Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Transcript

Let’s take a closer look at how Ben asks for an item without knowing its name.
Do you remember how Ben Lee says,
"Give me that, please."
请给我那个。 (Qǐng gěi wǒ nèige.)
First is 请 (qǐng), “please.” 请. 请.
Here it’s a polite word used at the beginning of a request.
Next is 给我 (gěi wǒ), "give me." 给我.
First is 给, "to give." 给. 给.
After that is 我, translating as "me," in this context. 我. 我.
Together, the first part of the sentence is 请给我. "please give me." 请给我.
Pronunciation note: when there are three third tones in a row, the first two change to the second tone. Listen to the pronunciation again. 请给我 (Qǐng gěi wǒ). 请给我 (Qǐng gěi wǒ)
Last is 那个 (nèige), translating as "that." 那个. 那个.
Translation note: 那个 could also translate as “that one,” as the second character is 个 (gè), which is a universal measure word. 个. 个.
Pronunciation note: 那 (nèi) can be pronounced as nà or nèi. Nèi is more colloquial, and what is used here.
All together, 请给我那个。 (Qǐng gěi wǒ nèige.) Literally, "Please give me that," or in more natural English, “Give me that, please.”
请给我那个。 (Qǐng gěi wǒ nèige.)
Do you remember how the shopkeeper says,
"Okay. Here you go."
好。给您。 (Hǎo. Gěi nín.)
First is 好 (hǎo), literally, “good,” but translates as "okay," in this context. 好. 好。
Next is 给您 (Gěi nín), translating as, "Here you go." 给您 (Gěi nín).
First is 给 (gěi), "to give." 给.
Next is 您 (nín), the polite form of "you." 您. 您.
As the clerk is talking to a customer, he uses 您 to show respect.
In more casual cases, you may hear the more colloquial form of you, 你 (nǐ).
Together 给您 literally means "give you," but in this case, it translates as "Here you go." 给您.
All together, the clerk responds with 好。给您。(Hǎo. Gěi nín.) "Okay. Here you go."
好。给您。 (Hǎo. Gěi nín.)
The pattern is
请给我 (Qǐng gěi wǒ) {ITEM}.
"Give me {ITEM}, please."
请给我 (Qǐng gěi wǒ) {ITEM}.
To use this pattern, simply replace the {ITEM} placeholder with the thing you want.
Imagine you'd like some water. 水 (shuǐ). 水. 水.
Say
"Give me some water, please."
Ready?
请给我水。(Qǐng gěi wǒ shuǐ.)
"Give me some water, please."
请给我水。(Qǐng gěi wǒ shuǐ.)

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