New here? This is lesson 33 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.
Something's wrong in Traditional Chinese
At Banyan Breakfast, the fan has stopped working. A-Li says it is fine because he feels cold.
Learn to report a missing item, a broken object, or something that will not work. You can also say that you are lost or unwell.
Listen for the light ending in lines about a new problem. The fortune slip stays folded, and A-Li's soy milk is still unfinished.
By the end of this lesson
Say when something is missing, broken, or unusable, and report being lost or unwell.
- 我的___不見了My ___ is missing.
- ___壞了___ is broken.
- 它不能用It doesn't work.
- 好像有問題Something seems wrong.
- 我迷路了I'm lost.
- 我覺得不舒服I don't feel well.
Scene — a broken fan
The fan at Banyan Breakfast has stopped working, and the shop feels stuffy. Maya took a wrong turn on her way there and cannot find her phone.
A-Li sits at the back with his soy milk. He says the broken fan is fine because he feels cold, but he still does not finish his drink.
Learn — say what is wrong
Here are six short lines for problems you might have at home or around Taipei. Listen, then say each one out loud.
Notice how the lines describe something missing, broken, unusable, or wrong.
我的___不見了
My ___ is missing.
When to use it: Use it to report that something you own has gone missing.
Learn it as one piece.
Say it: The ending particle has a light, neutral tone.
___壞了
___ is broken.
When to use it: Use this to say an object is broken.
Learn it as one piece.
Say it: The ending particle has a light, neutral tone.
它不能用
It doesn't work.
When to use it: Say this when something cannot be used or does not work.
Learn it as one piece.
好像有問題
Something seems wrong.
When to use it: Use this when you think something is wrong but are not certain.
Learn it as one piece.
我迷路了
I'm lost.
When to use it: Say this when you cannot find your way.
Learn it as one piece.
Say it: The ending particle has a light, neutral tone.
我覺得不舒服
I don't feel well.
When to use it: Say this when you are feeling physically unwell.
Learn it as one piece.
Story — trouble at breakfast
At Banyan Breakfast, Maya reports a few problems. Her phone is missing, and the fan is broken. A-Li has his own opinion about the fan.
Maya also mentions that she got lost on her way to the shop and is not feeling well.
Auntie Lin早安！Good morning!
Maya我的手機不見了。My phone is missing.- Auntie Lin風扇壞了。The fan is broken.
- Maya好像有問題。Something seems wrong.
A-Li它不能用。It doesn't work.- A-Li我很冷，風扇壞了也沒關係。I'm cold, so it's okay that the fan is broken.
- Maya我迷路了。I'm lost.
- Maya我覺得不舒服。I don't feel well.
Practice — describe a problem
Try nine exercises about things that are missing, broken, or not working. You will also report feeling lost or unwell.
Choose the best line for each situation, then say it again.
0 of 9 done
What do you say?
What do you say?
Your phone is gone. Tell Auntie Lin that your phone is missing.
Build the line
Build the line
It doesn't work.
Tap the words in order.
What do you say?
What do you say?
The fan at the shop has stopped working. Tell Auntie Lin it is broken.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Something seems wrong.
好像有____
What do you say?
What do you say?
You cannot find your way through an unfamiliar neighborhood. Tell someone you are lost.
Pick the reply
Auntie Lin says:
Pick the reply
你身體怎麼了？
What's wrong with you physically?
And you reply with:
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
早安
What do you say?
What do you say?
You need help at Banyan Breakfast. Ask Auntie Lin for help.
Say it — report the problem
You are Maya at Banyan Breakfast. Answer Auntie Lin and A-Li as they ask about your health and the fan.
Listen to each question, then say the matching line out loud. Finish by telling A-Li that the fan does not work.
- Auntie Lin你還好嗎？Are you feeling all right?
- Maya (you)Say that you don't feel well.
Say that you don't feel well.
我覺得不舒服
I don't feel well.
0 of 3 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Traditional Chinese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 我的___不見了 | My ___ is missing. | |
| ___壞了 | ___ is broken. | |
| 它不能用 | It doesn't work. | |
| 好像有問題 | Something seems wrong. | |
| 我迷路了 | I'm lost. | |
| 我覺得不舒服 | I don't feel well. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Today's problem-solving lines are in Yak Cards with more useful phrases for everyday troubles.
Review a few cards each day so these short lines come to mind when you need them.
Open Yak Cards