Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 11 of 240

New here? This is lesson 11 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.

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Say what? I don't understand. in Traditional Chinese

At Banyan Breakfast, Auntie Lin asks Maya a quick question about her drink. Maya misses the words and asks for help.

Learn to say you do not understand, ask what a word means, and explain that you speak only a little Chinese.

A-Li offers a confident translation, but his guess is wrong. The fortune slip stays folded, and his soy milk remains unfinished.

By the end of this lesson

Say you did not understand, ask what a word means, explain how much Chinese you speak, and say you do not know.

  • 我聽不懂I don't understand what I hear.
  • 我不懂I don't get it.
  • 你說什麼？What did you say?
  • ___是什麼意思？What does ___ mean?
  • 我只會說一點中文I only speak a little Chinese.
  • 我不知道I don't know.

Scene — a quick question at breakfast

Morning is busy at Banyan Breakfast in Da'an. Auntie Lin asks Maya about ice for her soy milk before Maya can follow the quick question.

A-Li sits nearby with his unfinished soy milk. He confidently explains one phrase, but Maya can check with Auntie Lin.

Auntie Lin asks Maya a quick question about ice while Ali sits nearby with unfinished soy milk.

Learn — ask for help understanding

Here are six useful lines for moments when you miss something or do not know what a word means.

Listen to each one, then say it aloud as a complete phrase.

  1. Maya looks puzzled as Auntie Lin gestures quickly toward the ice.

    我聽不懂

    I don't understand what I hear.

    When to use it: Use this when you cannot understand what someone just said.

    Learn it as one piece.

  2. Maya looks confused while Ali confidently gestures as if explaining something beside his unfinished soy milk.

    我不懂

    I don't get it.

    When to use it: Use this when you do not understand an idea or situation.

    Learn it as one piece.

  3. Maya leans toward Auntie Lin with a hand cupped to her ear, asking her to repeat the question.

    你說什麼？

    What did you say?

    When to use it: Ask this when you want someone to repeat what they said.

    Learn it as one piece.

  4. Maya asks Auntie Lin about the meaning of ice while Ali confidently offers his own explanation.

    ___是什麼意思？

    What does ___ mean?

    When to use it: Use this to ask about the meaning of a word or phrase.

    Learn it as one piece.

  5. Maya holds her fingers close together to show that she knows only a little Chinese as Auntie Lin listens kindly.

    我只會說一點中文

    I only speak a little Chinese.

    When to use it: Say this when you want someone to know your Chinese is limited.

    Learn it as one piece.

  6. Maya gives a small uncertain shrug with open palms as Auntie Lin waits for her answer about the ice.

    我不知道

    I don't know.

    When to use it: Use this when you do not know the answer.

    Learn it as one piece.

Story — a mix-up about ice

Auntie Lin asks Maya a quick question about her drink at Banyan Breakfast. Maya is confused, and A-Li offers a wrong guess.

Listen for Maya's questions and notice how Auntie Lin helps her understand.

  1. Auntie Lin美女，早安！Good morning, beautiful!
  2. Maya你好。Hello.
  3. Auntie Lin豆漿要正常冰還是少冰？Would you like regular ice or less ice in your soy milk?
  4. Maya我聽不懂，我不懂。I don't understand. I don't get it.
  5. A-Li少冰就是平常那個啦。Less ice just means the usual.
  6. Maya少冰是什麼意思？What does less ice mean?
  7. Auntie Lin冰少一點啦。Just a little less ice.
  8. Maya你說什麼？What did you say?
  9. Auntie Lin少冰，冰少一點。Less ice means a little less ice.
  10. Maya我只會說一點中文。I only speak a little Chinese.
  11. Auntie Lin那你要少冰還是正常冰？So would you like less ice or regular ice?
  12. Maya我不知道。I don't know.

Practice — clarify the meaning

Try eight quick exercises to ask for clarification, say what you understand, and respond to a simple question.

Choose the line that fits each moment, then check the explanation.

0 of 8 done

  1. What does it mean?

    我聽不懂

  2. What do you say?

    You heard Auntie Lin's explanation clearly, but you still do not understand the idea.

  3. Build the line

    I only speak a little Chinese.

    Tap the words in order.

  4. Fill the gap

    I don't know.

    我____

  5. What did you hear?

  6. What do you say?

    Ask Auntie Lin what the phrase for less ice means.

  7. What do you say?

    You arrive at Banyan Breakfast in the morning. Greet Auntie Lin.

  8. True or false?

    This line fits the moment you are in.

Say it — ask and answer

You are Maya at Banyan Breakfast. Listen to each cue and say the helpful line out loud.

Auntie Lin can repeat herself, and you can ask what a phrase means. A-Li is nearby, still distracted by his unfinished soy milk.

  1. Auntie Lin asks a quick question about Maya's drink.
  2. Auntie Lin豆漿要正常冰還是少冰？Would you like regular ice or less ice in your soy milk?
  3. Maya (you)Tell Auntie Lin you cannot understand what you heard.

    我聽不懂

    I don't understand what I hear.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
我聽不懂I don't understand what I hear.
我不懂I don't get it.
你說什麼？What did you say?
___是什麼意思？What does ___ mean?
我只會說一點中文I only speak a little Chinese.
我不知道I don't know.
Next: lesson 12Slower, please

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