Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar

BaSiC StrateGieS For CommUNiCatioN

25.4

25.1.3 attracting attention by indicating that you want to ask a question

请问 (我想)打听一下

請問 (我想)打聽一下

qǐng wèn (wǒ xiǎng) dǎting yí xià

may I ask I’d like to inquire for a moment

25.1.4 attracting attention by asking for help

请帮(个)忙。 劳驾

請幫(個)忙。 勞駕

Qǐng bāng (gè) máng. láojià

Please help me. excuse me (for creating extra work for you)

Asking for help is an appropriate strategy when dealing with friends or acquaintances. It is

not a good strategy when speaking with strangers, who may be reluctant to get involved in

a troublesome situation. When speaking with strangers, apologizing for or acknowledging

an intrusion (麻烦你/麻煩你 máfan nǐ) or beginning your request with a question (请问/請問

qǐng wèn) is more effective.

25.2 Responding to a call for attention

The most common way to respond to a call for attention is to use the phrase

什么事？

甚麼事？

Shénme shì?

What is the matter?/What do you want?

Other responses include

有事吗？ 怎么了？

有事嗎？ 怎麼了？

Yǒu shì ma? Zěnme le?

Is something the matter? What’s the matter?

25.3 Checking whether people have understood you

清楚吗？ 懂不懂？ 懂吗？

清楚嗎？ 懂嗎？

Qīngchu ma? Dǒng bù dǒng? Dǒng ma?

Is it clear? Do you understand? Do you understand?

25.4 Indicating understanding or lack of understanding

好。 行。 (我)懂(了)。

Hǎo. Xíng. (Wǒ) dǒng (le).
Okay. Okay. (I) understand (now).
我不懂。
Wǒ bù dǒng.
I don’t understand.