Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 34 of 240

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I forgot and I'm late in Traditional Chinese

Maya arrives late at Banyan Breakfast and realizes she forgot her stamp card. Auntie Lin is kind and stamps it anyway, but the card is still one stamp short.

Learn to say that you forgot something, missed something, did not bring something, or cannot find it. You can also apologize for arriving late.

A-Li is nearby with his unfinished soy milk. The small surprise is ordinary: Auntie Lin helps Maya, and the stamp card still needs one more stamp.

By the end of this lesson

Say that you forgot something, missed something, did not bring something, cannot find something, or are late.

  • 我忘記___了I forgot ___.
  • 我遲到了I'm late.
  • 我錯過___了I missed ___.
  • 我沒帶___I didn't bring ___.
  • 我找不到___I can't find ___.
  • 對不起，我來晚了Sorry I'm late.

Scene — the missing stamp card

Maya hurries into Banyan Breakfast in Da'an, where Auntie Lin keeps the neighborhood stamp cards. Maya is late, and her own card is nowhere to be seen.

A-Li sits nearby on his two stools with his soy milk still unfinished. Auntie Lin finds Maya's card in the shop drawer and stamps it, but it remains one stamp short.

Maya hurries into Banyan Breakfast in Da'an, where Auntie Lin keeps the neighborhood stamp cards. Maya is late, and her own card is nowhere to be seen. A-Li sits nearby on his two stools with his soy milk still unfinishe

Learn — when plans go wrong

These short lines help when you arrive late or discover that something is missing. Listen to each one, then try saying it aloud.

Learn each line as one piece. Add a real object when you use a line with a blank.

  1. maya is the one speaking. The moment means: I forgot ___.

    我忘記___了

    I forgot ___.

    When to use it: Say this when you forgot to bring or do something.

    Learn this line as one piece.

  2. maya is the one speaking. The moment means: I'm late.

    我遲到了

    I'm late.

    When to use it: Say this when you arrive later than planned.

    Learn this line as one piece.

  3. maya is the one speaking. The moment means: I missed ___.

    我錯過___了

    I missed ___.

    When to use it: Say this when you did not catch a bus or another event.

    Learn this line as one piece.

  4. maya is the one speaking. The moment means: I didn't bring ___.

    我沒帶___

    I didn't bring ___.

    When to use it: Say this when something you need is not with you.

    Learn this line as one piece.

  5. maya is the one speaking. The moment means: I can't find ___.

    我找不到___

    I can't find ___.

    When to use it: Say this when you cannot see or locate something.

    Learn this line as one piece.

  6. maya is the one speaking. The moment means: Sorry I'm late.

    對不起，我來晚了

    Sorry I'm late.

    When to use it: Use this apology when you arrive late.

    Learn this line as one piece.

Story — one stamp short again

Maya hurries into Banyan Breakfast late and realizes her stamp card is missing. Auntie Lin is ready to help, and the card still needs one more stamp.

The card was left in the shop drawer, so Auntie Lin can retrieve it. A-Li sits nearby with his familiar unfinished soy milk.

  1. Auntie Lin早安，美女！Good morning, beautiful!
  2. Maya對不起，我來晚了。Sorry I'm late.
  3. Auntie Lin沒關係。It's okay.
  4. Maya我遲到了。I'm late.
  5. Maya我錯過公車了。I missed the bus.
  6. Auntie Lin你的集點卡呢？Where is your stamp card?
  7. Maya我忘記集點卡了。I forgot my stamp card.
  8. Maya我沒帶集點卡。I didn't bring my stamp card.
  9. Maya我找不到集點卡。I can't find my stamp card.
  10. Auntie Lin卡在抽屜裡，我拿給你。The card is in the drawer; I'll get it for you.
  11. Auntie Lin我幫你蓋章。I'll stamp it for you.
  12. Auntie Lin還差一格喔。It's still one stamp short.

Practice — explain what happened

Try ten quick exercises about forgetting things, missing the bus, and arriving late. Choose the line that best fits each moment.

Some answers are apologies; others explain what happened. Listen carefully and say each answer aloud.

0 of 10 done

  1. What does it mean?

    我忘記___了

  2. What do you say?

    You arrive after the meeting has started. Apologize to your friend.

  3. Build the line

    Sorry I'm late.

    ，

    Tap the words in order.

  4. What did you hear?

  5. What do you say?

    Your bus left before you reached the stop. Explain what happened.

  6. Pick the reply

    Auntie Lin says:

    你有帶集點卡嗎？

    Did you bring your stamp card?

    And you reply with:

  7. What do you say?

    You check your bag for your stamp card, but you cannot see it. Say what happened.

  8. What does it mean?

    我找不到___

  9. What did you hear?

  10. Pick the reply

    Auntie Lin says:

    對不起，我來晚了。

    Sorry I'm late.

    And you reply with:

Say it — your quick apology

You are Maya, arriving late at Banyan Breakfast. Listen to Auntie Lin, then answer with the line that fits what happened.

Say each answer aloud. Explain that you missed the bus, then talk about the stamp card before Auntie Lin finds it.

  1. Maya arrives at the breakfast shop after her bus leaves.
  2. Auntie Lin早安，美女！Good morning, beautiful!
  3. Maya (you)Apologize and say you arrived late.

    對不起，我來晚了

    Sorry I'm late.

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
我忘記___了I forgot ___.
我遲到了I'm late.
我錯過___了I missed ___.
我沒帶___I didn't bring ___.
我找不到___I can't find ___.
對不起，我來晚了Sorry I'm late.
Next: lesson 35Sugar and ice

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