Intermediate - Giving Instructions to the Ayi (C1503)

A: 阿姨,我们晚上想吃这几个菜。
āyí, wǒmen wǎnshang xiǎng chī zhè jǐ ge cài.
Auntie, tonight we'd like to eat these couple of dishes.
B: 好的。我做好放在桌上,你们回家就可以吃了。
hǎo de. wǒ zuò hǎo fàng zài zhuō shàng, nǐmen huíjiā jiù kěyǐ chī le.
OK. When I'm finished, I'll put them on the table. You can eat them when you come home.
A: 嗯。对了,打扫卫生的时候用吸尘器把地毯好好吸吸。
ng4. duìle, dǎsǎo wèishēng de shíhou yòng xīchénqì bǎ dìtǎn hǎohāo xī xi.
OK. That's right, when you clean up, use the vacuum and really get the dust out of the rug.
B: 昨天吸过了。
zuótiān xī guo le.
I vacuumed it yesterday.
A: 还有点儿灰尘,你再吸一下吧。还有,沙发后面和床底下也扫一扫。
hái yǒu diǎnr huīchén, nǐ zài xī yīxià ba. háiyǒu, shāfā hòumian hé chuáng dǐxià yě sǎo yī sǎo.
There's still a little dust. Could you vacuum it again? Also, sweep behind the sofa and under the bed as well.
B: 行。我每天都打扫的。
xíng. wǒ měitiān dōu dǎsǎo de.
OK. I do sweep every day.
A: 沙发套也洗洗吧。还有些衣服也要洗,都放在那儿了。
shāfātào yě xǐ xi ba. hái yǒu xiē yīfu yě yào xǐ, dōu fàng zài nàr le.
Wash the sofa cover as well. There are also some clothes that need to be washed. I put them over there.
B: 好的。
hǎo de.
OK.
A: 洗的时候麻烦你看看衣服口袋里有没有东西。
xǐ de shíhou máfan nǐ kàn kan yīfu kǒudài lǐ yǒu méiyǒu dōngxi.
When you're washing them, could you check if there's anything in the pockets?
B: 好。有的话我帮你收起来。
hǎo. yǒu dehuà wǒ bāng nǐ shōu qǐlái.
OK. If there's anything in there, I'll put it aside for you.
A: 哎,对了,昨天洗的那条牛仔裤口袋里面有东西吗?
āi, duìle, zuótiān xǐ de nà tiáo niúzǎikù kǒudài lǐmiàn yǒu dōngxi ma?
Hey, that's right – was there anything in the pockets of that pair of jeans you washed yesterday?
B: 有几张名片和发票,我放在桌上了。
yǒu jǐ zhāng míngpiàn hé fāpiào, wǒ fàng zài zhuō shàng le.
There were a few business cards and receipts. I put them on the table.
A: 我好像记得里面有些零钱。
wǒ hǎoxiàng jìde lǐmiàn yǒuxiē língqián.
I think I remember there being some spare change in there.
B: 钱?钱我可没看见。你是不是记错了?
qián? qián wǒ kě méi kànjiàn. nǐ shì bu shì jìcuò le?
Money? I didn't see any money. Are you sure you're not mistaken?

Key Vocabulary

阿姨 āyí auntie
打扫 dǎsǎo to clean up
卫生 wèishēng hygiene
吸尘器 xīchénqì vacuum
地毯 dìtǎn rug
to vacuum
to take [something and...]
灰尘 huīchén dust, dirt
沙发 shāfā sofa
chuáng bed
底下 dǐxià underneath
沙发套 shāfātào sofa cover
口袋 kǒudài pocket
...的话 dehuà if...
tiáo [measure word for pants]
收起来 shōu qǐlái to put aside
zhāng [measure word for thin, flat objects]
名片 míngpiàn business card
发票 fāpiào receipt
好像 hǎoxiàng to seem as if
记得 jìde to remember
零钱 língqián small change
really
记错 jìcuò to remember incorrectly

Supplementary Vocabulary

语气 yǔqì tone of voice
吸管 xīguǎn straw
灰色 huīsè grey
huī dust
扫地 sǎodì to sweep the floor
如果 rúguǒ if
收到 shōudào to receive

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