Which dialect of Mandarin should you learn? In the dialogue, Ah-Ming (阿明) and Xiao-Li (小李) order some food! How do you call the waiter in Mandarin? (Hint: it doesn't involve eye contact.)
Dialogue transcript (Chinese characters only)
- A-Ming (M): 不好意思，可以點餐了！
- Waiter (F): 好，你要點什麼呢？
- M: 一個宮保雞丁，一份鍋貼，還有一個炒青菜
- F: 要白飯嗎？
- M: 要！誒，小李，你要吃飯嗎？
- Xiao Li (L): 好啊
- M: 那我們要兩碗白飯
- F: 這樣就好了嗎？
- M: 對，這樣就好
- F: 好的，請稍等
- M: 他們的鍋貼超好吃！對了，你要不要喝啤酒？
- L：我不能喝酒，等一下還要開車啊
- M：對齁，那... 我們喝茶吧！
- L：好
- M：好，我去拿
Dialogue transcript (w/ pinyin and translation)
- A-Ming (M): 不好意思，可以點餐了！
- Bù hǎoyìsi, kěyǐ diǎn cānle!
- Excuse me, we can order!
- Waiter (F): 好，你要點什麼呢？
- Hǎo, nǐ yàodiǎn shénme ne?
- Ok, what do you want to order?
- M: 一個宮保雞丁，一份鍋貼，還有一個炒青菜
- Yīgè gōngbǎo jī dīng, yī fèn guōtiē, hái yǒu yīgè chǎo qīngcài
- One 宮保雞丁, one portion of potstickers, and also one stir-fried green vegetable.
- F: 要白飯嗎？
- Yào báifàn ma?
- Do you want white rice?
- M: 要！誒，小李，你要吃飯嗎？
- Yào! Éi, xiǎo lǐ, nǐ yào chīfàn ma?
- Want! Oh, Xiao Li, do you want to eat rice?
- Xiao Li (L): 好啊
- M: 那我們要兩碗白飯
- Nà wǒmen yào liǎng wǎn báifàn
- Then we want two bowls of white rice.
- F: 這樣就好了嗎？
- Zhèyàng jiù hǎole ma?
- Is that it?
- M: 對，這樣就好
- Duì, zhèyàng jiù hǎo
- Yep, that's it.
- F: 好的，請稍等
- Hǎo de, qǐng shāo děng
- Ok, please wait a moment.
- M: 他們的鍋貼超好吃！對了，你要不要喝啤酒？
- Tāmen de guōtiē chāo hào chī! Duìle, nǐ yào bùyào hē píjiǔ?
- Their potstickers are super delicious! Oh right, do you want to drink beer?
- L：我不能喝酒，等一下還要開車啊
- Wǒ bùnéng hējiǔ, děng yīxià hái yào kāichē a
- I can't drink alcohol, I have to drive in a second!
- M：對齁，那... 我們喝茶吧！
- Duì hōu, nà... Wǒmen hē chá bā!
- Oh right, then... let's drink tea!
- L：好
- M：好，我去拿
- Hǎo, wǒ qù ná
- Ok, I'll go get it.
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