Dialogue to get you through those daily frustrations, like postponing a meeting:

Paul says:

Judy, qǐng bāng wǒ dìng yì zhāng zhōuwǔ xiàwǔ sāndiǎn qù xiānggǎng de wǎngfǎnpiào.

Judy，请帮我订一张周五下午三点去香港的往返票。

Judy, could you please book a round-trip ticket to Hong Kong for Friday at 3 pm?

Judy says:

Lǎobǎn, zhōuwǔ xiàwǔ sāndiǎnbàn nǐ hái yǒu yí gè huì yào kāi.

老板，周五下午三点半你还有一个会要开。

Sir, you have a meeting on Friday at 3 pm.

Paul says:

ā, wǒ dōu wàng le. Xièxiè nǐ de tíxǐng, dànshì wǒ děi qù xiānggǎng chǔlǐ yìxiē fēicháng zhòngyào de shìqíng.

啊，我都忘了。谢谢你的提醒，但是我得去香港处理一些非常重要的事情。

Oh, I forgot about that. Thanks for the reminder, but I have to go to Hong Kong to deal with some very important things.

Nǐ xiān bāng wǒ bǎ xiàwǔ de huì qǔxiāo ba. Xià gè xīngqīwǔ zài kāi.

你先帮我把下午的会取消吧。下个星期五再开。

Please first help me cancel the afternoon meeting. We will hold it next Friday.

…

Shí fēnzhōng yǐhòu

十 分钟以后

Ten minutes later

…

Judy says:

Lǎobǎn,fēijīpiào yǐjīng dìnghǎo le. Tāmen yíhuìr huì gěi nín fà duǎnxìn quèrèn.Dànshì xià zhōuwǔ de huì de shíjiān yǒu wèntí.

老板，飞机票已经订好了，他们一会儿会给您发短信确认。但是下周五的会的时间有问题 。

Sir, I’ve booked the plane tickets, they will send you confirmation via message. But there is a problem with the schedule for next Friday’s meeting.

Paul says:

Shénme wèntí?

什么问题 ？

What’s the problem?

Judy says:

Xià zhōuwǔ xiàwǔ xiāoshòu jīnglǐ yào qù jiàn kèhù, shìchǎng jīnglǐ yǒu bié de huì, rénlì bù jīnglǐ yǒu miànshì.

下周五下午销售经理要去见客户，市场经理有别的会，人力部经理有面试。

Next Friday, the sales manager has a meeting with clients, the marketing manager has another meeting and the human resources manager has some interviews.

Paul says:

Zhōuwǔ shàngwǔ kěyǐ kāihuì. Nǐ tōngzhī gè bùmén de jīnglǐ ba.

周五上午可以开会。你通知各部门的经理吧。

We can have the meeting on Friday morning. Tell the managers of all departments.

Judy says:

Hǎode。

好的。

OK

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 or to our Sina Weibo @chinadailymetro.