Asking For Directions (Part 2)

Conversations

Background: A Vietnamese tourist plans to visit the Shanghai World Expo 2010 but got lost in Shanghai Metro. He is asking for help from a metro station staff.

Conversation 1:

yóu	kè	：	dǎ	rǎo	yí	xià，
游	客	：	打	扰	一	下，
Tourist		：	Excuse me,

.

qǐng

wèn

qù

shì

bó

yuán

de

gāo

kē

xī

lù

rù

kǒu

zěn

me

zǒu？

请

问

去

世

博

园

的

高

科

西

路

入

口

怎

么

走？

May I know the way to the West Gaoke Road entrance of Shanghai Expo?

.

gōng

zuò

rén

yuán

：

nǐ

kě

yǐ

zuò

dì

tiě

iù

hào

xiàn

工

作

人

员

：

你

可

以

坐

地

铁

六

号

线

Staff

：

You may take the number 6 metro line

.

zài

gāo

kē

xī

lù

zhàn

xià

chē

在

高

科

西

路

站

下

车

and alight at West Gaoke Road stop.

.

conversation 2:

yóu	kè	:	yuǎn	ma？
游	客	:	远	吗？
Tourist		:	(Is it) far?

.

gōng	zuò	rén	yuán	:	bú	shì	hĕn	yuăn.
工	作	人	员	:	不	是	很	远.
Station staff				:	Not very far.

.

yóu	kè	:	yào	zǒu	duō	jiǔ ?
游	客	:	要	走	多	久 ?
Tourist		:	How long (is) needed (if I) walk?

.

gōng	zuò	rén	yuán	:	dà	yuē	shí	fēn	zhōng.
工	作	人	员	:	大	约	十	分	钟.
Station staff				:	About 10 minutes.

.

Conversation Breakdown and Explanation

When you asking for directions … You can say:

qǐng

wèn

qù

shì

bó

yuán

de

gāo

kē

xī

lù

rù

kǒu

zěn

me

zǒu？

请

问

去

世

博

园

的

高

科

西

路

入

口

怎

么

走？

May I know the way to the West Gaoke Road entrance of Shanghai Expo

• 请 qǐng it’s a polite expression, which is mean please.
• 请问 qǐng wèn = May I ask .
• 高科西路 gāo kē xī lù refers to a road = West Gaoke Road. where,
  • 西 xī = west
  • 路 lù = road

• 怎么走 zěn me zǒu means how to walk (how to get to)

It is used in asking for direction in Mandarin.
Eg: 中国馆怎么走？ zhōng guó guǎn zěn me zǒu (where 中国馆 zhōng guó guǎn = China Pavilion)
How to get to China Pavilion?

Directions to take the metro:

zuò

dì

tiě

liù

hào

xiàn

zài

gāo

kē

xī

lù

zhàn

xià

chē

坐

地

铁

六

号

线

在

高

科

西

路

站

下

车

Take the number 6 metro line and alight at West Gaoke Road stop.

• 坐 zuò = Sit or in this case, it also means ‘to Take’ as in to Take a train, a bus or any other transportation means.
• 地铁 dì tiě = metro
• 六号线 liù hào xiàn = Line number 6. where,
  • 六 liù = 6
  • 号 hào = number
  • 线 xiàn = line
• 下车 xià chē = to alight

Asking if the destination is far :

yuǎn	ma？
远	吗？
(Is it) far?

• 远 yuǎn = Far
• 吗 ma : this sentence structure is a very commonly used for asking questions. By adding a 吗 ma behind a sentence, you can very often change sentence into a question.

Asking how long you need to walk to destination :

yào	zǒu	duō	jiǔ ?
要	走	多	久 ?
How long (is) needed (if I) walk?

• 走 zǒu = Walk
• 多久 duō jiǔ = How long / How much time

dà	yuē	shí	fēn	zhōng.
大	约	十	分	钟.
About 10 minutes

• 大 约 dà yuē = approximately
• 十 shí = 10 (ten)
• 分钟 fēn zhōng = minutes

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