Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 5 of 240

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Please and thank you in Traditional Chinese

At Banyan Breakfast, you hand Auntie Lin some coins and get an egg pancake in return. A-Li is nearby with his soy milk, still unfinished.

Learn a polite way to ask for something, say thank you in a few ways, and respond when someone thanks you.

Listen for 不客氣: 不 changes its tone before a falling tone. A-Li's thank-you comes before anyone gives him anything.

By the end of this lesson

Ask for something politely, thank someone, and respond when someone thanks you.

  • 請給我___Please give me ___.
  • 謝謝Thank you.
  • 謝謝你Thank you (to you).
  • 非常謝謝Thank you very much.
  • 不客氣You're welcome.
  • 沒問題No problem.

Scene — a breakfast order

Morning at Banyan Breakfast. Maya has coins ready at the counter, and Auntie Lin is preparing an egg pancake.

A-Li is at the back table with his soy milk. Before anyone brings him anything, he says thank you.

Maya has coins ready at the counter, Auntie Lin prepares an egg pancake, and Ali sits at the back table with soy milk.

Learn — polite requests and thanks

Use a polite request at the breakfast counter, then choose a simple or warmer thank-you. Listen to Auntie Lin's replies.

The request has a blank for the thing you want. Learn each complete phrase as one piece.

  1. Maya politely asks Auntie Lin for an item while holding out her coins at the counter.

    請給我___

    Please give me ___.

    When to use it: Use this polite request when asking someone to give you something.

    Learn this polite request as one piece.

  2. Ali thanks the people at the counter from his back table before anyone brings him anything.

    謝謝

    Thank you.

    When to use it: Say this when someone helps you or gives you something.

  3. Maya thanks Auntie Lin across the counter as Lin hands her a freshly cooked egg pancake.

    謝謝你

    Thank you (to you).

    When to use it: Use this to thank the person you are speaking to.

  4. Ali gives an especially heartfelt thank-you from his back table after receiving his soy milk.

    非常謝謝

    Thank you very much.

    When to use it: Say this to give someone a warmer thank-you.

  5. Auntie Lin responds warmly to a customer's thanks while continuing to cook at the griddle.

    不客氣

    You're welcome.

    When to use it: Say this after someone thanks you.

    Say it: 不 becomes rising before the falling tone in 客氣.

  6. Maya reassures Auntie Lin that helping with a dropped utensil was no trouble.

    沒問題

    No problem.

    When to use it: Use this friendly reply when someone thanks you.

Story — coins and an early thank-you

Maya orders breakfast at Banyan Breakfast and pays Auntie Lin. Nearby, A-Li thanks everyone before anyone has given him anything.

Listen for the polite request and the different ways they thank and answer one another.

  1. Auntie Lin美女，早安！Good morning, beautiful!
  2. Auntie Lin請坐。Please sit down.
  3. Maya請給我一份蛋餅。Please give me an egg pancake.
  4. Maya places her coins on the counter, and Auntie Lin hands her an egg pancake.
  5. Auntie Lin好喔，蛋餅來了。Sure, here comes your egg pancake.
  6. Maya謝謝你。Thank you (to you).
  7. Auntie Lin不客氣。You're welcome.
  8. Maya非常謝謝。Thank you very much.
  9. Auntie Lin沒問題。No problem.
  10. Auntie Lin阿犛，你的豆漿還沒喝完喔。A-Li, you haven't finished your soy milk yet.
  11. A-Li謝謝。Thank you.

Practice — ask and respond politely

Try nine short exercises with requests, thanks, and familiar greetings. Choose a response that fits the moment, or put the words in order.

For the missing-word question, use the English meaning to find the one word that completes the line.

0 of 9 done

  1. What do you say?

    You are at the breakfast counter. Ask Auntie Lin for an egg pancake politely.

  2. What does it mean?

    謝謝

  3. Build the line

    Thank you (to you).

    Tap the words in order.

  4. Fill the gap

    Thank you very much.

    ____謝謝

  5. Match the pairs

    Traditional Chinese

    請給我___Drop the English here
    謝謝Drop the English here
    非常謝謝Drop the English here
    不客氣Drop the English here
    沒問題Drop the English here

    English

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

  6. What did you hear?

  7. Pick the reply

    Auntie Lin says:

    可以幫我拿一下嗎？

    Can you help me carry this?

    And you reply with:

  8. What do you say?

    You arrive at the breakfast shop in the morning. Greet Auntie Lin.

  9. What do you say?

    Auntie Lin is about to take a break. Invite her to sit down.

Say it — your turn at the counter

You are Maya at the breakfast counter. Ask Auntie Lin for an egg pancake, then thank her and respond naturally.

Listen to each cue and say your line out loud. A-Li is nearby, still waiting for his drink.

  1. Maya is ready to order at the counter.
  2. Maya (you)Fill the blank with an egg pancake, then ask Auntie Lin politely.

    請給我___

    Please give me ___.

0 of 3 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
請給我___Please give me ___.
謝謝Thank you.
謝謝你Thank you (to you).
非常謝謝Thank you very much.
不客氣You're welcome.
沒問題No problem.
Next: lesson 6Excuse me, sorry

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Today's polite requests and thank-yous are in Yak Cards with more useful lines for everyday errands.

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