In this podcast, the first from a series in our language learning archives, Chinese host and Mandarin teacher, Kappa Zhao, talks about what to do when your electricity goes out. Co-host and long time student of Mandarin, Lindi, follows along and helps to guide other learners down the path to understanding and speaking Chinese.

Vocabulary:

停 Tíng Stop

电 Diàn Electricity

停电 Tíngdiàn Power Failure

又 Yòu Again

才 Cái Only

Dialogue:

A： 你好。我们这里停电了。

Wǒmen zhèlǐ tíngdiànle。

The electricity (just) went out here.

B：嗯？怎么又停电了？

en? Zěnme yòu tíngdiànle?

Huh? Why is the power out again?

A： 我也不知道，才用了两个电器。

Wǒ yě bù zhīdào, cái yòngle liǎng gè diànqì.

I don't know either, I was only using two

appliances.

B： 好了，好了。来了。。。

Hǎole, hǎole. Láile。。。

Ok, Ok. Coming...

Supplemental Vocab/Phrases:

物业 Wùyè Property Management

我知道 Wǒ zhīdào I know

我不知道 Wǒ bù zhīdào I don't know

收音机 Shōuyīnjī Radio

洗衣机 Xǐyījī Washing machine

DVD机 DVDjī DVD player

微波炉 Wéibōlú Microwave

电冰箱 Diàn bīngxiāng Refrigerator

空调 Kòngtiáo Air Conditioner

修好了吗？ Xiūhǎole ma? Is it fixed?

为什么老是停电了？Wèishéme lǎo shì tíngdiànle？Why is the power always going out?

是配电盒有螺丝松了 Shì pèi diàn hé yǒu luósī sōngle。

The screws on the power distribution box are loose.

Catch My Drift:

A: 师傅。。。修好了吗？

B： 修好了。

A： 我只用了一个空调和冰箱。为什么老是停电呢？

B： 是配电盒有螺丝松了。没什么大问题提。