New here? This is lesson 55 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.
Write it down for me in Traditional Chinese
At Banyan Breakfast, Auntie Lin writes order slips quickly. Her handwriting turns a simple order into a five-minute puzzle for Maya.
Learn how to ask someone to write something down, point it out, or speak louder. You can also ask how to write a character and check what it means.
A-Li is nearby with his usual unfinished soy milk. The slip stays a slip; the mystery is only Auntie Lin's handwriting.
By the end of this lesson
Ask someone to write something down, point it out, speak louder, or explain a written character.
- 可以寫下來嗎？Can you write it down?
- 可以指給我看嗎？Can you point it out for me?
- 請你說大聲一點Please speak louder.
- 這個字怎麼寫？How do you write this character?
- 我沒聽清楚I didn't catch that.
- 是這個意思嗎？Is that what it means?
Scene — a five-minute puzzle
At Banyan Breakfast, Auntie Lin fills order slips in quick, familiar handwriting.
Maya studies one of them, trying to work out a character while the breakfast crowd carries on around her.
A-Li sits at the back with his soy milk still unfinished. Maya spends five minutes on the slip, asking Auntie Lin to write, repeat, and point things out.
Learn — ask for help with words
These six lines help when you cannot hear or read something clearly. Listen to each one, then say it aloud.
Use them to ask politely for writing, pointing, a louder voice, or a quick meaning check.
可以寫下來嗎？
Can you write it down?
When to use it: Ask someone to write information down so you can see it.
可以指給我看嗎？
Can you point it out for me?
When to use it: Ask someone to point to the word or thing you mean.
請你說大聲一點
Please speak louder.
When to use it: Ask someone to speak louder when you cannot hear well.
這個字怎麼寫？
How do you write this character?
When to use it: Ask how to write a character you can see.
我沒聽清楚
I didn't catch that.
When to use it: Say this when you did not hear someone clearly.
是這個意思嗎？
Is that what it means?
When to use it: Check whether your understanding of a word or character is right.
Story — Auntie Lin's order slips
Auntie Lin's quick handwriting on the order slips gives Maya a small puzzle at breakfast. She asks for help while A-Li sits nearby with his unfinished soy milk.
Listen for Maya's requests as she tries to understand one character.
Auntie Lin早安，美女！Good morning, beautiful!
Maya您好。Hello, politely.- Auntie Lin榕樹巷。Banyan Lane.
- Maya我沒聽清楚，請你說大聲一點。I didn't catch that. Please speak louder.
- Auntie Lin榕樹巷。Banyan Lane.
- Maya可以寫下來嗎？Can you write it down?
- Auntie Lin好喔，我寫在這裡。Sure, I'll write it here.
- Maya可以指給我看嗎？Can you point it out for me?
- Auntie Lin好，這個字在這裡。Okay, this character is here.
- Maya這個字怎麼寫？是這個意思嗎？How do you write this character? Is that what it means?
- Auntie Lin我寫給你看。對，榕是一種樹。I'll write it for you to see. Yes, 榕 is a kind of tree.
Practice — make it clear
Try eleven short exercises about hearing, reading, and checking written words. Choose a useful request for each situation.
Some choices review greetings and thanks. Read the explanation, then say the answer aloud.
0 of 11 done
What do you say?
What do you say?
Auntie Lin says it is morning. Return her greeting with the matching time-of-day greeting.
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
我沒聽清楚
What do you say?
What do you say?
You want Auntie Lin to write the order detail so you can see it. Ask her.
Build the line
Build the line
Please speak louder.
Tap the words in order.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
How do you write this character?
這個字____寫？
Swap the word
Swap the word
You want Auntie Lin to point to the character for you.
可以指給____看嗎？
What do you say?
What do you say?
You meet a new shopkeeper after dark. Greet her politely without using a time-of-day greeting.
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
What do you say?
What do you say?
Auntie Lin is speaking too quietly. Ask her to speak louder, not write it down or greet her.
Build the line
Build the line
Is that what it means?
？
Tap the words in order.
What do you say?
What do you say?
You want to check whether your understanding of the character's meaning is right. Ask Auntie Lin.
Say it — ask Auntie Lin
You are Maya at Banyan Breakfast. Listen to Auntie Lin, then make a clear request about the order slip.
Say each line aloud when it is your turn. The goal is to make the written character easier to understand.
- Maya wants Auntie Lin to write a detail on the order slip.
- Maya (you)Ask Auntie Lin to write the detail down.
Ask Auntie Lin to write the detail down.
可以寫下來嗎？
Can you write it down?
0 of 6 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Traditional Chinese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 可以寫下來嗎？ | Can you write it down? | |
| 可以指給我看嗎？ | Can you point it out for me? | |
| 請你說大聲一點 | Please speak louder. | |
| 這個字怎麼寫？ | How do you write this character? | |
| 我沒聽清楚 | I didn't catch that. | |
| 是這個意思嗎？ | Is that what it means? |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Review these requests and questions in Yak Cards.
Practise asking for help with written words a little each day.
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