Communication

1. English

1.1. The Restaurant

Are you ready?
Are you ready to order?
What can I get for you?
Do you know what you want?

What would you like to drink?
Do you want some dessert?

Is that all? --- Yes, please.
Anything else? --- No, that's it.
And for you? --- No, thanks.

Is this all together, or separate? --- Separate checks, please.

I would like the beef soup.
I will have the number 3.

I would like a chicken sandwich and a water.
I'll have a cheeseburger, some fries, and a coke.

I would like a fish taco with no/extra noion.
I'll have a burger with no/extra pickles.
Could I have a salad with no/extra dressing?

I would like a salad with dressing on the side.
I'll have a burger with the veggies on the side.
Can I have a sandwich with the sauce on the side?

• small
• medium
• large

Could you pass the salt, please? --- Of course!
Would you like some pepper? --- Yes, please!
Could I try the soap? --- Sure! Go ahead!
Would you like to try the soup? --- No, thank you.

The cake is great!
I love this salad.

Take your time!
How's everything? --- It's really good.
How's the soup?
Would you like some more? --- No, thank you! I'm so full.
Could we have some more bread?
Are you done with this? Can I take this away?

We're ready for the check.
Could we have/get the check?
Check, please.

Can we split the check?
Can we have separate checks?
Can you put this on my check and that on his?

Keep the change.

Should we split it?
This is on me!
It's my treat.
You can get it next time.

Conversation:

A: This is on me!
B: Oh, no! It's my treat.
A: You can get it next time.
B: All right. Next time, it's my treat!

1.2. The Airport

• Arrive to airport
  • Terminal
  • Departures
  • Arrivals
  • Domestic
  • International
  • Airline
  • Check in
  • Check bags
  • Carry-on
  • Remove
  • Boarding pass
  • Gate
  • On time
  • Delayed
  • Boarding
  • Boarding group
  • Seat
  • Immigration
  • Baggage claim
  • Customs
  • Ground transportation
  • Taxi

Where is the check in?
Where are you going today?
What is your destination?
Are you checking any bags? / Any bags to check?

Do you have any laptops, umbrellas, batteries, liquids, or anything flammable?
Please remove your shoes.
Step forward, please.
Where is gate A3?
Now boarding group 3.
The flight has been changed to Gate 7.

Conversations:

A: Where are you going today?
B: Shanghai. 
A: Any bags to check?
B: Just this one

A: Is this your bag?
B: Yes. 
A: Can I look inside?
B: OK.

A: Excuse me, where is gate C9?
B: You’re in the wrong terminal. 
A: Oh! Which terminal is this?
B: This is terminal F. Terminal C is that way.

A: Which airline are you on?
B: American Airlines. 
A: Domestic or international?
B: Domestic. It should be terminal A.

1.3. The Hotel

• Single room
• Twin Room
• Double Room
• Suite
• Reservation
• Book
• Cancel

Do you have a single room for tonight?
Can I book a room for this weekend?
I'd like a double room for the 12th to the 16th.

• Check in
• Deposit
• Room number
• Reservation number

Do you have your reservation number?
There's a $50 deposit.
Your room is on the 3rd floor.
The elevator is over there.

• Pool
• Gym
• Business center
• Restaurant
• Change rooms
• Room service

Can I change rooms, please?
Where is the pool?
When dose the business center close?
I'd like to order room service.

• Check out
• Key drop

Check out is at 1pm.
Was everything all right?
How was your stay? --- It was great.

1.4. The Bank

• Account
• Account number
• Open
• Close
• Checking
• Savings
• Debit card
• Credit card
• Loan
• Apply
• Exchange

I want to open an account.
I want to apply for a credit card.
I would like to exchange some RMB.

• Check
• Cash
• Endorse
• Signature

I would like to cash a check.
Can I send you a check?
Who should I make it out to?
You can deposit checks in the app.

• PIN (Personal Identification Number)
• Deposit
• Withdrawal
• Check balance
• Transaction fee
• Wire transfer
• Routing number
• Exchange rate
• Recipient
• Transfer limit
• Make a transfer

Conversation:

A: I would like to exchange some RMB.
B: Ok. The exchange rate is 0.14.
A: That's fine.
B: There is also a $10 exchange fee.

1.5. The Hospital

• Hospital
• Clinic
• Urgent Care
• Appointment
• Walk-in (someone who goes to a place without an appointment)

I'd like to make an appointment.
Are you the patient?
Do you take walk-ins?

• I have a
  • fever
  • cough
  • stomachache
  • sore throat
• I am
  • sneezing
  • nauseous
• My xxx hurts.
  • head
  • foot
  • arm

When did it start?
Has this happened before?
Do you have any allergies?
Are you taking any medications?

• prescription
• take a pill
• apply cream

Take 1 every 12 hours for 5 days.
Take it with food.
May cause drowsiness.

Conversations:

I'd like to make an appointment.
How about tomorrow at 4pm?
Do you have an earlier time?
If it's a emergency, please go to the hospital.

How are you feeling?
I have a fever and a sore throat.
When did it start?
Last night.

1.6. The Shopping Mall

• Discount
• Sale
• Try on
• Fitting room
• Size (small, mediem, large,extra)

This is 20 percent off.
Can I try this on?
Do you have fitting rooms?
Do you have this in another size?
Do you have this in a large?
I wear an extra small.

• Shirt
• Pants
• Dress
• Skirt
• Shoes
• Socks
• Hat
• Undies
• Gloves
• Jacket
• Coat
• Outfit

I love your outfit.
Where did you get it?
How much (was it)/(were they)?
I was pretty cheap/expensive/pricey.
Are you into fashion?

Conversations:

Your shirt is amazing!
Thanks! I got it at the mall yesterday.
How much was it?
It was pretty pricey, but it's worth it!

Excuse me! Do you have this in a medium?
Yes, we do. Let me get it for you.
Thanks! Can I try it on?
Of course. The fitting rooms are over there.

How much is this jacket?
It's on sale, so it's 15% off. That's $50.
Oh! What is on sale now?
All winter clothes are on sale this week.

1.7. Directions

Excuse me!
Hi!
Hello!
Sorry to bother you!

Where is xxx?
Could you tell me where xxx is?
Could you tell me how to get to xxx?
Which way is xxx?

Thank you!
Thank you so much!

• Road

• Street

• Boulevard

• Avenue

• Lane

• Intersection

• Block

• Light

• North

• South

• East

• West

• Left

• Right

• Straight

• Turn

• That way

• Turn right

• Go right

• Take a right

• Make a right

Go that way and turn left on 3rd Street.
It's by the bank.
It's three blocks that way, past the bridge.
Turn right at that light. It's at the next intersection.
Go straight for about a mile, then make a left.

• Subway
• Bus
• BRT (Bus rapid Transit)
• Station / Stop
• Transfer / (Change lines)
• Exit A

Take line 3 to line 4.
Take this line 5 stations, then change to line 2.
It's three stops away.
Take the bus to the subway station.
It's at this stop. It should be by exit B.
Let's get off here. It's a transfer station.

Conversations:

Hi! Excuse me, could I ask for directions?
Sure. Where are you going?
I'm looking for the police station.
I think there's one on the next block.

Hi! Could I ask you how to get to the bus?
It's pretty far. Take a right at that light and go for about a mile or so.
OK! Thank you!

Could you tell me where the subway is?
Which line do you want?
Line 13 or line 7 would be OK.
Line 7 is about 2 blocks that way.

1.8. Transportation

Way	Verb	Preposition
bus/subway	take the	on the
train	take the/a	on the/a
(air)plane	fly	on the

I will take the bus.
I'm on the subway.
I will fly there.
She is already on the train.
I go/went there by train/plane/bus.

|Way|Verb|Proposition| |car|drive|in the| |taxi|take a|in the/a| |bike/scooter|ride/take a/my|on a/my| |walk|walk|(walking)|

I'm in a taxi.
I'm in the car already.
I'll drive.
I'll take a scooter.
I'll just Uber.

Conversations:

A: How do you get to work?
B: I usually take the subway. 
A: How long does it take?
B: Not long. About 20 minutes.

A: You got here so fast!
B: Yeah. I rode my bike. 
A: Whoa! Do you usually ride your bike?
B: Yeah. I ride it everywhere.

A: Can you take the bus to school?
B: Nope. There’s no bus stop by my house. 
A: Oh, no! Then how do you get to school?
B: I usually walk. Sometimes I take an Uber.

1.9. Festivals

Christmas

Did you have a good Christmas?
There were so many presents under the (Christmas) tree!

Thanksgiving

How was your Thanksgiving?
Did you have a family reunion?

Halloween

Did you have fun on Halloween?
What was your costume?

1.10. Holidays

How was your holiday?
Did you have a good break?
What did you do on the long weekend?

1.11. Renting

• house
  • house
  • apartment
  • condo
  • furnished / unfurnished
  • yard
  • downtown
  • suburb
• people
  • landlord
  • tenant
  • agent / realtor
• contracts
  • contracts
  • lease
  • rental agreement
• fees
  • rent
  • deposit
  • utilities

I signed a lease last week.
If I can't get out of my lease, I'll just break it.

My rent is hign, but I don't pay utilities.
My utility bill is so high in the summer.

Conversations:

Have you found a place to live yet?
I just sign a lease on a house.
A house! Fancy. Where is it?
It's pretty far out, but it's very quiet.

Have you found a tenant for you condo?
Not yet. It's just sitting empty.
Could you use an agent?
I might, but their fees are pretty high.

1.12. Buying a House

• searching
  • house hunting
  • open house
  • a showing
• buying
  • make an offer
  • inspection
  • closing
• money
  • down payment
  • closing costs
  • mortgage
  • HOA (homeowners association)

How's the house hunting going?
I'm going to an open house tomorrow.
Can we get a showing there?
We have to wait for the last showing to finish.

I'm ready to make an offer on this house.
I've made an offer, and the house is under inspection.

I've saved up enough for a down payment.
You also have to budget for closing costs.
I got a great interest rate on my mortgage.
I can only afford a 30-year mortgage.
The HOA costs as much as my mortgage.
HOA fees in apartments are much higher.

Conversations:

A: I just made an offer on a house!
B: Great! Do you think it'll be accepted?
A: I hope so. I highballed it a little bit.
B: Yeah, the market is tough these days.