In this lesson, I talk about how I went from not knowing a single word of Mandarin to starting a Mandarin learning podcast! Meanwhile, Ah-Ming (阿明) and Xiao-Li (小李) finally sit down at the restaurant to order. But there's a problem...

Dialogue transcript (Chinese characters only)

• L：到了！好餓！
• M：我也是，我們快一點點菜吧！
• L：好，菜單呢？
• M：菜單在這裡！看你想吃什麼...
• L：呃... 
• M：怎麼了？
• L：我看不懂... 
• M：喔！你看不懂中文字！
• L：對啊，還是看不太懂
• M：那我幫你，來...   這個是「飯」，這邊是「青菜」，然後這邊有「湯」，看你要哪一個
• L：我不知道...
• M：沒關係，還是我幫你點好了
• L：好，謝謝！
• M：不客氣！

Dialogue transcript (w/ pinyin and translation)

• L：到了！好餓！
  • L: Dàole! Hǎo è!
  • L: We’re here! So hungry!
• M：我也是，我們快一點點菜吧！
  • M: Wǒ yěshì, wǒmen kuài yīdiǎn diǎn cài ba!
  • M: Me too, let’s hurry up and order!
• L：好，菜單呢？
  • L: Hǎo, càidān ne?
  • L: Ok, and... the menu? 
• M：菜單在這裡！看你想吃什麼...
  • M: Càidān zài zhèlǐ! Kàn nǐ xiǎng chī shénme...
  • M: Here’s the menu! See what you want to eat.  
• L：呃... 
  • L: È... 
  • L: Uh...
• M：怎麼了？
  • M: Zěnmele?
  • M: Something wrong?
• L：我看不懂... 
  • L: Wǒ kàn bù dǒng... 
  • L: I can’t understand this...
• M：喔！你看不懂中文字！
  • M: Ō! Nǐ kàn bù dǒng zhōngwén zì!
  • M: Oh! You don’t understand Chinese characters!
• L：對啊，還是看不太懂
  • L: Duì a, háishì kàn bù tài dǒng
  • L: Yeah, I still can’t really understand them. 
• M：那我幫你，來...   
  • M: Nà wǒ bāng nǐ, lái...   
  • M: Then I’ll help you, come on…
• M: 這個是「飯」，這邊是「青菜」
  • M: Zhège shì `fàn', zhè biān shì `qīngcài'
  • M: This one is “rice”, this side is “vegetables,” ... 
• M: 然後這邊有「湯」，看你要哪一個
  • M: Ránhòu zhè biān yǒu `tāng', kàn nǐ yào nǎ yīgè
  • M: ...and then this side has “soup." Depends which one you want. 
• L：我不知道...
  • L: Wǒ bù zhīdào...
  • L: I don’t know...
• M：沒關係，還是我幫你點好了
  • M: Méiguānxì, háishì wǒ bāng nǐ diǎn hǎole
  • M: No problem, how about I just help you order. 
• L：好，謝謝！
  • L: Hǎo, xièxiè!
  • L: Ok, thanks!
• M：不客氣！
  • M: Bù kèqì!
  • M: Don’t mention it!  

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