Popup Chinese

"The quality of those things isn't reliable," the DVD salesperson said ruffling through his dufflebag, leaving Jacob wide-eyed in disbelief. He had purchased the movie just yesterday, and was astounded to hear the seller blame his player instead of the pitted disc. "Next time buy a quality machine," the merchant cautioned him. "If you're looking for one that actually works," he motioned vaguely behind him, "I think I've got one back home I could sell you."

Our lesson today is on the easy side of the Elementary level, but still a notch above the Absolute Beginner level. If this sounds right for you, join us as we cover some absolutely essential vocabulary for getting customer satisfaction in the Chinese film industry. In under ten minutes, we'll teach you how to return DVDs in China, get a refund when they don't work, or exchange your broken discs for ones that work.

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Matthew's reluctance to meet her parents had concerned Stacy. "I've had bad experiences with that in the past," he would say whenever she suggested it. But now they had been together for two years there was no avoiding it, which was how Stacy had finally dragged him out to the Boston suburbs to meet her folks....

Our elementary listening test for today revolves around a bizarre mini-play that's a favorite in our office. In addition to a generous helping of multiple choice questions, we've added a new question type as well: the missing word puzzler. So listen in once and then click through to our quiz section to gauge your comprehension. If you can get over eighty percent consistently you are doing well enough to advance to our intermediate level.

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Every now and then we get a dialogue that's a bit different from the rest, and today is a case in point. We haven't really had a lesson quite like this since the time we locked our entire recording staff in the studio and headed out for Sichuan food. Sometimes different is good.

And while we're not afraid to gossip, what matters in our dialogue today is less the scandalous revelation and more the casual nature of the spoken Chinese you'll hear. This is the way people actually talk when they're gossiping or just hanging out in the office. As much as most places emphasize getting the tones right, bear in mind as you listen that communication is as much about emotion as about pitch and word choice.

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In the spirit of giving you some time to recover from the Blitzkrieg that was our last Elementary dialogue, our lesson for today slows things right down. One of the parties to our dialogue barely speaks, in fact. So join him, and a close friend of his, in the hospital for a moment of unguarded intimacy....

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So, you've woken up at some ungodly hour in the morning to start hauling yourself out of bed when a minor epiphany strikes. Why get out of bed at all? Isn't there something better you can do with your day than this car trip to Tongzhou. And whose crazy idea was this anyway? How about just sleeping in past noon? Now there's a capital idea. And maybe in a few hours you could even head downstairs and get some breakfast, or maybe watch a movie. Or maybe just stay in bed all afternoon.

At Popup Chinese we're keenly aware of the practical reality of life in China: which is why we're happy to bring you today's lesson on what to do on those days you feel totally and utterly apathetic. If you've ever felt that cheerfulness is not exactly your strong point, this is the lesson for you. So join us today for an Absolute Beginner lesson that will let you tell them what you really think. Because sleep calls.

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Revenge is a dish best served cold, and without any incriminating evidence linking you to the crime. That's why the heads of major criminal syndicates have to be a bit circumspect in making certain requests, and it's why we return to our mob series today with an update on the dealings of the Beijing demi-monde. In this episode, join us as our mob boss is seized with a terrible hunger which can be sated only through violence.

Our dialogue today is on the easier side for an Intermediate lesson, but don't be deceived. We have some non-obvious and non-trivial grammar tucked away here that you really need to know. So listen in and soon you'll be adept at turning adjectives into verbs, and at asking for people's heads on plates. But only figuratively, of course.

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今天我必须离开，永远离开！

jīntiān wǒ bìxū líkāi ， yǒngyuǎn líkāi ！

I must leave today, and leave forever!

你别走。

nǐ bié zǒu 。

Don't go!

我不走，我不走成天看着你和别的男的勾三搭四吗？

wǒ bù zǒu ， wǒ bù zǒu chéngtiān kàn zhe nǐ hé biéde nánde gōusāndāsì ma ？

Not go? Not go and watch you fool around with those men all day?

我没有那样！你相信我！

wǒ méiyǒu nàyàng ！ nǐ xiāngxìn wǒ ！

I'm not that way! Believe me!

你没有那样？孩子都是别人的，你没有那样？

nǐ méiyǒu nàyàng ？ háizi dōu shì biérén de ， nǐ méiyǒu nàyàng ？

You're not that way? The kids all belong to other people and you're not that way?

不是的，你怎么可以这样想我？

bù shì de ， nǐ zěnme kěyǐ zhèyàng xiǎng wǒ ？

That's not true, how can you think of me this way?

我要永远离开这儿，我告诉你。再见！我永远不会回来！

wǒ yào yǒngyuǎn líkāi zhèr ，wǒgàosunǐ。zàijiàn！wǒyǒngyuǎn bù huì huílai ！

I want to get out of here forever, I'm telling you. Goodbye! I'm never coming back!

不要走......

bùyào zǒu ......

Don't go....

啊，我就知道你不会离开我的。

ā ，wǒjiù zhīdào nǐ bù huì líkāi wǒ de 。

I knew you wouldn't leave me.

我的钱包落在这儿了。

wǒ de qiánbāo là zài zhèr le 。

I left my wallet here.

嗨，Selina！

hāi ， Selina ！

Hi,Selina!

嗨！

hāi ！

Hi!

你这件T恤衫真好看。

nǐ zhè jiàn tīxùshān zhēn hǎokàn 。

Your t-shirt is really good looking.

好看吧？

hǎokàn ba ？

It's good looking?

是什么牌子的呢？

shì shénme páizi de ne ？

What brand is it?

是泡泡中文的。

shì Pàopào Zhōngwén de 。

It's Popup Chinese.

哦，泡泡中文！

ò ，Pàopào Zhōngwén ！

Oh, Popup Chinese.

嗯。

èn 。

Yeah.

没听说过。

méi tīngshuō guo 。

Haven't heard of it.

哎，老板说，船撞上冰山了！

āi ， lǎobǎn shuō ， chuán zhuàngshàng bīngshān le ！

Hey, the boss says the boat has hit an iceberg!

哦，怪不得这么多人穿着游泳衣到处乱跑。

o ，guàibude zhème duō rén chuānzhe yóuyǒngyī dàochùluànpǎo。

Oh, no wonder there are so many people running around in their bathing suits.

救生衣！

jiùshēngyī ！

Life jackets!

救生衣。我还一直以为有什么狂欢party呢。

jiùshēngyī 。 wǒ hái yīzhí yǐwéi yǒu shénme kuánghuān party ne 。

Life jackets. I was thinking it was some sort of crazy party.

更不可思议的是，他让我们继续演奏到底！

gèng bùkěsīyì de shì ， tā ràng wǒmen jìxù yǎnzòu dào dǐ ！

What's even more incredible is that he wants us to keep playing to the end.

演奏到海底吗？

yǎnzòu dào hǎidǐ ma ？

The end of our ride to the bottom of the ocean?

这些英国佬，还把我们当不当人了？

zhèxiē Yīngguólǎo ， hái bǎ wǒmen dàngbùdàng rén le ？W

hat's with these British, do they even take us for human?

我看他们就是想拖欠咱们的工资。

wǒ kàn tāmen jiùshì xiǎng tuōqiàn zánmen de gōngzī 。

I think they just want to get off without paying us.

咱们还是赶快上救生艇。

zánmen hái shì gǎnkuài shàng jiùshēngtǐng 。

The two of us had better get to a lifeboat ASAP.

咳，我说，你还在干吗呢？

hāi ， wǒ shuō ，nǐ huán zài gànmá ne ？

Hey, what on earth are you doing?

我这儿收拾我乐器呢，可贵了。

wǒ zhèr shōushi wǒ yuèqì ne ， kě guì le 。

I'm collecting my instruments, they're really expensive.

你这是要钱不要命啊。

nǐ zhè shì yào qián bùyào mìng a 。

You fool! Do you want your money or your life?

不是，咱们可以在救生艇上继续演奏，送老板送到底。

bù shì ， zánmen kěyǐ zài jiùshēngtǐng shàng jìxù yǎnzòu ，sòng lǎobǎn sòng dàodǐ 。

No. We can keep playing on the lifeboat, and send the boss down with some music.

Jack, 快醒醒!泰坦尼克号出事了!

Wake up Jack, Titanic has had an accident!

哦 Rose, 怎么了?

Oh Rose, whatever shall we do?

咱们的地板已经开始渗水了。

Our floor is already covered with water.

那好像是我的洗澡水吧。

Oh, that's just the water from my shower.

哦，不，那一定是海水。我刚才看见窗外有冰川。

Oh no, that's seawater. I just saw an iceberg out the window.

冰川那得多少座啊！好像是冰山啊！

Glacier? How many icebergs do you think it has? I think it's an iceberg!

太可怕了。怎么办？

It's awful. What will we do?

咱们想想怎么能逃生吧。

We've got to think of how to escape with our lives.

头等舱的人。每个房间都有一个救生艇。咱们应该也有 啊。

Everyone in first class has their own lifeboat. We should have one here too.

找找。

Look.

咱们的在哪儿呢？

Where is ours?

好像没有。

Doesn't seem to be one.

哦，都怪你。一定是你买了次等舱的船票，所以咱们才 没有的。

Oh, this is all your fault. We'd have a lifeboat if you hadn't bought such bad tickets.

咱们这点儿钱只够买三等舱的呀。

We only had enough money for a third-class cabin.

那现在怎么办？

So what do we do now?

咱们去抢一条吧。

Let's go steal one.