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The Phone Call (Part 1)

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The Phone Call (Part 1)

昨天zuó tiān晚上wǎn shang,我wǒ给gěi一个yī ge好朋友hǎo péng you打电话dǎ diàn huà,本来běn lái只zhǐ想xiǎng说shuō一件yī jiàn事shì。

Last night I called a good friend, originally just to say one thing.

我wǒ问wèn她tā:“星期六xīng qī liù的de晚饭wǎn fàn,你nǐ能néng来lái吗ma?”

I asked her, "Can you come to dinner on Saturday?"

她tā说shuō:“能néng来lái!对了duì le,你nǐ妈妈mā ma的de身体shēn tǐ好hǎo点儿diǎn ér了吗le ma?”

She said, "I can! Oh right, is your mom feeling any better?"

我们wǒ men聊liáo了le一会儿yī huìr我wǒ妈妈mā ma,她tā突然tū rán又yòu说shuō:“对了duì le,上次shàng cì借jiè你的nǐ de那nà本běn书shū我wǒ看kàn完了wán le,星期六xīng qī liù带给dài gěi你nǐ。”

We chatted about my mom for a while, then she suddenly said, "Oh right, I finished that book I borrowed from you — I'll bring it Saturday."

我wǒ说好shuō hǎo,她tā又yòu想起来xiǎng qi lai:“对了duì le,星期六xīng qī liù天气tiān qì好像hǎo xiàng不太好bù tài hǎo,别bié忘了wàng le带dài伞sǎn。”

I said sure, and then she remembered something else: "Oh right, the weather doesn't look great on Saturday — don't forget an umbrella."

过了guò le几分钟jǐ fēn zhōng,她tā又yòu说shuō:“对了duì le,我们wǒ men公司gōng sī旁边páng biān新xīn开了kāi le一家yī jiā饭馆fàn guǎn,下次xià cì我们wǒ men一起yī qǐ去qù试试shì shi吧ba。”

A few minutes later she said, "Oh right, a new restaurant opened next to my office — let's try it together sometime."

我wǒ笑着xiào zhe说shuō:“你nǐ今天jīn tiān的de‘对了duì le’真zhēn多duō啊ā!”

I laughed and said, "You've got a lot of 'oh rights' today!"

她tā也yě笑了xiào le:“最后zuì hòu一个yī ge——对了duì le,星期六xīng qī liù的de晚饭wǎn fàn到底dào dǐ几点jǐ diǎn开始kāi shǐ?”

She laughed too: "Last one — oh right, what time does Saturday's dinner actually start?"

我wǒ这才zhè cái发现fā xiàn,我们wǒ men聊liáo了le半个bàn ge小时xiǎo shí,最zuì重要zhòng yào的de事shì却què谁shéi都dōu没méi说shuō。

Only then did I realize we'd chatted for half an hour and neither of us had mentioned the most important thing.

看来kàn lai朋友péng you之间zhī jiān的de电话diàn huà,永远yǒng yuǎn不会bù huì只有zhǐ yǒu一件yī jiàn事shì。

It seems a phone call between friends is never about just one thing.

Hover a word for its pinyin & meaning; click to pin it.

Vocabulary 93 words

ChinesePinyinEnglish
昨天 zuó tiānyesterday
晚上 wǎn shangevening
我 wǒI; me
给 gěito give; for, to (sb)
一个 yī gea; an; one; the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc)
好朋友 hǎo péng yougood friend; (slang) a visit from Aunt Flo (menstrual period)
打电话 dǎ diàn huàto make a phone call
本来 běn láioriginally; at first
只 zhǐonly; just
想 xiǎngto think; to want
说 shuōto speak; to say
一件 yī jiànone item; a piece of (something)
事 shìmatter; thing
问 wènto ask
她 tāshe
星期六 xīng qī liùSaturday
的 depossessive particle
晚饭 wǎn fàndinner
你 nǐyou
能 néngcan; to be able to
来 láito come; to arrive
吗 ma(question particle)
对了 duì leCorrect!; Oh, that's right, ... (when one suddenly remembers sth one wanted to mention); Oh, by the way, ...
妈妈 mā mamom
身体 shēn tǐbody; health
好 hǎogood
点儿 diǎn éro'clock; point; dot (erhua variant of 点/點)
了吗 le maparticle used in questions about past actions
我们 wǒ menwe; us
聊 liáoto chat; to talk
了 le(particle indicating completed action or change of state)
一会儿 yī huìra while
突然 tū ránsudden; abrupt; unexpected
又 yòuagain; also
上次 shàng cìlast time
借 jièto borrow; to lend
你的 nǐ deyour
那 nàthat; those
本 běnclassifier for books; this; original
书 shūbook
看 kànto look; to watch; to see
完了 wán lefinished; done for; ruined
带给 dài gěito give to; to provide to; to bring to; to take to
说好 shuō hǎoto come to an agreement; to complete negotiations
想起来 xiǎng qi laito remember; to recall
天气 tiān qìweather
好像 hǎo xiàngto seem; to appear as if
不太好 bù tài hǎonot so good; not too well
别 biédon't; other; do not
忘了 wàng leForgot; to have forgotten
带 dàito bring; to carry; to wear
伞 sǎnumbrella; parasol
过了 guò leto have passed (time); after (a period has gone by)
几分钟 jǐ fēn zhōnga few minutes; several minutes
公司 gōng sīcompany; firm; corporation
旁边 páng biānbeside; next to
新 xīnnew
开了 kāi leopened; turned on (depending on context)
一家 yī jiāthe whole family; the same family; the family ... (when preceded by a family name); group
饭馆 fàn guǎnrestaurant
下次 xià cìnext time
一起 yī qǐtogether
去 qùto go
试试 shì shito have a try; to give it a try
吧 bamodal particle indicating suggestion
笑着 xiào zheSmiling; laughing (as an action)
今天 jīn tiāntoday
真 zhēnreally; truly
多 duōmany; much
啊 āAh!; interjection expressing surprise or agreement
也 yěalso
笑了 xiào lesmiled; laughed
最后 zuì hòufinal; last; finally
到底 dào dǐafter all; in the end; ultimately
几点 jǐ diǎnwhat time?; when?
开始 kāi shǐto begin; to start
这才 zhè cáionly then; that’s (exactly) what...; this is what (it should be)
发现 fā xiànto discover; to find out
半个 bàn gehalf of sth
小时 xiǎo shíhour
最 zuìmost; -est
重要 zhòng yàoimportant; significant
却 quèbut; yet; however
谁 shéiwho
都 dōuall; both
没 méinot; have not
看来 kàn laiapparently; it seems that
朋友 péng youfriend
之间 zhī jiānbetween; among
电话 diàn huàphone
永远 yǒng yuǎnforever; eternal
不会 bù huìimprobable; unlikely; will not (act, happen etc); not able; not having learned to do sth
只有 zhǐ yǒuonly; there is only