Dialogue to get you through those daily frustrations, like asking for directions:

Carol says:
Nǐ hǎo, qǐng wèn yíxia. Tiān’ānmén guǎngchǎng zěnme zǒu? Wǒ mílù le.
你好，请问一下。天安门广场怎么走？我迷路了。
Hello, excuse me. Do you know the way to Tian’anmen? I’m lost.

Pedestrian says:

Nǐ kěyǐ zuò dìtiě yīhàoxiàn, zài tiān’ānmén dōngzhàn huòzhě tiān’ānmén xīzhàn xià chē.
你可以坐地铁一号线，在天安门东站或者天安门西站下车。
You can take the subway Line 1 and get off at Tian’anmen East station or Tian’anmen West station.

Carol says:

Tiān’ānmén lí zhèr yuǎn ma?
天安门离这儿远吗 ？
Is Tian'anmen far from here?

Pedestrian says:

Bú tài yuǎn. Zuò dìtiě dehuà dàgài yào 20 fēnzhōng. Dànshì chū le dìtiě zhàn yǐhòu hái yào zǒu wǔ fēnzhōng de lù.
不太远，坐地铁的话大概要20分钟。但是出了地铁站以后还要走五分钟的路。 
Not too far. If you take the subway, it’ll take more or less 20 minutes to get there. But after getting out of the subway you need to walk for five minutes.

Rúguǒ dǎ chē dehuà,10 fēnzhōng zuǒyòu jiù dào le . Duì nǐ láishuō kěnéng dǎ chē fāngbiàn yìdiǎnr.
如果打车的话，10分钟左右就到了。对你来说可能打车方便一点儿。
If you take a taxi, you could get there in just 10 minutes. For you, taking the taxi might be more convenient.

Carol says:

Méicuò, kěshì wǒ dài de qián bú gòu. Nǐ háishì gàosù wǒ dìtiě zhàn zài nǎr ba. 没错，可是我带的钱不够。你还是告诉我地铁站在哪儿吧。
You're right, but I didn't bring enough money. Can you tell me where the subway station is?

Pedestrian says:

Cóng zhèr yīzhí wǎng qián zǒu, dì yí gè shízìlùkǒu xiàng zuǒ guǎi.
从这儿一直往前走，第一个十字路口向左拐。
Go straight from here and turn left at the first crossroads.

Carol says:

Xiè xiè.
谢谢。
Thank you.

Pedestrian says:

Méishì’r.
没事儿。
No worries.

Dialogue provided by TailorMade Chinese Center at Shangdu SO¬HO. Contact them on (+8610) 5900-5420 or visit tailormadechinese.com.

Got a scenario you want to talk your way out of? Send suggestions to metrobeijing@chinadaily.com.cn