Lesson 85 Pay the Bill 第八十五课 缴费

Yajie: Welcome to a brand new week on Chinese Studio.  Wo shi Yajie.
Cam: Dajia hao, wo shi Cam. Yajie, the bill paying system is so different in China. A few weeks ago, my phone was disconnected because I hadn’t paid the bill. But I never received a bill!
Yajie:  Well, in China, we have to pay the bills by a certain time at the bank without receiving any bill.
Cam: I wish somebody would’ve told me!  But what do I say when I go to the bank?
Yajie: Listen up!

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Key Words of the Day
How long is the wait? 需要等多长时间?(xu1yao4 deng3 duo1chang2 shi2jian1). How can I help you? 要帮忙吗?(yao4 bang1mang2 ma?) I would like to pay my phone bill.  我交电话费。(wo3 jiao1 dian4hua4fei4) I would like to pay my electricity bill. 我交电费。(wo3 jiao1 dian4fei4) All in today’s Chinese Studio.
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Cam: Okay Yajie…. So I walk into the bank and I usually see crowds of people.
Yajie:  Right, banks can be very busy.  
Cam: So it might be helpful to ask somebody how long the wait will be. How can I say it in Chinese? 
Yajie: Well you can say 请问,需要等多长时间?(qing3 wen4, xu1yao4 deng3 duo1chang2 shi2jian1)
Cam: 请问,需要等多长时间?(qing3 wen4, xu1yao4 deng3 duo1chang2 shi2jian1)
Yajie: 请问 (qing3 wen4) excuse me. 
Cam: 请问 (qing3 wen4).
Yajie: 需要 (xu1yao4) means need. 
Cam: 需要 (xu1yao4) 
Yajie: 等(deng3), d-e-n-g, the third tone. wait. 
Cam: 等(deng3) 
Yajie: 多长时间(duo1chang2 shi2jian1), how long, we learned it before, it means how long.
Cam: 多长时间(duo1chang2 shi2jian1). 
Yajie: 请问,需要等多长时间?(qing3 wen4, xu1yao4 deng3 duo1chang2 shi2jian1)
Cam: 请问,需要等多长时间?(qing3 wen4, xu1yao4 deng3 duo1chang2 shi2jian1), How long is the wait?  But do people often say this at Chinese banks?
Yajie:  No, not really.  Anyhow, it’s still a useful expression when you are waiting in other cases.

Conversation1:

Yajie: There may be someone in the bank coming up to offer help. 要帮忙吗?(yao4 bang1mang2 ma?) How can I help you?
Cam: 要帮忙吗?(yao4 bang1mang2 ma?)
Yajie: 帮忙 (bang1mang2)means help. 
Cam: 帮忙 (bang1mang2).
Yajie: 要帮忙吗?(yao4 bang1mang2 ma?) How can I help you?
Cam: 要帮忙吗?(yao4 bang1mang2 ma?)

Conversation2:

Cam: How do you say “I would like to pay my phone bill.” 
Yajie: 我交电话费。(wo3 jiao1 dian4hua4fei4)
Cam: 我交电话费。(wo3 jiao1 dian4hua4fei4)
Yajie: 我(wo3), I. and 交(jiao1) means to pay. 
Cam: 交(jiao1)
Yajie: 电话费 (dian4hua4fei4), phone bill.
Cam: 电话费 (dian4hua4fei4).
Yajie: 我交电话费。(wo3 jiao1 dian4hua4fei4) I would like to pay my phone bill.
Cam: 我交电话费。(wo3 jiao1 dian4hua4fei4). Yajie, and I would also like to pay my electricity bill. What is the Chinese for that. 
Yajie: Listen carefully, it’s 我交电费。(wo3 jiao1 dian4fei4). 电费, (dian4fei4), electricity bill.
Cam: 电费, (dian4fei4).
Yajie: So “I would like to pay my electricity bill.” is 我交电费。(wo3 jiao1 dian4fei4)
Cam: 我交电费。(wo3 jiao1 dian4fei4)

Conversation3:

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Key Words Reminder 
How long is the wait? 需要等多长时间?(xu1yao4 deng3 duo1chang2 shi2jian1). How can I help you? 要帮忙吗?(yao4 bang1mang2 ma?) I would like to pay my phone bill.  我交电话费。(wo3 jiao1 dian4hua4fei4) I would like to pay my electricity bill. 我交电费。(wo3 jiao1 dian4fei4)
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Yajie: We have run out of time.
Cam:  Yes, but before we go we have to ask our question of the day.  How do you say, “I would like to pay my electricity bill” in Chinese?
Yajie: Zai jian. 
Cam:  Zai jian!