Asking For Directions (Part 1)

Conversations

Conversation 1:

Yóu	kè	:	Qǐng	wèn	wài	tān	zài	nǎr？
游	客	:	请	问	外	滩	在	哪儿？
Tourist		:	Could you please tell me where The Bund is?

.

jǐng	chá	:	wài	tān	zài	zhōng	shān	dōng	lù	shàng
警	察	:	外	滩	在	中	山	东	路	上
Policeman		:	It’s at Zhongshan East Road.

.

.

Yóu

kè

:

nà

qǐng

wèn

cóng

zhè

lǐ

dào

zhōng

shān

dōng

lù

zěn

me

zǒu？

游

客

:

那

请

问

从

这

里

到

中

山

东

路

怎

么

走？

Tourist

:

May I have the direction to Zhongshan East Road from here?

.

jǐng	chá	:	xiàng	qián	zǒu	zuǒ	zhuǎn	jiù	dào	le
警	察	:	向	前	走，	左	转	就	到	了。
Policeman		:	Walk straight ahead, turn left. It should be right there.

Conversation 2:

Yóu	kè	:	qǐng	wèn	xīn	tiān	dì	zài	nǎ	lǐ ？
游	客	:	请	问	新	天	地	在	哪	里？
Tourist		:	Do you know  where the Xintiandi is?

.

jǐng	chá	:	jiù	zài	nà	ér
警	察	:	就	在	那	儿。
Policeman		:	It’s just over there.

.

Yóu	kè	:	xiè	xiè
游	客	:	谢	谢！
Tourist		:	Thanks!

.

jǐng	chá	:	bú	yòng	xiè
警	察	:	不	用	谢！
Policeman		:	You’re welcome!

Conversation Breakdown and Explanation

When you ask for a direction – You can say:

qǐng	wèn	……	zài	nǎr？	(nǎ	lǐ)
请	问	……	在	哪儿？	(哪	里)
Could you please tell me where …… is?

• 请 qǐng it’s a polite expression, which is mean please.
• 请问 qǐng wèn = May I ask.
• 哪儿 nǎr （or 哪里 nǎ lǐ） = where.

When you want to know how to get to a place – You can ask:

nà

qǐng

wèn

cóng

zhè

lǐ

dào

zhōng

shān

dōng

lù

zěn

me

zǒu？

那

请

问

从

这

里

到

中

山

东

路

怎

么

走？

May I have the direction to Zhongshan East Road from here?

• 这里 zhè lǐ = here.
• 中山东路 zhōng shān dōng lù ( Zhongshan East Road) is a place in the example where 路 lù refers to Road
• 怎么走 zěn me zǒu = how to walk (how to get to)

It is used in asking for direction in Mandarin.

Eg: 车站怎么走？chē zhàn zěn me zǒu (where 车站 chē zhàn = station)

How to get to station?

Giving Directions :

In this example, the policeman answers

xiàng	qián	zǒu,	zuǒ	zhuǎn	jiù	dào	le.
向	前	走，	左	转	就	到	了。
Walk straight ahead, turn left. It should be right there.

• 向前走 xiàng qián zǒu = walk straight ahead
  
• 左转 zuǒ zhuǎn = turn left
• 就到了 jiù dào le = right there, or (you) will (be able to) reach there.

To say ‘thank you’ in mandarin, you can say:

xiè	xiè
谢	谢.

• 谢谢 xiè xiè = thank you.

To reply a thanks in mandarin, you can say:

bú	yòng	xiè
不	用	谢！
You’re welcome!

.

or

bú	kè	qi
不	客	气.
Don’t mention it.

.

or

méi	guān	xi
没	关	系.
No worries.

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