Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 217 of 240

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Steer the conversation in Traditional Chinese

The neighborhood meeting at Banyan Breakfast starts on parking, then drifts to the night market and A-Li's unfinished drink.

Learn six lines for taking the lead: go on to a point, flag a short digression, add one more thing, and bring people back.

Use them when talk wanders. Maya keeps the agenda moving without shutting anyone down.

By the end of this lesson

Take the lead when a conversation wanders: go on to a point, add a detail, digress briefly, and return to the main topic.

  • 我們接著談___Let's go on to ___.
  • 先岔開一下Let me digress for a moment.
  • 關於___，再補充一點About ___, one more thing.
  • 回到正題Back to the main topic.
  • 這就讓我想到___That reminds me of ___.
  • 話說回來Having said that.

Scene — a lane meeting

Folding chairs fill the aisle at Banyan Breakfast after the lunch rush. Auntie Lin called a lane meeting about scooter parking, and Mr. Wang stands near the door with his phone.

A-Jie talks about the night market. A-Li has two stools and a soy milk he still has not finished. Maya keeps the talk on the agenda.

After the lunch rush, folding chairs pack the Banyan Breakfast aisle while Auntie Lin faces the room from the counter, Mr. Wang waits in the doorway with a phone, and A-Li the yak sits on a pair of stools with unfinished soy milk.

Learn — steering the talk

These six lines help you steer a meeting when people wander. Listen, then say each one.

Notice how a short side remark can be polite if you come back to the point.

  1. Maya leans forward among the folding chairs with an open notebook, steering the lane meeting while Auntie Lin listens with folded arms and A-Jie slumps in his chair.

    我們接著談___

    Let's go on to ___.

    When to use it: Use this to move a meeting or talk on to the next point.

    接著 shows you are continuing, not opening a brand-new chat.

  2. A-Jie half-rises from a folding chair with both arms flung wide, turning from the meeting toward a night-market story, while Maya hugs her notebook and A-Li the yak watches from a pair of stools.

    先岔開一下

    Let me digress for a moment.

    When to use it: Use this before a short side remark so people know you will come back.

    一下 makes the side track sound brief and polite.

    Say it: In 一下, 一 rises to second tone before a fourth tone.

  3. Auntie Lin stands at the open shop front in profile with one finger raised and her other hand aimed at the parked scooters, while Maya looks up from her chair and Mr. Wang glances at the curb.

    關於___，再補充一點

    About ___, one more thing.

    When to use it: Use this to add one extra detail on a topic already in play.

    關於 names the topic, then 再補充一點 adds a small extra point.

  4. Maya stands in the crowded aisle with both palms pressed down, pulling the circle back together while A-Jie freezes half-seated in the foreground and Auntie Lin nods from the counter.

    回到正題

    Back to the main topic.

    When to use it: Use this when the talk has wandered and you need the agenda back.

    正題 is the agenda item you agreed to discuss, not any loose subject.

  5. A-Li the yak licks unfinished soy milk from a cup on a stool while A-Jie lifts a finger as a memory hits and Maya pinches the bridge of her nose.

    這就讓我想到___

    That reminds me of ___.

    When to use it: Use this when the last remark sparks a related memory or example.

    就 ties this new thought to the remark you just heard.

  6. Mr. Wang turns inward from the doorway with his phone lowered and an open palm toward the chairs, rejoining the parking talk while Auntie Lin looks over from the counter and Maya watches from her seat.

    話說回來

    Having said that.

    When to use it: Use this after a side comment when you return without cutting anyone off.

    This set phrase softens the return and sounds less sharp than a hard cut back.

    Say it: The 來 in 回來 is second tone, not a neutral tone.

Story — the meeting wanders

Listen as the lane meeting drifts off the parking agenda. Maya takes the lead and steers people back.

A-Li's soy milk stays on the table, unfinished.

  1. Auntie Lin好，我們開始吧。今天要談榕樹巷的停車。All right, let's begin. Today we're talking about parking on Banyan Lane.
  2. Maya我們接著談停車的規定。Let's go on to the parking rules.
  3. Mr. Wang機車常常停在店門口，進出很不方便。Scooters often stop at the shop door, and it's hard to get in and out.
  4. A-Jie先岔開一下，夜市油煙也有人抱怨欸。Let me digress for a moment; people have also been complaining about the night-market smoke.
  5. Auntie Lin夜市的事我知道，可是今天先講停車。I know about the night market, but today we talk parking first.
  6. Maya回到正題。Back to the main topic.
  7. Mr. Wang我希望白天門口能空出來。I hope the doorway can stay clear during the day.
  8. Maya關於停車，再補充一點。晚上也要留通道。About parking, one more thing. We need a passageway at night too.
  9. A-Li這就讓我想到豆漿。That reminds me of soy milk.
  10. Auntie Lin阿犛，你那杯還沒喝完。A-Li, you still haven't finished that cup.
  11. A-Li好啊，等一下。Sure, in a bit.
  12. A-Li looks at his cup, then loses the thread again.
  13. A-Jie這讓我想到卸貨。That reminds me of unloading.
  14. Maya話說回來，通道還是要留著。Having said that, we still need to keep a passageway.
  15. A-Jie這有點離題，不過攤位也需要位子。This is a bit off topic, but the stall needs a spot too.
  16. Mr. Wang卸貨可以，不要擋早餐店。Unloading is fine, as long as it doesn't block the breakfast shop.
  17. Maya我們接著談晚上的時間。Let's go on to the evening hours.
  18. Auntie Lin十點以前，門口不要停。Before ten, don't park in the doorway.
  19. A-Jie我們換個話題吧。Let's change the subject.
  20. Maya時間先講完。回到正題。Finish the hours first. Back to the main topic.
  21. Auntie Lin好喔，那就這樣。All right, that's settled.
  22. A-Li豆漿還是熱的。The soy milk is still warm.

Practice — take the lead

Work through short tasks on taking the lead and bringing a talk back. Pick the line that fits each small moment.

After each answer, check the explanation and try saying the line again.

0 of 11 done

  1. What does it mean?

    這就讓我想到___

  2. What do you say?

    Parking is the next item. Open that point and move the meeting on.

  3. Build the line

    Let me digress for a moment.

    Tap the words in order.

  4. Fill the gap

    About ___, one more thing.

    關於___，再____一點

  5. Swap the word

    The talk has wandered. Bring everyone back to the agenda.

    ____正題

  6. What did you hear?

  7. Pick the reply

    A-Jie says:

    先岔開一下，夜市油煙也有人抱怨欸。

    Let me digress for a moment; people have also been complaining about the night-market smoke.

    And you reply with:

  8. Match the pairs

    Traditional Chinese

    我們接著談___Drop the English here
    先岔開一下Drop the English here
    回到正題Drop the English here
    話說回來Drop the English here

    English

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

  9. What do you say?

    The parking agenda is still open, but you want to drop it and talk about something else entirely.

  10. What does it mean?

    這讓我想到___

  11. Fill the gap

    This is a bit off topic, but ___.

    這有點____，不過___

Say it — keep it on track

You play Maya at the neighborhood meeting. Listen to each cue, then steer the talk or flag a short side point.

Tap the microphone to speak. You can replay the other person's line before your turn.

  1. Maya is keeping the lane meeting on parking.
  2. Auntie Lin今天要談榕樹巷的停車。Today we're talking about parking on Banyan Lane.
  3. Maya (you)Go on to the parking rules.

    我們接著談___

    Let's go on to ___.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
我們接著談___Let's go on to ___.
先岔開一下Let me digress for a moment.
關於___，再補充一點About ___, one more thing.
回到正題Back to the main topic.
這就讓我想到___That reminds me of ___.
話說回來Having said that.
Next: lesson 218Link a story

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Today's steering lines are in Yak Cards with more phrases for meetings that wander.

Review a few steering cards before your next meeting so they come quickly.

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