不 stays fourth tone before second-tone 能 in 不能.

  4. Auntie Lin turns to A-Li at his table with an inquiring tilt, checking whether something works for him, while the yak ignores her and stares at unfinished soy milk.

    她問你方便嗎

    She asks if it's convenient for you.

    When to use it: Pass on a woman's question about whether it works for you.

    After 問, keep the original question, including 嗎 at the end.

  5. Maya waits by the open shopfront looking out to the street, asking with her posture that someone tell him she is still here, while Lin wipes a tray and A-Li stays with his soy milk.

    你可以告訴他我在等嗎？

    Can you tell him I'm waiting?

    When to use it: Ask someone to tell a man that you are waiting.

    告訴 names the person first, then the message you want passed on.

  6. Maya at the counter cups one hand behind her ear and stares at the silent phone, showing she missed the end of the call, while Lin sets the phone down and turns away.

    我沒聽到後面

    I didn't hear the rest.

    When to use it: Say this when you caught the start but missed the rest.

    Use 沒 for something you failed to hear, not 不.

Story — two versions of a call

Listen as Auntie Lin passes on A-Jie's morning call. Maya missed the end, and Lin tells A-Li a different version.

Nobody opens the fortune slip. The soy milk stays where it is.

  1. A-Jie阿姨，晚上我不能來了。怡君問瑪雅方便嗎。Auntie, I can't come tonight. Yi-Jun asks if Maya is free.
  2. Auntie Lin好喔，我幫你轉告。Okay, I'll pass it on for you.
  3. A-Jie is already on his scooter. Maya turns to Auntie Lin.
  4. Maya他剛剛說什麼？What did he just say?
  5. Auntie Lin他說他不能來。He says he can't come.
  6. Maya我沒聽到後面。I didn't hear the rest.
  7. Auntie Lin後面是怡君的話。她問你方便嗎。The rest was Yi-Jun's words. She asks if it's convenient for you.
  8. Maya你可以告訴他我在等嗎？Can you tell him I'm waiting?
  9. Auntie Lin沒問題，交給我。No problem, leave it to me.
  10. A-Li looks up from the two stools.
  11. A-Li阿傑說什麼？What did A-Jie say?
  12. Auntie Lin他說他不能來。He says he can't come.
  13. A-Li我沒聽清楚。I didn't catch that.
  14. Auntie Lin他說他不能來。怡君問瑪雅方便嗎。He says he can't come. Yi-Jun asks if Maya is free.
  15. A-Li了解。Got it.
  16. Auntie Lin豆漿還沒喝完。The soy milk still isn't finished.

Practice — pass it on

Try these exercises to ask what someone said and pass the message on. Pick the line that fits each moment.

After each answer, read why the others do not work, then say the right line again.

0 of 10 done

  1. What does it mean?

    他剛剛說什麼？

  2. What did you hear?

  3. Build the line

    He says he can't come.

    Tap the words in order.

  4. Fill the gap

    She asks if it's convenient for you.

    她問你____嗎

  5. Swap the word

    You want Auntie Lin to pass a message. Ask her to tell him you are waiting.

    你可以告訴他我在____嗎？

  6. What do you say?

    You caught the start of Auntie Lin's sentence but missed the end.

  7. Pick the reply

    Auntie Lin says:

    你聽懂了嗎？

    Did you understand what you heard?

    And you reply with:

  8. Match the pairs

    Traditional Chinese

    他剛剛說什麼？Drop the English here
    我幫你轉告Drop the English here
    他說他不能來Drop the English here
    我沒聽到後面Drop the English here

    English

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

  9. Pick the reply

    A-Li says:

    麻煩你跟阿傑說一聲。

    Could you tell A-Jie for me?

    And you reply with:

  10. What do you say?

    Auntie Lin has just finished repeating the message. Show that you got it.

Say it — your messages

You play Maya at the counter. Listen to each cue, then pass on the message or ask what you missed.

Tap the microphone to speak. You can replay the other person's line before your turn.

  1. A-Jie has just hung up. Auntie Lin looks over.
  2. Maya (you)Ask what he just said.

    他剛剛說什麼？

    What did he just say?

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
他剛剛說什麼？What did he just say?
我幫你轉告I'll pass it on for you.
他說他不能來He says he can't come.
她問你方便嗎She asks if it's convenient for you.
你可以告訴他我在等嗎？Can you tell him I'm waiting?
我沒聽到後面I didn't hear the rest.
Next: lesson 209Festivals and red envelopes

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Today's lines for passing on a message are in Yak Cards with more useful phrases for reporting what people said.

Review a few of these cards each day so passing on a message feels natural.

Open Yak Cards