Note: The spoken Chinese Mandarin language has 4 spoken tones. We have attempted to re-create those below where after each syllable we tell you (1), (2), (3), or (4) as they correspond to each of the 4 tones. We encourage you to complement your Xianzai.com Emergency Chinese newsletter with a good offline study program.

NEW WORDS:

1) Beep: chuan(2) hu(1)

2) Mobile phone: shou(3) ji(1)

3) Operator: jie(1) xian(4) yuan(2)

4) Pager: hu(1) ji(1)

5) Phone number: dian(4) hua(4) hao(4) ma(3)

LESSON:

Beeping a friend

• Operator: What number do you want to beep?
  nin(2) hu (1)de(1) hao(4) ma(3)?

• You: 6555-5555
  liu(4) wu(3) wu(3) wu(3) - wu(3) wu(3) wu(3) wu(3)

• Operator: What is your Chinese name?
  nin(2) de(1) zhong(1) wen(2) ming(2) shi(4) shen(2) me?

• You: Mr. Bai.
  wo(3) xing(4) bai(2).

• Operator: What is your number?
  nin(2) de(1) hao(5) ma(3)?

• You: My number is 6444-4444.
  wo(3) de(1) hao(4) ma(3)shi(4) liu(4) si(4) si(4) si(4)- si(4) si(4) si(4) si(4).

• Operator: Thank you, bye.
  xie(4) xie(4), zai(4) jian(4).

Taxi corner. (As most of our ever-improving Chinese is first practiced on unexpecting taxi drivers, each session we will have a short conversation with a cabby that will come in handy.)

• You: Excuse me, Mr. Driver.
  dui(4) bu(4) qi(3), shi(1) fu(4).

• Driver: How can I help you?
  wo(3) neng(2) bang(1) nin(3) shen(3) me mang(2)?

• You: Can I call you to pick me up tomorrow?
  ming(2) tian(1) wo(3) ke(3) yi(1) gei(3) nin(2) da(3) dian(4) hua(4), rang(3) nin(2) lai(2) jie(1) wo(3) ma?

• Driver: Sure, beep me. Here is my number.
  dang(1) ran(2) ke(3) yi(3). hu(1) wo(3) ba(1), zhe(4) shi(4) wo(3) de(1) hao(4) ma(3).

• You: Thanks a bunch.
  tai(4) xie(4) xie(4) le(1).

* Hint/Fortune cookie: Don't expect any Chinese people or companies to have answering machines, they are extremely rare. Also, if you have an answering machine or voice mail, getting a Chinese person to leave a message is like pulling teeth. Good luck, dentist dudes.