Renting a Room

阿明

您好，我是学校的留学生，我想在这儿租一个房间。

Nín (second tone, rising) hǎo, (third tone, dipping) wǒ (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling) xuéxiào (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) liúxuéshēng, (second tone, rising) wǒ (third tone, dipping) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) zhèr (fourth tone, falling) zū (first tone, high and level) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) fángjiān. (second tone, rising)

Hello. I am an international student at the university, and I would like to rent a room here.

房东

你好。我这儿有两个房间，一个在二楼，一个在四楼。

Nǐ (third tone, dipping) hǎo. (third tone, dipping) Wǒ (third tone, dipping) zhèr (fourth tone, falling) yǒu (third tone, dipping) liǎng (third tone, dipping) ge (neutral tone) fángjiān, (second tone, rising) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) zài (fourth tone, falling) èr (fourth tone, falling) lóu, (second tone, rising) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) zài (fourth tone, falling) sì (fourth tone, falling) lóu. (second tone, rising)

Hello. I have two rooms free — one on the second floor and one on the fourth.

阿明

有电梯吗？

Yǒu (third tone, dipping) diàntī (fourth tone, falling) ma? (neutral tone)

Is there a lift?

房东

有电梯。四楼的房间大一点儿，也安静一点儿。

Yǒu (third tone, dipping) diàntī. (fourth tone, falling) Sì (fourth tone, falling) lóu (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) fángjiān (second tone, rising) dà (fourth tone, falling) yìdiǎnr, (fourth tone, falling) yě (third tone, dipping) ānjìng (first tone, high and level) yìdiǎnr. (fourth tone, falling)

There is. The fourth-floor room is a little bigger, and quieter too.

阿明

我可以看看吗？

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) kànkan (fourth tone, falling) ma? (neutral tone)

May I have a look?

房东

当然可以，请跟我上去。

Dāngrán (first tone, high and level) kěyǐ, (third tone, dipping) qǐng (third tone, dipping) gēn (first tone, high and level) wǒ (third tone, dipping) shàngqù. (fourth tone, falling)

Of course. Come up with me.

房东

你看，这个房间在南边，太阳很好。

Nǐ (third tone, dipping) kàn, (fourth tone, falling) zhège (fourth tone, falling) fángjiān (second tone, rising) zài (fourth tone, falling) nánbian, (second tone, rising) tàiyáng (fourth tone, falling) hěn (third tone, dipping) hǎo. (third tone, dipping)

Look — the room faces south, so it gets plenty of sun.

阿明

房间很干净。里面有空调吗？北京的夏天太热了。

Fángjiān (second tone, rising) hěn (third tone, dipping) gānjìng. (first tone, high and level) Lǐmiàn (third tone, dipping) yǒu (third tone, dipping) kōngtiáo (first tone, high and level) ma? (neutral tone) Běijīng (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) xiàtiān (fourth tone, falling) tài (fourth tone, falling) rè (fourth tone, falling) le. (neutral tone)

It is very clean. Is there air conditioning? Beijing summers are unbearable.

房东

有空调，还有一个小冰箱。床、桌子和椅子都是新的。

Yǒu (third tone, dipping) kōngtiáo, (first tone, high and level) hái (second tone, rising) yǒu (third tone, dipping) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) xiǎo (third tone, dipping) bīngxiāng. (first tone, high and level) Chuáng, (second tone, rising) zhuōzi (first tone, high and level) hé (second tone, rising) yǐzi (third tone, dipping) dōu (first tone, high and level) shì (fourth tone, falling) xīn (first tone, high and level) de. (neutral tone)

There is, and a small fridge as well. The bed, desk and chair are all new.

阿明

洗手间呢？

Xǐshǒujiān (third tone, dipping) ne? (neutral tone)

And the bathroom?

房东

洗手间在旁边，是你自己用的。

Xǐshǒujiān (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) pángbiān, (second tone, rising) shì (fourth tone, falling) nǐ (third tone, dipping) zìjǐ (fourth tone, falling) yòng (fourth tone, falling) de. (neutral tone)

Just next door, and it is yours alone.

阿明

上网方便吗？我每天晚上都要跟家里打电话。

Shàngwǎng (fourth tone, falling) fāngbiàn (first tone, high and level) ma? (neutral tone) Wǒ (third tone, dipping) měi (third tone, dipping) tiān (first tone, high and level) wǎnshang (third tone, dipping) dōu (first tone, high and level) yào (fourth tone, falling) gēn (first tone, high and level) jiā (first tone, high and level) lǐ (third tone, dipping) dǎ (third tone, dipping) diànhuà. (fourth tone, falling)

Is the internet good? I call my family every evening.

房东

方便，楼里有网。

Fāngbiàn, (first tone, high and level) lóu (second tone, rising) lǐ (third tone, dipping) yǒu (third tone, dipping) wǎng. (third tone, dipping)

It is — the building has wi-fi.

阿明

一个月多少钱？

Yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) yuè (fourth tone, falling) duōshao (first tone, high and level) qián? (second tone, rising)

How much a month?

房东

两千五百块。

Liǎngqiān (third tone, dipping) wǔbǎi (third tone, dipping) kuài. (fourth tone, falling)

Two thousand five hundred yuan.

阿明

有一点儿贵。我是学生，能便宜一些吗？

Yǒu (third tone, dipping) yìdiǎnr (fourth tone, falling) guì. (fourth tone, falling) Wǒ (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling) xuésheng, (second tone, rising) néng (second tone, rising) piányi (second tone, rising) yìxiē (fourth tone, falling) ma? (neutral tone)

That is a bit steep. I am a student — could you come down a little?

房东

两千三，不能再少了。这儿离地铁站只要走五分钟。

Liǎngqiān (third tone, dipping) sān, (first tone, high and level) bù (fourth tone, falling) néng (second tone, rising) zài (fourth tone, falling) shǎo (third tone, dipping) le. (neutral tone) Zhèr (fourth tone, falling) lí (second tone, rising) dìtiězhàn (fourth tone, falling) zhǐ (third tone, dipping) yào (fourth tone, falling) zǒu (third tone, dipping) wǔ (third tone, dipping) fēnzhōng. (first tone, high and level)

Two thousand three hundred, and no lower. It is a five-minute walk to the metro station.

阿明

附近有超市吗？

Fùjìn (fourth tone, falling) yǒu (third tone, dipping) chāoshì (first tone, high and level) ma? (neutral tone)

Is there a supermarket nearby?

房东

楼下就有一个超市，旁边还有一个公园。

Lóu (second tone, rising) xià (fourth tone, falling) jiù (fourth tone, falling) yǒu (third tone, dipping) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) chāoshì, (first tone, high and level) pángbiān (second tone, rising) hái (second tone, rising) yǒu (third tone, dipping) yí (second tone, rising) ge (neutral tone) gōngyuán. (first tone, high and level)

There is one right downstairs, and a park next to it.

阿明

那我很满意。我下个星期六可以搬进来吗？

Nà (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) hěn (third tone, dipping) mǎnyì. (third tone, dipping) Wǒ (third tone, dipping) xià (fourth tone, falling) ge (neutral tone) xīngqīliù (first tone, high and level) kěyǐ (third tone, dipping) bān (first tone, high and level) jìnlái (fourth tone, falling) ma? (neutral tone)

Then I am happy with it. May I move in next Saturday?

房东

可以。你先给我看一下护照，我们把事情写清楚。

Kěyǐ. (third tone, dipping) Nǐ (third tone, dipping) xiān (first tone, high and level) gěi (third tone, dipping) wǒ (third tone, dipping) kàn (fourth tone, falling) yíxià (second tone, rising) hùzhào, (fourth tone, falling) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) bǎ (third tone, dipping) shìqing (fourth tone, falling) xiě (third tone, dipping) qīngchu. (first tone, high and level)

You may. Show me your passport first, and let us put everything down in writing.

阿明

没问题，谢谢您！

Méi (second tone, rising) wèntí, (fourth tone, falling) xièxie (fourth tone, falling) nín! (second tone, rising)

No problem at all. Thank you!