1. 打电话 (On the phone)
A: 喂，你在做什么呢？
Hello, what are you doing?
B: 我在看书呢。
I'm reading.
A: 大卫也在看书吗？
Is David reading too?
B: 他没看书，他在学做中国菜呢。
No, he isn't. He is learning to cook Chinese food.
2. 在咖啡馆儿 (In a coffee house)
A: 昨天上午你在做什么呢？
What were you doing yesterday morning?
B: 我在睡觉呢。你呢？
I was sleeping. What about you?
A: 我在家看电视呢。你喜欢看电视吗？
I was watching TV at home. Do you like watching TV?
B: 我不喜欢看电视，我喜欢看电影。
No, I don't. I like seeing movies.
3. 在学校办公室 (In the school office)
A: 八二三零四一五五，这是李老师的电话吗？
82304155, Is that Ms. Li's telephone number?
B: 不是。她的电话是 八二三零四一五六。
No. Her number is 82304156.
A: 好，我现在给她打电话。
OK. I'll call her right now.
B: 她在工作呢，你下午打吧。
She is working. Call her in the afternoon.
生词 New Words
- 喂 (wèi) - int. hello, hey (on the phone)
- 也 (yě) - adv. also, too
- 学习 (xuéxí) - v. to study, to learn
- 大卫 (Dàwèi) - pn. David
- 上午 (shàngwǔ) - n. morning, before noon
- 睡觉 (shuì jiào) - v. to sleep
- 电视 (diànshì) - n. television
- 喜欢 (xǐhuān) - v. to like, to be fond of
- 给 (gěi) - prep. to; for (here: to give a call *to* someone)
- 打电话 (dǎ diànhuà) - vo. to make a phone call
- 吧 (ba) - part. (modal particle for suggestions, requests, commands)
注释 Notes / Grammar
1. 叹词 “喂” (Interjection "wèi")
The word 喂 (wèi) is often used when calling someone or answering a phone call.
Example: 喂，李老师在家吗？(Wèi, Lǐ lǎoshī zài jiā ma?) - Hello, is Teacher Li at home?
2. “在……呢” 表示动作正在进行 (Used to Indicate an Action in Progress)
An action in progress can be expressed by adding the adverb 在 (zài) before a verb or by using the modal particle 呢 (ne) at the end of a sentence. Often used together.
Structure: Subject + 在 + Verb (+ Object) + (呢)
Example: 我在睡觉呢。(Wǒ zài shuìjiào ne.) - I am sleeping.
Negative form: Subject + 没 (méi) / 没在 (méi zài) + Verb (+ Object). 呢 (ne) is NOT used in negative form.
Example: 我没看电视。(Wǒ méi kàn diànshì.) - I am not watching TV.
3. 电话号码的表达 (Expression of Telephone Numbers)
Telephone numbers are read digit by digit. The number “1” in a telephone number is read as “yāo”.
Example: 82304155 is read as: bā èr sān líng sì yāo wǔ wǔ.
4. 语气助词 “吧” (The Modal Particle "ba")
When used at the end of an imperative sentence, the modal particle “吧” (ba) indicates a suggestion or command with a softened mood.
Example: 你下午打吧。(Nǐ xiàwǔ dǎ ba.) - (You should) call in the afternoon. / Please call in the afternoon.
文化 Cultural Insights
Phone Etiquette: Using 喂 (wèi) to answer or initiate a call is standard and polite.
Expressing Ongoing Actions: The 在...呢 (zài...ne) structure is very common in daily conversation to describe what someone is currently doing, similar to the English present continuous tense.
"Yāo" for "One": In contexts where clarity of numbers is crucial (like phone numbers, room numbers), "1" is pronounced yāo to avoid confusion with 七 (qī - seven), especially over a poor connection.
