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) Phone card: dian(4) hua(4) ka(3)

2) Battery charger: dian(4) chi(2) chong(1) dian(4) qi(4)

3) Cell phone: shou(3) ji(1)

4) Message: liu(2) yan(2)

5) Long distance service: chang(2) tu(2) fu(2) wu(4)

LESSON:

Talking about Your Cell Phone

• Here is the card for your phone.
  zhe(4) shi(4) ni(3) de(1) shou(3) ji(1) ka(3).

• I need a battery charger.
  wo(3) xu(2) yao(4) yi(1) ge(4) dian(4) chi(2) chong(1) dian(4) qi(4).

• Can you receive messages on your cell phone?
  ni(2) de(1) shou(3) ji(1) ke(3) yi(3) jie(2) shou(1) liu(2) yan(2) ma?

• Does your cell phone have long distance service?
  ni(3) de(1) shou(3) ji(1) you(3) chang(2) tu(2) fu(2) wu(4) ma?

Diologue:

• Miss Hu: Here is the card for your phone.
  zhe(4) shi(4) ni(3) de(1) shou(3) ji(1) ka(3).

• You: Thanks, does it come with long distance service?
  xie(4) xie(4), ta(1) you(3) chang(2) tu(2) fu(2) wu(4) ma?

• Miss Hu: No, but it comes with a battery charger.
  mei(2) you(3), bu(2) guo(4), ta(1) you(3) yi(1) ge(4) dian(4) chi(2) chong(1) dian(3) qi(4).

• You: Is that all?
  jiu(4) zhe(4) xie(1) ma?

• Operator: It also has messaging and games.
  hai(2) you(3) liu(2) yan(2) he(2) you(2) xi(4).

• You: Thanks, that's cool.
  xie(4) xie(4), zhe(4) hen(3) ku(4).

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

• You: Mr. Driver, I have an emergency. Can I borrow your cell phone?
  shi(1) fu(4), wo(3) you(3) ji(2) shi(4), neng(2) jie(4) yong(4) ni(3) de(1) shou(3) ji(1) ma?

• Driver: Will you call long distance to your home country?
  ni(2) xiang(3) gei(3) ni(3) de(1) guo(2) jia(1) da(3) chang(2) hua(4) ma?

• You: No, of course not.
  bu(4), dang(1) ran(2) bu(4).

• Driver: Then, here you are.
  na(4) hao(3) ba(1), gei(3) ni(3).

• You: Thanks, I owe you one.
  xie(4) xie(4) , wo(3) qian(4) ni(3) yi(1) ci(4).

* Hint/Fortune cookie: Mobile phones are as plentiful as hairs on an ox.