Taiwanese Lesson 12

Please say hi to your family for me.	qiaN hiong lin zuan-ga mng-hë	zuân-ga = 全家 the whole family
Please say hi to grandpa Chen for me.	qiaN hiong dan a-gong mng-hë
same old	gang-kuaN an-ne seN
be free, have free time	u-ing
to help	dau-ka-qiu	qiú = 手 hand
life	sing-wah	生活
custom, accustom	guan-xi	慣勢=習慣
say hi for me	mng-hë
what time is it now?	jit-ma gui diam aº	guí = 幾 how much/many
It’s exactly 10 am.	jit-ma si tsai-khi tsap-tiam	zái-kí = morning
I invited some friends to lunch.	ggua yok bing-yu diong-dau zë-hue jiah-bng	yok = 約 make an appointment, diong-dàu = 中晝 noon, zô-hué = together
I have to hurry up and leave or else I’ll be late.	guaN-gin cut-mng aº, na-bbë e di-dë	guáN-gín = (趕緊 = 趕快) hurry up
How long will it take to get to the Hyatt?	ki kai-wat bng-diam su-yau ggua-ze xi-gan	kái-wa̍t = Hyatt, bn̅g-diàm = 飯店 hotel
It takes half an hour from here by car.	dui jia ze qia ki su-yau buaN xië-xi	duî jia = from here, su-yàu = 需要 require/need, puàN = 半 half, xió-xî = 小時 an hour
What time do you start work?	li gui diam xiong-ban?	xiōng-ban = 上班 start work
I start work at 9 o’clock.	ggua gau-diam xiong-ban
What time do you get off work?	li gui diam ha-ban?	hā-ban = 下班 get off work
I get off work at 6pm.	ggua e-bo liok-diam ha-ban.	ē-bơ = (下晡=下午) afternoon
How long is your English class?	li xiong ing-bbun kë su-yau lua-gu?	ing-bbûn kò = 英文課 English class; ggua = lua
A class is an hour and a half	jit-dong-kë su-yau xiong jit-diam buaN jing.	jἰt-dông-kò = 一堂課 one class, jἰt-diám buàN jing = 一點半鐘 hour and a half

Taiwanese Lesson 11

you’re going out?	li bbeh cut-kiº oh
be careful on the road	lo xiong ai se-li	lơ̅ xiōng = 路上 on the road, ài = (愛=要) want/will, sè-lī = (細膩=小心) be careful
have you eaten?	li jiah-ba bbue	jia̍h-bá = 吃飽 eaten full, bbuē = yet
is somebody at home?	u lang di-lehº bboº	dī-lehº = to be doing / be there
where are you going?	li bbeh ki dë-wi
goodbye (to guests leaving)	sun-giaN aº
can you speak Taiwanese?	li gam e-hiau gong dai-ggi?	gám = question marker
I can speak a little English.	ggua e-hiau gong jit-sut-a ing-ggi	jἰt-sut-á = some, a little
How are you, Mr. Chen?	dan xienº-xiNº, li hë?
Hi, what have you been up to?	li hë, zue-gin di-lehº bbë-ing xiaN-mih	bbô-îng = 無閒 busy (no free)
Same old, same old	a-xi gang-kuan	gâng-kuán = the same
Come over when you’re free.	u ing qiaN lai gguan(ggun) dau qit-të	qit-tô = for fun / to play, gguán(ggún) dau = our place/home
do you need any help?	su-yau dau-ka-qiu bbëº	su-yàu = need
no, thanks	bmien aº, dë-xia li
how’s life?	jit-ma-e xing-wah gue-liau an-zuaN?	xing-wa̍h = 生活 life, guè-liáu = 過了 pass by, án-zuáN (ánnuáN) = 怎麼樣 how so?
pretty much accustomed already	ca-but-dë i-geN guan-xi aº	í-geN = 已經 already, guàn-xì = (慣勢=習慣) accustomed, aº = perfective marker used with “already”
how’s your home (family)?	li cu-lai hë bbëº?	cù-lāi = 厝內=家裡 at home, in the home
Come sit (=and chat) if you’ve got time.	u ing lai ze.	îng = 閒 free time, zē = 坐 sit
I can do it myself, thank you.	ggua ga-di lai diëh hë, dë xia	ga-dī / ga-gī = 家己=自己 oneself, lâi = 來 come, here it means to “come” and do something
Please say hi to Mrs. Chen for me.	qiaN hiong dan tai-tai mng-hë	hiòng = 向 towards, dân = 陳 Chen, mn̅g-hó = 問好 ask after/about someone

Taiwanese Lesson 10

I understand now	ggua bbing beh aº	bbîng beh = 明白understand, aº = perfective marker meaning something has changed, usually “now” in English
correct, right	dioh
incorrect	m-dioh
I can’t	ggua bbe hiau	bbē = general verb for cannot, hiáu = 曉 know how (to)
I don’t understand	ggua m bbat	bbat = to recognize / know someone/something
what are you doing?	cong xiaN mih
is there?	gam u	gám = question marker
right?	gam dioh
how are you?	li hë
hello everybody	dak-ge hë
how have you been?	zue-gin hë bbëº	zuè-gīn = recently
not bad	bbe bbai
goodbye	zai gien
see you tomorrow	bbin-a-zai zai-gien
how’s your health?	li-e xin-te hë bbëº	xin-té = 身體body
thanks, I’m great	do-xia, ggua jiaN hë	giâN = really
long time no see	jin-gu bbë giN-bbin aº	gú = long time, gìN-bbīn = 看面 see
it’s great to see you	kuaN dioh li jiaN hë	kuàN dioh = 看到 able to see
take care	qiaN bë-diong	bó-diōng = 保重 take care of oneself
thanks for thinking of me	do-xia li dui ggua-e guan-xim	duì = 對 towards, guan-xim = 關心 care

Taiwanese Lesson 09

Congratulations on getting into college	giong-hi li kë-diau dai-hak	恭喜你考著大學
Congratulations on getting into high school	giong-hi li kë-diau gë-diong	恭喜你考著高中
good, ok	hë	好
it is, yes	xi	是
it isn’t, no	m-xi	毋是
may, allowed to, able to	e-sai	會使
may not, not allowed to, no way	bbe-sai	[勿會]使
want to, will	bbeh	欲
not want to, will not	bbë-ai	無愛
no problem	bbë-bbun-de	無問題
there’s a problem	u-bbun-de	有問題
think about it, consider it	kë-lu jit-e	考慮一下
think a moment	xiuN jit-e	想一下
oh, is it?	oh, xi-m-xi	喔, 是毋是?
is that so?	gam an-ne	敢按呢
really?	gam jiaN zng-e	敢真正耶
you’re right	li gong-liau dioh	你講了著
never heard of such a thing	bbë tiaN-gue jit-kuan dai-ji	沒聽過這款代誌
I don’t know	ggua m zai	我毋知
I’m not too clear about that	ggua bbë qing-cë	我無清楚, qing-cë = clear

Taiwanese Lesson 08

at right	di-jiaN-bing	佇正旁
left turn	do-wat	倒斡
right turn	jiaN-wattd>	正斡
ahead	tau-jing	頭前
behind	au-biah	後壁
above	ding-guan	頂懸
below	e-ka	下腳
to the east	dang-bing	東平
to the west	se-bing	西平
to the south	lam-bing	南平
to the north	bak-bing	北平
congratulations	giong-hi, giong-hi	恭喜, 恭喜
gongxi fa-cai	giong-hi huat-cai	恭喜發財
Happy New Year	xin-ni-hë	新年好
Wish you a Happy New Year	jiok li xin-ni kuai-lok	祝你新年快樂
Wish you a Happy Birthday	jiok li seN-jit kuai-lok	祝你生日快樂
Merry Christmas	jiok li xieN-dan-jiet kuai-lok	祝你聖誕節快樂
Congratulations on the birth of your child	giong-hi li seN-giaN	恭喜你生子
Congratulations on the birth of your grandchild	giong-hi li po sun-a	恭喜你抱孫啊
Congratulations on your marriage	giong-hi l giet-hun	恭喜你結婚

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