Learn useful phrases to use at a hotel
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| Cantonese Survival phrases, lesson 37. Hotel Check-in (Part 1) |
| In today’s lesson, we will help you check-in. In Hong Kong, there are hotels 酒店(zau2 dim3) and hostels 青年旅社(cing1 nin4 leoi5 se5). Let’s hear them again, 酒店(zau2 dim3) hotels and 青年旅社(cing1 nin4 leoi5 se5) hostels. |
| Now, in Hong Kong, when you get to a hotel, you want to check in. You can use two possible phrases. If you have already booked the room and you want to say I have a reservation, in Cantonese, it’s 我訂咗房(ngo5 deng6 zo2 fong2). Let’s break it down by syllable. 我 訂 咗 房(ngo5 deng6 zo2 fong2) Now let’s hear it again. 我訂咗房(ngo5 deng6 zo2 fong2) |
| The first word 我(ngo5) means I, 我(ngo5) I. 訂(deng6) means to book, 訂(deng6) to book. 我訂咗房(ngo5 deng6 zo2 fong2). I have a reservation. Following 我訂(ngo5 deng6) is 咗(zo2), the past tense particle 咗(zo2),咗(zo2). 訂(deng6) means to book, 訂(deng6) to book. So 訂咗(deng6 zo2) means to have booked 訂咗(deng6 zo2) to have booked. Finally we have房(fong2) room, 房(fong2) room. 我訂咗房(ngo5 deng6 zo2 fong2) I have booked a room. |
| If you have not booked a room, say I would like a room. 我要一間房(ngo5 jiu3 jat1 gaan1 fong2) Let’s break it down by syllable. 我要一間房(ngo5 jiu3 jat1 gaan1 fong2) The first word 我要(ngo5 jiu3) means I would like, 我要(ngo5 jiu3) I would like. Let’s hear it again我要(ngo5 jiu3). Then we have 一(jat1) which means one 一(jat1). 我要一(ngo5 jiu3 jat1) I want one and then 間 (gaan1), 間 (gaan1). 間 (gaan1) is the measure word for rooms and houses. 我要一間(ngo5 jiu3 jat1 gaan1), I want one. Finally we have the word for room 房(fong2), 房(fong2) . So altogether we have 我要一間房(ngo5 jiu3 jat1 gaan1 fong2) which literally means I’d like a room. |
| Afterwards they would most likely ask you, what is your name. In Cantonese, this is 咩名啊？(me1 meng2 aa3?) What is your name? 咩名啊？(me1 meng2 aa3?), 咩名啊？(me1 meng2 aa3?) The first word 咩(me1) means what, 咩(me1) what. We’ve covered that in the previous lesson; 咩(me1). Then you have 名(meng2) which we know by now is name 名(meng2), 名(meng2). 咩名(me1 meng2) What name. Next is to pronounce question mark "?" - 啊？(aa3?), 啊？(aa3?) So let’s hear the entire phrase now 咩名啊？(me1 meng2 aa3?) This literally means what name. 咩名啊？(me1 meng2 aa3?) You might also be asked, how do you spell it. In Cantonese, this is 點串啊？(dim2 cyun3 aa3?), 點串啊？(dim2 cyun3 aa3?) How do you spell it? 點串啊？(dim2 cyun3 aa3?) The first word 點(dim2) means how. Let’s hear it one more time 點(dim2). Then we have 串(cyun3) which means to spell 串(cyun3), 串(cyun3). Finally we have again the pronounced question mark 啊？(aa3?), 啊？(aa3?). So the whole sentence sounds like 點串啊？(dim2 cyun3 aa3?), 點串啊？(dim2 cyun3 aa3?) How do you spell it. That’s all for today’s lesson. |
| Now let’s move to our regular test. I will give you the English and you give us the Cantonese. I have a reservation. 我訂咗房(ngo5 deng6 zo2 fong2) I would like a room. 我要一間房(ngo5 jiu3 jat1 gaan1 fong2) What’s your name? 咩名啊？(me1 meng2 aa3?) How do you spell it? 點串啊？(dim2 cyun3 aa3?) All right, that’s about does it for today. Remember to stop by cantoneseclass101.ccom and pick up the accompanying PDF and if you stop by, be sure to leave us a comment. Bye bye. |
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