B: First up, what's a book, I should know how to say that in Chinese, but I've forgotten. Help me out Yaj.
Y: Mei wenti, it's 书 shu1,
B: shu1. that's easy. And what about a bookstore?
Y: it's 书店 shu1 dian4. as 店 dian4, here it means a shop selling books,
B: I see… shu1 dian4. Then where's a good bookstore?
Y: I know there are some good ones in downtown Beijing. If you want to ask it in Chinese, you may say 哪儿有好的书店?
B: na2er you3 hao3 de shu1 dian4.
Y: 哪儿 na2er means where,
B: na2er,
Y: 有 you3 literally means have,
B: you3,
Y: 好的 hao3 de means good,
B: hao3 de,
Y: 书店 shu1 dian4 is bookstore,
B: shu1 dian4,
Y: 哪儿有好的书店?na2er you3 hao3 de shu1 dian4.
B: na2er you3 hao3 de shu1 dian4. Where is a good bookstore?
Conversation 1
A: 哪儿有好的书店?
B: 去王府井看看. 那儿有个不错的书店。.
B: Hey while I'm here Y, I might have a look at the novels too.
Y: I'd like to find something to read as well. We're looking for 小说。
B: 小说 xiao3 shuo1. And I bet in the big bookstores, the English language novels are probably upstairs somewhere. How do I ask them where are the English language novels?
Y: you may ask: 英文小说在几层?
B: ying1 wen2 xiao3 shuo1 zai4 ji3 ceng2?
Y: 英文 ying1 wen2 means English language,
B: ying1 wen2,
Y: 小说 xiao3 shuo1, novels,
B: xiao3 shuo1,
Y: 在 zai4 means on which floor,
B: zai4,
Y: 几层 ji3 ceng2 means which floor,
B: ji3 ceng2.
Y: 英文小说在几层? ying1 wen2 xiao3 shuo1 zai4 ji3 ceng2?
B: ying1 wen2 xiao3 shuo1 zai4 ji3 ceng2? Where are the English language novels? Let's say they're on the fourth floor, what will the shop assistant tell me?
Y: He or she may tell you: 在四层。
B: Let me try that, zai4 si4 ceng2.
Y: 在 zai4 means on,
B: zai4,
Y: 四 si4 means the fourth,
B: si4,
Y: 层 ceng2 means floor,
B: ceng2.
Y: 在四层 zai4 si4 ceng2
B: zai4 si4 ceng2 on the fourth floor.
Conversation 2
A: 英文小说在几层?
B: 在四层。
B: I’ve found a swag of good novels, but I better get back to looking for some Chinese learning material. I like listening to things, what you call language tapes, as they're very useful for learning.
Y: … type in Chinese is 磁带。
B: ci2 dai4. Great, but sometimes types are not so convenient. Let's also look for some CDs, ok?
Y: Xing, we call those CD too in Chinese.
B: Great… Now it’s much easier to listen to CDs through my mp3 player when I'm out walking or riding my zixingche, my bike.
Conversation 3
A: 我想买一套学中文的教材。
B: 您是要磁带还是CD?
A: 最好是CD。
