where we are



wǒ - men . zài . nǎ - lǐ

wǒmen zài nǎlǐ



Excuse me. Can you tell me where we are, please?

Dǎjiǎo le, qǐng gàosù wǒmen zài nǎlǐ?



.. Grammar & Usage Lesson:

.. In Mandarin, English words and phrases are oftentimes "situational"
.. usage. Take for example, the phrase, "Excuse me." If you did something
.. wrong, you would use,
"Duìbùqǐ", to say, "Excuse me", - meaning that you
.. are sorry for doing the wrong. When, however, you ask someone for help,
.. (with no wrong committed), the proper
"Excuse me" is no longer
"Duìbùqǐ"
.. but changes to, "Dǎjiǎo le".

.. did something wrong = "Duìbùqǐ"
.. apologizing = "Duìbùqǐ"

.. did nothing wrong = "Dǎjiǎo le"
.. asking for help = "Dǎjiǎo le"





return to Dictionary by clicking the computer's back button


</body> </html> <!-- HTML code -->