Phrasebook

em In the discotheque   »   zh 在迪厅里

46 [forty-six]

In the discotheque

In the discotheque

46[四十六]

46 [Sìshíliù]

在迪厅里

[zài dí tīng lǐ]

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Is this seat taken? 这个--子-- 空- 吗-？ 这_ 位_ 是 空_ 吗 ？ 这- 位- 是 空- 吗 ？ -------------- 这个 位子 是 空的 吗 ？ 0
z-ège--èiz--s-ì--ō-- -----? z____ w____ s__ k___ d_ m__ z-è-e w-i-i s-ì k-n- d- m-? --------------------------- zhège wèizi shì kōng de ma?
May I sit with you? 我------- 您-边-吗-？ 我 可_ 坐 在 您__ 吗 ？ 我 可- 坐 在 您-边 吗 ？ ---------------- 我 可以 坐 在 您旁边 吗 ？ 0
Wǒ -ěyǐ zu- zà--nín---ngbiā- ma? W_ k___ z__ z__ n__ p_______ m__ W- k-y- z-ò z-i n-n p-n-b-ā- m-? -------------------------------- Wǒ kěyǐ zuò zài nín pángbiān ma?
Sure. 很-乐- 。 很 乐_ 。 很 乐- 。 ------ 很 乐意 。 0
H---l-y-. H__ l____ H-n l-y-. --------- Hěn lèyì.
How do you like the music? 您 觉得 这-- ----？ 您 觉_ 这__ 怎__ ？ 您 觉- 这-乐 怎-样 ？ -------------- 您 觉得 这音乐 怎么样 ？ 0
Ní---uéd- z-- yī-y-- zěnme yà--? N__ j____ z__ y_____ z____ y____ N-n j-é-é z-è y-n-u- z-n-e y-n-? -------------------------------- Nín juédé zhè yīnyuè zěnme yàng?
A little too loud. 有点--太--- 。 有__ 太_ 了 。 有-儿 太- 了 。 ---------- 有点儿 太吵 了 。 0
Y-----ǎ- er-t-i-ch-o-e. Y__ d___ e_ t__ c______ Y-u d-ǎ- e- t-i c-ǎ-l-. ----------------------- Yǒu diǎn er tài chǎole.
But the band plays very well. 但是-这个--队 演奏得 -棒 。 但_ 这_ 乐_ 演__ 很_ 。 但- 这- 乐- 演-得 很- 。 ----------------- 但是 这个 乐队 演奏得 很棒 。 0
Dàn-hì-zhèg---u-d-ì yǎnzòu--é hě- b-ng. D_____ z____ y_____ y_____ d_ h__ b____ D-n-h- z-è-e y-è-u- y-n-ò- d- h-n b-n-. --------------------------------------- Dànshì zhège yuèduì yǎnzòu dé hěn bàng.
Do you come here often? 您----到--- 来-- ？ 您 经_ 到 这_ 来 吗 ？ 您 经- 到 这- 来 吗 ？ --------------- 您 经常 到 这里 来 吗 ？ 0
Nín-jī-g--án--dà- zhèlǐ lái ma? N__ j________ d__ z____ l__ m__ N-n j-n-c-á-g d-o z-è-ǐ l-i m-? ------------------------------- Nín jīngcháng dào zhèlǐ lái ma?
No, this is the first time. 不是的- 这是-第-- 。 不___ 这_ 第__ 。 不-的- 这- 第-次 。 ------------- 不是的， 这是 第一次 。 0
Bùsh----, zhè sh- dì-yī c-. B____ d__ z__ s__ d_ y_ c__ B-s-ì d-, z-è s-ì d- y- c-. --------------------------- Bùshì de, zhè shì dì yī cì.
I’ve never been here before. 我 ----有 ----儿-。 我 以_ 没_ 来_ 这_ 。 我 以- 没- 来- 这- 。 --------------- 我 以前 没有 来过 这儿 。 0
W--yǐqi-- m----u-l-ig-- z-è'e-. W_ y_____ m_____ l_____ z______ W- y-q-á- m-i-ǒ- l-i-u- z-è-e-. ------------------------------- Wǒ yǐqián méiyǒu láiguò zhè'er.
Would you like to dance? 您----吗 ？ 您 跳_ 吗 ？ 您 跳- 吗 ？ -------- 您 跳舞 吗 ？ 0
Ní---i-o----a? N__ t_____ m__ N-n t-à-w- m-? -------------- Nín tiàowǔ ma?
Maybe later. 也许 过--会- --。 也_ 过 一__ 吧 。 也- 过 一-儿 吧 。 ------------ 也许 过 一会儿 吧 。 0
Y--ǔgu--yīh-ǐ-----a. Y______ y_______ b__ Y-x-g-ò y-h-ǐ-e- b-. -------------------- Yěxǔguò yīhuǐ'er ba.
I can’t dance very well. 我-跳---好-。 我 跳_ 不_ 。 我 跳- 不- 。 --------- 我 跳得 不好 。 0
W- tiào d- ------. W_ t___ d_ b_ h___ W- t-à- d- b- h-o- ------------------ Wǒ tiào dé bù hǎo.
It’s very easy. 这 - -单-。 这 很 简_ 。 这 很 简- 。 -------- 这 很 简单 。 0
Zhè hěn-ji-n---. Z__ h__ j_______ Z-è h-n j-ǎ-d-n- ---------------- Zhè hěn jiǎndān.
I’ll show you. 我-跳--您--。 我 跳_ 您_ 。 我 跳- 您- 。 --------- 我 跳给 您看 。 0
Wǒ--i-o ----n-n----. W_ t___ g__ n__ k___ W- t-à- g-i n-n k-n- -------------------- Wǒ tiào gěi nín kàn.
No, maybe some other time. 不-了，-还- 下次 - ！ 不___ 还_ 下_ 吧 ！ 不-了- 还- 下- 吧 ！ -------------- 不用了， 还是 下次 吧 ！ 0
B-y-ng-e- h----ì-x-- c--ba! B________ h_____ x__ c_ b__ B-y-n-l-, h-i-h- x-à c- b-! --------------------------- Bùyòngle, háishì xià cì ba!
Are you waiting for someone? 您 --等 什- ----？ 您 在 等 什_ 人 吗 ？ 您 在 等 什- 人 吗 ？ -------------- 您 在 等 什么 人 吗 ？ 0
Ní- zài --ng ---nme--én ma? N__ z__ d___ s_____ r__ m__ N-n z-i d-n- s-é-m- r-n m-? --------------------------- Nín zài děng shénme rén ma?
Yes, for my boyfriend. 是-，-- --我---友 。 是__ 在 等 我_ 朋_ 。 是-， 在 等 我- 朋- 。 --------------- 是啊， 在 等 我的 朋友 。 0
S-ì a,-z-i------w- -- --n-y-u. S__ a_ z__ d___ w_ d_ p_______ S-ì a- z-i d-n- w- d- p-n-y-u- ------------------------------ Shì a, zài děng wǒ de péngyǒu.
There he is! 这-， 他-- 了 ！ 这__ 他 来 了 ！ 这-， 他 来 了 ！ ----------- 这不， 他 来 了 ！ 0
Zhè b-- -- l----! Z__ b__ t_ l_____ Z-è b-, t- l-i-e- ----------------- Zhè bù, tā láile!

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Genes influence language

The language we speak is dependent on our ancestry. But our genes are also responsible for our language. Scottish researchers have come to this conclusion. They examined how English differs from Chinese. In doing so they discovered that genes play a role, too. Because genes influence the development of our brain. That is to say, they shape our brain structures. With this, our ability to learn languages is determined. Variants of two genes are crucial to this. If a particular variant is scarce, tonal languages develop. So tonal languages are spoken by people without these gene variants. In tonal languages, the meaning of words is determined by the pitch of the tones. Chinese is included in the tonal languages, for example. If this gene variant is dominant, however, other languages develop. English is not a tonal language. The variants of this gene are not evenly distributed. That means they occur with differing frequency in the world. But languages only survive if they are passed down. In order to do this, children must be able to imitate the language of their parents. So they must be able to learn the language well. Only then will it be passed down from generation to generation. The older gene variant is the one that promotes tonal languages. So there were probably more tonal languages in the past than there are today. But one mustn't overestimate the genetic components. They can only add to explaining the development of languages. But there isn't a gene for English, or a gene for Chinese. Anybody can learn any language. You don't need genes for that, but rather only curiosity and discipline!
Did you know?
Thai is a member of the Tai-Kadai language family. It is the native language of 20 million people. In contrast to most western languages, Thai is a tonal language. In tonal languages, the pronunciation of syllables changes their meaning. Most Thai words consist of only one syllable. A word takes on a different meaning depending on the pitch in which a syllable is spoken. Altogether Thai distinguishes between five pitches. Thai society was strictly divided over many centuries. As a result, Thai still recognizes at least five different levels of speech today. These range from a simple vernacular to a very polite form of speech. Furthermore, Thai is divided into many local dialects. The language's semiotic system is a hybrid of an alphabet and syllabic writing. The grammar construction is not very complex. Because Thai is an isolating language, there are no declensions or conjugations. Learn Thai - it is really a fascinating language!