Planning a Trip with Friends

阿明

下个月我们有四天没有课，你们想去哪儿玩？

Xià (fourth tone, falling) ge (neutral tone) yuè (fourth tone, falling) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) yǒu (third tone, dipping) sì (fourth tone, falling) tiān (first tone, high and level) méiyǒu (second tone, rising) kè, (fourth tone, falling) nǐmen (third tone, dipping) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) qù (fourth tone, falling) nǎr (third tone, dipping) wán? (second tone, rising)

We have four days without classes next month — where do you two fancy going?

小美

我想去上海，上海的秋天很舒服。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) qù (fourth tone, falling) Shànghǎi, (fourth tone, falling) Shànghǎi (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) qiūtiān (first tone, high and level) hěn (third tone, dipping) shūfu. (first tone, high and level)

I would like Shanghai — autumn there is lovely.

大卫

上海太远了，坐飞机很贵。我们去爬山怎么样？

Shànghǎi (fourth tone, falling) tài (fourth tone, falling) yuǎn (third tone, dipping) le, (neutral tone) zuò (fourth tone, falling) fēijī (first tone, high and level) hěn (third tone, dipping) guì. (fourth tone, falling) Wǒmen (third tone, dipping) qù (fourth tone, falling) pá (second tone, rising) shān (first tone, high and level) zěnmeyàng? (third tone, dipping)

Shanghai is too far, and flying is expensive. How about going hiking instead?

阿明

爬山也很好，但是我们只有四天，山上也很冷。

Pá (second tone, rising) shān (first tone, high and level) yě (third tone, dipping) hěn (third tone, dipping) hǎo, (third tone, dipping) dànshì (fourth tone, falling) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) zhǐ (third tone, dipping) yǒu (third tone, dipping) sì (fourth tone, falling) tiān, (first tone, high and level) shān (first tone, high and level) shang (neutral tone) yě (third tone, dipping) hěn (third tone, dipping) lěng. (third tone, dipping)

Hiking would be good too, but we only have four days, and it is cold up there.

小美

那我们先看一下火车票，火车比飞机便宜多了。

Nà (fourth tone, falling) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) xiān (first tone, high and level) kàn (fourth tone, falling) yíxià (second tone, rising) huǒchē (third tone, dipping) piào, (fourth tone, falling) huǒchē (third tone, dipping) bǐ (third tone, dipping) fēijī (first tone, high and level) piányi (second tone, rising) duō (first tone, high and level) le. (neutral tone)

Then let us check train tickets first — the train is far cheaper than flying.

大卫

我上网找了一下：去上海的火车票是五百五十块，飞机票要一千二。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) shàngwǎng (fourth tone, falling) zhǎo (third tone, dipping) le (neutral tone) yíxià: (second tone, rising) qù (fourth tone, falling) Shànghǎi (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) huǒchē (third tone, dipping) piào (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) wǔbǎi (third tone, dipping) wǔshí (third tone, dipping) kuài, (fourth tone, falling) fēijī (first tone, high and level) piào (fourth tone, falling) yào (fourth tone, falling) yìqiān (fourth tone, falling) èr. (fourth tone, falling)

I looked it up online: the train to Shanghai is five hundred and fifty yuan, the plane one thousand two hundred.

阿明

那就坐火车。我们什么时候走？

Nà (fourth tone, falling) jiù (fourth tone, falling) zuò (fourth tone, falling) huǒchē. (third tone, dipping) Wǒmen (third tone, dipping) shénme (second tone, rising) shíhou (second tone, rising) zǒu? (third tone, dipping)

The train it is. When do we set off?

小美

星期四晚上的火车，第二天早上就到了。

Xīngqīsì (first tone, high and level) wǎnshang (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) huǒchē, (third tone, dipping) dì (fourth tone, falling) èr (fourth tone, falling) tiān (first tone, high and level) zǎoshang (third tone, dipping) jiù (fourth tone, falling) dào (fourth tone, falling) le. (neutral tone)

The Thursday night train — we arrive the next morning.

大卫

晚上的火车可以在车上睡觉，还能少住一天宾馆。

Wǎnshang (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) huǒchē (third tone, dipping) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) chē (first tone, high and level) shang (neutral tone) shuìjiào, (fourth tone, falling) hái (second tone, rising) néng (second tone, rising) shǎo (third tone, dipping) zhù (fourth tone, falling) yì (fourth tone, falling) tiān (first tone, high and level) bīnguǎn. (first tone, high and level)

On a night train you sleep on board, and that is one hotel night saved.

阿明

宾馆怎么办？

Bīnguǎn (first tone, high and level) zěnme (third tone, dipping) bàn? (fourth tone, falling)

And what about the hotel?

小美

我在网上找到一个宾馆，一个房间一天三百块，我们要两个房间。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) wǎng (third tone, dipping) shang (neutral tone) zhǎodào (third tone, dipping) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) bīnguǎn, (first tone, high and level) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) fángjiān (second tone, rising) yì (fourth tone, falling) tiān (first tone, high and level) sānbǎi (first tone, high and level) kuài, (fourth tone, falling) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) yào (fourth tone, falling) liǎng (third tone, dipping) ge (neutral tone) fángjiān. (second tone, rising)

I found one online: three hundred yuan a room per night, and we need two rooms.

大卫

一共多少钱？

Yígòng (second tone, rising) duōshao (first tone, high and level) qián? (second tone, rising)

How much does that come to?

小美

两个房间住三天，一共一千八百块。

Liǎng (third tone, dipping) ge (neutral tone) fángjiān (second tone, rising) zhù (fourth tone, falling) sān (first tone, high and level) tiān, (first tone, high and level) yígòng (second tone, rising) yìqiān (fourth tone, falling) bābǎi (first tone, high and level) kuài. (fourth tone, falling)

Two rooms for three nights: one thousand eight hundred yuan altogether.

阿明

可以。我们在上海做什么？

Kěyǐ. (third tone, dipping) Wǒmen (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) Shànghǎi (fourth tone, falling) zuò (fourth tone, falling) shénme? (second tone, rising)

That works. What shall we do in Shanghai?

小美

我们可以去公园，也可以去看看有名的老街道。

Wǒmen (third tone, dipping) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) qù (fourth tone, falling) gōngyuán, (first tone, high and level) yě (third tone, dipping) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) qù (fourth tone, falling) kànkan (fourth tone, falling) yǒumíng (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) lǎo (third tone, dipping) jiēdào. (first tone, high and level)

We can go to the parks, and take a look at the famous old streets.

大卫

我一定要吃上海的鱼，我朋友说非常好吃。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) yídìng (second tone, rising) yào (fourth tone, falling) chī (first tone, high and level) Shànghǎi (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) yú, (second tone, rising) wǒ (third tone, dipping) péngyou (second tone, rising) shuō (first tone, high and level) fēicháng (first tone, high and level) hǎochī. (third tone, dipping)

I am definitely eating Shanghai fish — a friend of mine says it is superb.

阿明

别忘记带照相机，我要给家里人带很多照片回来。

Bié (second tone, rising) wàngjì (fourth tone, falling) dài (fourth tone, falling) zhàoxiàngjī, (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) yào (fourth tone, falling) gěi (third tone, dipping) jiā (first tone, high and level) lǐ (third tone, dipping) rén (second tone, rising) dài (fourth tone, falling) hěn (third tone, dipping) duō (first tone, high and level) zhàopiàn (fourth tone, falling) huílái. (second tone, rising)

Do not forget the camera — I want to bring plenty of photographs back for my family.

小美

我带地图，大卫买票，阿明，你做什么？

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) dài (fourth tone, falling) dìtú, (fourth tone, falling) Dàwèi (fourth tone, falling) mǎi (third tone, dipping) piào, (fourth tone, falling) Ā (neutral tone) Míng, (second tone, rising) nǐ (third tone, dipping) zuò (fourth tone, falling) shénme? (second tone, rising)

I will bring a map and David will buy the tickets. Amine, what will you do?

阿明

我问问老师，星期五的课能不能请假。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) wènwen (fourth tone, falling) lǎoshī, (third tone, dipping) xīngqīwǔ (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) kè (fourth tone, falling) néng (second tone, rising) bu (neutral tone) néng (second tone, rising) qǐngjià. (third tone, dipping)

I will ask the teacher whether we can be excused from Friday’s class.

大卫

好，那就这样决定了！

Hǎo, (third tone, dipping) nà (fourth tone, falling) jiù (fourth tone, falling) zhèyàng (fourth tone, falling) juédìng (second tone, rising) le! (neutral tone)

Right — that is settled, then!

小美

我现在就上网买票。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) xiànzài (fourth tone, falling) jiù (fourth tone, falling) shàngwǎng (fourth tone, falling) mǎi (third tone, dipping) piào. (fourth tone, falling)

I will book the tickets online right now.

阿明

太好了！我们这次一定玩得很高兴。

Tài (fourth tone, falling) hǎo (third tone, dipping) le! (neutral tone) Wǒmen (third tone, dipping) zhè (fourth tone, falling) cì (fourth tone, falling) yídìng (second tone, rising) wán (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) hěn (third tone, dipping) gāoxìng. (first tone, high and level)

Excellent! We are going to have a wonderful time.