Intermediate - Calling the Locksmith (C2280)

A: 小程,你带钥匙了吗?
Xiǎo Chéng, nǐ dài yàoshi le ma?
Xiao Cheng, did you bring your key?
B: 带了,怎么了?
dài le, zěnmele?
I brought it. What's up?
A: 我打扫卫生,把自己关在门外了。进不去了。
wǒ dǎsǎo wèishēng, bǎ zìjǐ guān zài ménwài le. jìn bu qù le.
I was cleaning up and I locked myself outside. I can't get in.
B: 哎呀,我在出差,今天不回去。
āiyā, wǒ zài chūchāi, jīntiān bù huíqu.
Oh no! I'm on a business trip. I'm not coming back today.
A: 完了,那我怎么办?
wán le, nà wǒ zěnme bàn?
I'm screwed! What am I supposed to do?
B: 先别急。卫生间和厨房的窗户有没有打开的?
xiān bié jí. wèishēngjiān hé chúfáng de chuānghu yǒumeiyǒu dǎkāi de?
First, don't be worried. Is there an open window in the bathroom or the kitchen?
A: 没有。
méiyǒu.
No.
B: 给房东打电话了吗?房东那里可能有备用钥匙。
gěi fángdōng dǎ diànhuà le ma? fángdōng nàlǐ kěnéng yǒu bèiyòng yàoshi.
Did you give the landlord a call? The landlord might have a spare key.
A: 打了好几个,房东没有接电话。
dǎ le hǎo jǐ gè, fángdōng méiyǒu jiē diànhuà.
I've given a call several times. The landlord didn't pick up.
B: 哦,那就找开锁的吧。
ò, nà jiù zhǎo kāisuǒ de ba.
Oh, then go look for a locksmith.
A: 这么晚了开锁的人会来吗?
zhème wǎn le kāisuǒ de rén huì lái ma?
Will a locksmith come so late at night?
B: 会,只要给上门费就行。
huì, zhǐyào gěi shàngmén fèi jiù xíng.
Yeah, as long as you pay them a fee for opening the door it's fine.
A: 开锁的人会把锁弄坏吗?
kāisuǒ de rén huì bǎ suǒ nòng huài ma?
Will the locksmith break the lock?
B: 要看情况。他们好像有一种工具,可以从猫眼里伸进去开锁。
yào kàn qíngkuàng. tāmen hǎoxiàng yǒu yī zhǒng gōngjù, kěyǐ cóng māoyǎn lǐ shēn jìnqu kāisuǒ.
It depends on the situation. I think they have some kind of tool which you can insert through the peephole and unlock the door.
A: 这么简单?那我赶紧找人来开锁。
zhème jiǎndān? nà wǒ gǎnjǐn zhǎo rén lái kāisuǒ.
It's that easy? Then I'll go look for someone to open the door right away.
B: 好,那我先挂了。有事再给我打电话。
hǎo, nà wǒ xiān guà le. yǒushì zài gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà.
Okay, then I'll hang up. If you have any problems, give me a call back.

Key Vocabulary

钥匙 yàoshi key
打扫 dǎsǎo to clean
卫生 wèishēng clean-up, hygiene
to take
guān to close, lock
出差 chūchāi to go on a business trip
卫生间 wèishēngjiān toilet, restroom
厨房 chúfáng kitchen
窗户 chuānghu window
房东 fángdōng landlord
备用 bèiyòng spare, backup; to keep in reserve
接电话 jiē diànhuà to answer the phone
开锁 kāisuǒ to open a lock
只要......就...... zhǐyào ... jiù ... as long as... then...
fèi fee
上门费 shàngménfèi house call fee
nòng to make
弄坏 nòng huài to break, damage
情况 qíngkuàng situation
看情况 kàn qíngkuàng to take a look at the situation
工具 gōngjù tool
猫眼 māoyǎn peephole
shēn to extend
赶紧 gǎnjǐn hurriedly
guà to hang up (the phone)

Supplementary Vocabulary

suǒ lock
立刻 lìkè right away
故事 gùshi story

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