Original Text · Elementary · Lesson 8

Asking for Directions.

VOL. 08 NETCHAI ORIGINAL TEXT
Elementary · Lesson 8

01Vocabulary

商店(n.)

shāngdiàn

shop, store

旁边(n.)

pángbiān

beside, next to

怎么(pron.)

zěnme

how, in what way

走(v.)

zǒu

to walk, to go

看(v.)

kàn

to look, to see

那个(pron.)

nàge

that

就(adv.)

jiù

exactly, precisely

往(prep./v.)

wǎng

toward, in the direction of

前(n.)

qián

front, ahead

向(prep./v.)

xiàng

toward, in the direction of (indicating direction of action)

左(n.)

zuǒ

left

转(v.)

zhuǎn

to turn, to change direction

离(prep.)

lí

from, away from

这儿(pron.)

zhèr

here, this place

远(adj.)

yuǎn

far, distant

地方(n.)

dìfang

place, location

坐(v.)

zuò

to ride (a vehicle)

出租车(n.)

chūzūchē

taxi

大概(adv.)

dàgài

probably, approximately

那边(pron.)

nàbian

there, over there

公共汽车(n.)

gōnggòngqìchē

public bus

路(n.)

lù

road; (bus) route number

站(n./v.)

zhàn

bus stop, station (n.); to stand (v.)

不客气

búkèqi

you're welcome

02Proper Nouns

鸟巢

niǎocháo

Beijing National Stadium, nicknamed "the Bird's Nest"

国家奥林匹克公园

guójiā àolínpǐkè gōngyuán

National Olympic Park

03Key Sentences

请qǐng问wèn，五wǔ号hào楼lóu在zài哪nǎ儿r？

Excuse me, where is Building No. 5?

五wǔ号hào楼lóu在zài商shāng店diàn旁páng边biān。

Building No. 5 is next to the store.

你nǐ看kàn，那nà个ge楼lóu就jiù是shì五wǔ号hào楼lóu。

Look, that building over there is Building No. 5.

请qǐng问wèn，银yín行háng怎zěn么me走zǒu？

Excuse me, how do I get to the bank?

往wǎng前qián走zǒu，向xiàng左zuǒ转zhuǎn，就jiù是shì银yín行háng。

Go straight ahead and turn left — that's the bank.

银yín行háng离lí这zhè儿r远yuǎn不bu远yuǎn？

Is the bank far from here?

请qǐng问wèn，鸟niǎo巢cháo在zài什shén么me地dì方fang？

Excuse me, where is the Bird's Nest?

鸟niǎo巢cháo在zài国guó家jiā奥ào林lín匹pǐ克kè公gōng园yuán里lǐ。

The Bird's Nest is inside the National Olympic Park.

您nín怎zěn么me去qù？

How will you get there?

我wǒ坐zuò出chū租zū车chē去qù。

I'll take a taxi.

坐zuò几jǐ路lù？

Which bus number should I take?

就jiù在zài那nà儿r。

It's right over there.

04Dialogue

SCENE 1

wáng lì王力

请qǐng问wèn，五wǔ号hào楼lóu在zài哪nǎ儿r？

在zài商shāng店diàn旁páng边biān。

wáng lì王力

怎zěn么me走zǒu？

你nǐ看kàn，那nà个ge楼lóu就jiù是shì。

wáng lì王力

好hǎo，谢xiè谢xie您nín！

SCENE 2

tiánzhōng田中

请qǐng问wèn，银yín行háng怎zěn么me走zǒu？

往wǎng前qián走zǒu，向xiàng左zuǒ转zhuǎn。

tiánzhōng田中

离lí这zhè儿r远yuǎn不bu远yuǎn？

不bú太tài远yuǎn。 5 分fēn钟zhōng吧ba。

SCENE 3

tiánzhōng田中

请qǐng问wèn，鸟niǎo巢cháo在zài什shén么me地dì方fang？

在zài国guó家jiā奥ào林lín匹pǐ克kè公gōng园yuán里lǐ。

tiánzhōng田中

离lí这zhè儿r远yuǎn吗ma？

不bù远yuǎn，您nín怎zěn么me去qù？

tiánzhōng田中

我wǒ坐zuò出chū租zū车chē去qù。

坐zuò出chū租zū车chē去qù大dà概gài 10 分fēn钟zhōng左zuǒ右yòu。那nà边bian的de公gōng共gòng汽qì车chē也yě到dào。

tiánzhōng田中

我wǒ坐zuò几jǐ路lù？

82 路lù。

tiánzhōng田中

公gōng共gòng汽qì车chē站zhàn在zài哪nǎ儿r？

就jiù在zài那nà儿r。

tiánzhōng田中

好hǎo的de，谢xiè谢xie！

不bú客kè气qi！

05Grammar

POINT 01

(1) 请问

This phrase means "Excuse me" or "May I ask…" and is used when you want to ask someone something. Always say it before your question.

POINT 02

(2) Existential sentences

An existential sentence expresses that a person or thing exists at a certain location.

Existential sentence "… is at ~." / "… is in ~."
Subject + 在 + noun/pronoun indicating location

我wǒ的de房fáng间jiān在zài她tā的de房fáng间jiān的de旁páng边biān。
他tā在zài会huì议yì室shì。
北běi京jīng外wài国guó语yǔ大dà学xué在zài那nà里li。

POINT 03

(3) Location pronouns

「这儿、那儿、哪儿」and「这里、那里、哪里」have no significant difference in meaning or usage. The former set tends to be used more in northern China, while the latter is more common in the south.

English	Northern	Southern
here	这zhè儿r	这zhè里li（这zhè边bian）
there	那nà儿r	那nà里li（那nà边bian）
where	哪nǎ儿r	哪nǎ里li

POINT 04

(4) Location words (方位词)

Location words express direction or relative position. They can function as the subject, object, or attributive modifier in a sentence.

那nà里li是shì邮yóu局jú。(subject)
银yín行háng在zài那nà儿r。(object)
那nà边bian的de公gōng共gòng汽qì车chē也yě到dào。(attributive modifier)

* When a location word is used as an attributive modifier, 的 is normally inserted between the location word and the main noun.

06Translation

Scene 1.王力Excuse me, where is Building No. 5?
AIt's next to the store.
王力How do I get there?
ALook, that building over there is it.
王力Got it. Thank you very much!

Scene 2.

田中Excuse me, how do I get to the bank?

BGo straight ahead and turn left.

田中Is it far from here?

BNot too far. About five minutes.

Scene 3.田中Excuse me, where is the Bird's Nest?
CIt's inside the National Olympic Park.
田中Is it far from here?
CNot far. How are you getting there?
田中I'll take a taxi.
CBy taxi it's about 10 minutes. The bus over there also goes there.
田中Which bus number should I take?
CBus 82.
田中Where is the bus stop?
CRight over there.
田中Great, thank you!
CYou're welcome!