An Argument About Money

阿明

大卫，有件事我想跟你说一下。

Dàwèi, (fourth tone, falling) yǒu (third tone, dipping) jiàn (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) gēn (first tone, high and level) nǐ (third tone, dipping) shuō (first tone, high and level) yíxià. (second tone, rising)

David, there is something I want to talk to you about.

大卫

你说吧，什么事？

Nǐ (third tone, dipping) shuō (first tone, high and level) ba, (neutral tone) shénme (second tone, rising) shì? (fourth tone, falling)

Go ahead. What is it?

阿明

两个月以前，你跟我借了八百块，记得吗？

Liǎng (third tone, dipping) ge (neutral tone) yuè (fourth tone, falling) yǐqián, (third tone, dipping) nǐ (third tone, dipping) gēn (first tone, high and level) wǒ (third tone, dipping) jiè (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) bābǎi (first tone, high and level) kuài, (fourth tone, falling) jìde (fourth tone, falling) ma? (neutral tone)

Two months ago you borrowed eight hundred yuan from me. Do you remember?

大卫

记得啊。怎么了？

Jìde (fourth tone, falling) a. (neutral tone) Zěnme (third tone, dipping) le? (neutral tone)

Of course I do. Why?

阿明

我下个月要回家，机票有点儿贵，所以……

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) xià (fourth tone, falling) ge (neutral tone) yuè (fourth tone, falling) yào (fourth tone, falling) huí (second tone, rising) jiā, (first tone, high and level) jīpiào (first tone, high and level) yǒudiǎnr (third tone, dipping) guì, (fourth tone, falling) suǒyǐ…… (third tone, dipping)

I am going home next month and the flight is rather expensive, so…

大卫

你怎么现在才说？我以为你不着急。

Nǐ (third tone, dipping) zěnme (third tone, dipping) xiànzài (fourth tone, falling) cái (second tone, rising) shuō? (first tone, high and level) Wǒ (third tone, dipping) yǐwéi (third tone, dipping) nǐ (third tone, dipping) bù (fourth tone, falling) zháojí. (second tone, rising)

Why are you only telling me now? I assumed you were in no hurry.

阿明

我提过一次，你可能忘了。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) tí (second tone, rising) guo (neutral tone) yí (second tone, rising) cì, (fourth tone, falling) nǐ (third tone, dipping) kěnéng (third tone, dipping) wàng (fourth tone, falling) le. (neutral tone)

I did mention it once — you may have forgotten.

大卫

真的吗？我一点儿也想不起来。

Zhēn (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) ma? (neutral tone) Wǒ (third tone, dipping) yìdiǎnr (fourth tone, falling) yě (third tone, dipping) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) bu (neutral tone) qǐlái. (third tone, dipping)

Really? I have no recollection of it at all.

阿明

那天在超市，我说了机票的事，你说“知道了”。

Nà (fourth tone, falling) tiān (first tone, high and level) zài (fourth tone, falling) chāoshì, (first tone, high and level) wǒ (third tone, dipping) shuō (first tone, high and level) le (neutral tone) jīpiào (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) shì, (fourth tone, falling) nǐ (third tone, dipping) shuō (first tone, high and level) “zhīdào (first tone, high and level) le”. (neutral tone)

That day in the supermarket, I brought up the ticket and you said, “Got it.”

大卫

好像是有这么一次。对不起，我最近事情太多了。

Hǎoxiàng (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling) yǒu (third tone, dipping) zhème (fourth tone, falling) yí (second tone, rising) cì. (fourth tone, falling) Duìbuqǐ, (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) zuìjìn (fourth tone, falling) shìqing (fourth tone, falling) tài (fourth tone, falling) duō (first tone, high and level) le. (neutral tone)

There may well have been a moment like that. Sorry — I have had a lot on lately.

阿明

我不是生气，我只是有点儿着急。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) bú (second tone, rising) shì (fourth tone, falling) shēngqì, (first tone, high and level) wǒ (third tone, dipping) zhǐshì (third tone, dipping) yǒudiǎnr (third tone, dipping) zháojí. (second tone, rising)

I am not angry — I am just a little pressed.

大卫

我明白。你现在就要用钱吗？

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) míngbai. (second tone, rising) Nǐ (third tone, dipping) xiànzài (fourth tone, falling) jiù (fourth tone, falling) yào (fourth tone, falling) yòng (fourth tone, falling) qián (second tone, rising) ma? (neutral tone)

I understand. Do you need the money right away?

阿明

是的。我要先给钱，才能拿到票。

Shì (fourth tone, falling) de. (neutral tone) Wǒ (third tone, dipping) yào (fourth tone, falling) xiān (first tone, high and level) gěi (third tone, dipping) qián, (second tone, rising) cái (second tone, rising) néng (second tone, rising) ná (second tone, rising) dào (fourth tone, falling) piào. (fourth tone, falling)

Yes. I have to pay before I can get the ticket.

大卫

其实上个月我给你买过两次饭，我以为那也算还了一点儿。

Qíshí (second tone, rising) shàng (fourth tone, falling) ge (neutral tone) yuè (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) gěi (third tone, dipping) nǐ (third tone, dipping) mǎi (third tone, dipping) guo (neutral tone) liǎng (third tone, dipping) cì (fourth tone, falling) fàn, (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) yǐwéi (third tone, dipping) nà (fourth tone, falling) yě (third tone, dipping) suàn (fourth tone, falling) huán (second tone, rising) le (neutral tone) yìdiǎnr. (fourth tone, falling)

Actually, I bought you lunch twice last month — I thought that counted as paying some of it back.

阿明

两次饭一共才八十块，跟八百块不一样。

Liǎng (third tone, dipping) cì (fourth tone, falling) fàn (fourth tone, falling) yígòng (second tone, rising) cái (second tone, rising) bāshí (first tone, high and level) kuài, (fourth tone, falling) gēn (first tone, high and level) bābǎi (first tone, high and level) kuài (fourth tone, falling) bù (fourth tone, falling) yíyàng. (second tone, rising)

Two lunches come to eighty yuan in all — that is not the same as eight hundred.

大卫

你说得对。是我想得太简单了，真不好意思。

Nǐ (third tone, dipping) shuō (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) duì. (fourth tone, falling) Shì (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) xiǎng (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) tài (fourth tone, falling) jiǎndān (third tone, dipping) le, (neutral tone) zhēn (first tone, high and level) bù (fourth tone, falling) hǎoyìsi. (third tone, dipping)

You are right. I was thinking too loosely about it. I am genuinely sorry.

阿明

我们是好朋友，钱的事说清楚更好。

Wǒmen (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling) hǎo (third tone, dipping) péngyou, (second tone, rising) qián (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) shì (fourth tone, falling) shuō (first tone, high and level) qīngchu (first tone, high and level) gèng (fourth tone, falling) hǎo. (third tone, dipping)

We are good friends — money is better talked through clearly.

大卫

对。我现在能先还你四百，下个月十五号发工资，我再还你四百。

Duì. (fourth tone, falling) Wǒ (third tone, dipping) xiànzài (fourth tone, falling) néng (second tone, rising) xiān (first tone, high and level) huán (second tone, rising) nǐ (third tone, dipping) sìbǎi, (fourth tone, falling) xià (fourth tone, falling) ge (neutral tone) yuè (fourth tone, falling) shíwǔ (second tone, rising) hào (fourth tone, falling) fā (first tone, high and level) gōngzī, (first tone, high and level) wǒ (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) huán (second tone, rising) nǐ (third tone, dipping) sìbǎi. (fourth tone, falling)

Agreed. I can give you four hundred now, and the other four hundred when I am paid on the fifteenth.

阿明

可以，这样就行了。

Kěyǐ, (third tone, dipping) zhèyàng (fourth tone, falling) jiù (fourth tone, falling) xíng (second tone, rising) le. (neutral tone)

That is fine — that works.

大卫

我现在就用手机给你转过去。

Wǒ (third tone, dipping) xiànzài (fourth tone, falling) jiù (fourth tone, falling) yòng (fourth tone, falling) shǒujī (third tone, dipping) gěi (third tone, dipping) nǐ (third tone, dipping) zhuǎn (third tone, dipping) guòqù. (fourth tone, falling)

I will transfer it to you from my phone right now.

阿明

好。以后我们借钱都写下来，好吗？这样谁也不会忘。

Hǎo. (third tone, dipping) Yǐhòu (third tone, dipping) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) jiè (fourth tone, falling) qián (second tone, rising) dōu (first tone, high and level) xiě (third tone, dipping) xiàlái, (fourth tone, falling) hǎo (third tone, dipping) ma? (neutral tone) Zhèyàng (fourth tone, falling) shéi (second tone, rising) yě (third tone, dipping) bú (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling) wàng. (fourth tone, falling)

Good. From now on let us write down whatever we lend each other — then neither of us forgets.

大卫

应该的。真抱歉，是我的问题。

Yīnggāi (first tone, high and level) de. (neutral tone) Zhēn (first tone, high and level) bàoqiàn, (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) wǒ (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) wèntí. (fourth tone, falling)

We should. I really am sorry — this was my fault.

阿明

没关系，说清楚就好了。

Méi (second tone, rising) guānxi, (first tone, high and level) shuō (first tone, high and level) qīngchu (first tone, high and level) jiù (fourth tone, falling) hǎo (third tone, dipping) le. (neutral tone)

It is all right — once it is said plainly, it is fine.

大卫

谢谢你告诉我。以后有什么事，你一定要早点儿说。

Xièxie (fourth tone, falling) nǐ (third tone, dipping) gàosu (fourth tone, falling) wǒ. (third tone, dipping) Yǐhòu (third tone, dipping) yǒu (third tone, dipping) shénme (second tone, rising) shì, (fourth tone, falling) nǐ (third tone, dipping) yídìng (second tone, rising) yào (fourth tone, falling) zǎo (third tone, dipping) diǎnr (third tone, dipping) shuō. (first tone, high and level)

Thank you for telling me. Next time something comes up, say so earlier.