Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 179 of 240

New here? This is lesson 179 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.

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Listening to a friend in Traditional Chinese

Yi-Jun looks shaken at the co-working space after a call about her lease. She needs a friend who will stay, not rush in with a plan.

Learn how to say you are here, slow the moment down, and show that her feeling makes sense. Then offer to share the weight and wish her well.

These lines support a friend in a hard week. Save comfort and advice for later; today you listen.

By the end of this lesson

Say you are here, slow a friend down, show their feeling makes sense, and share the weight.

  • 如果你想聊，我在If you want to talk, I'm here.
  • 慢慢來，不用急Take your time, no rush.
  • 發生這種事，我真的很替你難過Something like this happening, I feel for you.
  • 我懂你為什麼會這樣覺得I understand why you feel this way.
  • 你不用一個人撐著You don't have to carry it alone.
  • 希望一切很快好起來I hope everything gets better soon.

Scene — a hard call

At the co-working space two MRT stops from Banyan Lane, Yi-Jun sits with her phone still in her hand. The landlord says the rent will jump a lot, or he will not renew.

Maya sits across from her with nowhere else to be. The job today is to listen, not to fix the lease or rush her into a plan.

Maya and Yi-Jun sit across a sunlit coworking table, Yi-Jun still holding a phone while Maya faces Yi-Jun ready to listen.

Learn — staying with a friend

Here are six lines for staying with a friend who is hurting. Listen to each one, then say it out loud.

Notice how 替你 marks that you feel for her, not about yourself.

  1. Maya leans forward with one hand at the chest and the other open on the table as Yi-Jun looks up from the phone.

    如果你想聊，我在

    If you want to talk, I'm here.

    When to use it: Offer this when a friend may want to talk later, not now.

    我在 here means you are present for the person, not a place.

  2. Maya sits back with unhurried hands in the lap while Yi-Jun looks toward the window, given space.

    慢慢來，不用急

    Take your time, no rush.

    When to use it: Use this when a friend is rushing themselves through a hard moment.

    不用 before 急 means there is no need to hurry.

    Say it: 不 rises before 用, which is a fourth tone.

  3. Maya's clasped hands rest on the table beside Yi-Jun's phone lying face-down between them.

    發生這種事，我真的很替你難過

    Something like this happening, I feel for you.

    When to use it: Say this after you hear what went wrong, not before.

    替你 marks that the sadness is for them, not about yourself.

  4. Maya nods with head tilted, holding a paper cup in both hands and looking toward Yi-Jun.

    我懂你為什麼會這樣覺得

    I understand why you feel this way.

    When to use it: Use this when their feeling makes sense, even if you would act differently.

    為什麼 stays in place inside the sentence; it is not moved to the front.

  5. Maya has pulled the chair closer with both palms open on the table while Yi-Jun's shoulders have dropped.

    你不用一個人撐著

    You don't have to carry it alone.

    When to use it: Use this when a friend is handling a hard thing by themselves.

    著 after the verb keeps the carrying going, not finished.

    Say it: 著 after 撐 is a light neutral tone.

  6. Maya's hand rests near Yi-Jun's on the table in late-afternoon light as Maya looks toward Yi-Jun.

    希望一切很快好起來

    I hope everything gets better soon.

    When to use it: Close a hard talk with a warm wish, not a plan.

    起來 after 好 marks a change toward a better state.

    Say it: 來 in 起來 is a light neutral tone.

Story — Yi-Jun's lease

Yi-Jun has just heard that her lease will not be renewed. Listen as Maya sits with her and lets her talk.

Maya does not rush to solve it. She stays, and she says the feeling makes sense.

  1. After a call, Yi-Jun sits down across from Maya.
  2. Yi-Jun欸，瑪雅。Hey, Maya.
  3. Maya你還好嗎？Are you okay?
  4. Yi-Jun不太好，我的租約快到期了。Not great. My lease is almost up.
  5. Maya聽到這個我很難過。I'm sorry to hear that.
  6. Yi-Jun房東說房租要漲很多，不然就不能續。The landlord says the rent will go up a lot, or he will not renew.
  7. Maya發生這種事，我真的很替你難過。Something like this happening, I really feel for you.
  8. Yi-Jun我現在好煩喔。I'm so annoyed right now.
  9. Maya那一定很辛苦。That must be tough.
  10. Yi-Jun我覺得自己好沒用。I feel so useless.
  11. Maya我懂你為什麼會這樣覺得。I understand why you feel this way.
  12. Yi-Jun我好像得趕快搬走。I think I have to move out fast.
  13. Maya慢慢來，不用急。Take your time, no rush.
  14. Yi-Jun晚上都自己想，睡不好。At night I keep thinking it over by myself, and I can't sleep.
  15. Maya你不用一個人撐著。You don't have to carry it alone.
  16. Yi-Jun謝謝你聽我說。Thanks for listening.
  17. Maya如果你想聊，我在。If you want to talk, I'm here.
  18. Yi-Jun好喔，我先回去看合約。Okay. I'll go look at the contract first.
  19. Maya希望一切很快好起來。I hope everything gets better soon.

Practice — show you are here

Try ten short exercises with these support lines. Pick the line that fits each moment.

After each answer, read why the others do not work, then say the right line again.

0 of 10 done

  1. What does it mean?

    如果你想聊，我在

  2. What do you say?

    Yi-Jun just said her landlord will not renew. Show you feel for her.

  3. Build the line

    I understand why you feel this way.

    Tap the words in order.

  4. Fill the gap

    Take your time, no rush.

    慢慢來，____急

  5. What did you hear?

  6. Pick the reply

    Yi-Jun says:

    我先回去看合約。

    I'll go look at the contract first.

    And you reply with:

  7. Match the pairs

    Traditional Chinese

    如果你想聊，我在Drop the English here
    慢慢來，不用急Drop the English here
    你不用一個人撐著Drop the English here
    希望一切很快好起來Drop the English here

    English

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

  8. What do you say?

    Yi-Jun sits down looking upset, but she has not explained yet. Check on her.

  9. Pick the reply

    Yi-Jun says:

    房東說不能續了。

    The landlord said he won't renew.

    And you reply with:

  10. Swap the word

    Yi-Jun has had a hard week with her lease. Acknowledge that it must be tough.

    那一定很____

Say it — listen and stay

You play Maya. Yi-Jun is upset about her lease. Listen to each cue, then say the support line out loud.

Tap the microphone to speak. You can replay her line before your turn.

  1. Yi-Jun has just hung up with her landlord.
  2. Yi-Jun房東說房租要漲很多，不然就不續約了。The landlord says the rent will go up a lot, or he will not renew.
  3. Maya (you)Show that this happening makes you feel for her.

    發生這種事，我真的很替你難過

    Something like this happening, I feel for you.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
如果你想聊，我在If you want to talk, I'm here.
慢慢來，不用急Take your time, no rush.
發生這種事，我真的很替你難過Something like this happening, I feel for you.
我懂你為什麼會這樣覺得I understand why you feel this way.
你不用一個人撐著You don't have to carry it alone.
希望一切很快好起來I hope everything gets better soon.
Next: lesson 180It's not your fault

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