How to introduce someone in a business setting
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| INTRODUCTION |
| John: Hi everyone, and welcome back to CantoneseClass101.com. This is Business Cantonese for Beginners Season 1 Lesson 2 - Introducing a Coworker in Hong Kong. John here. |
| Siuling: 大家好！(daai6 gaa1 hou2!) I'm Siuling. |
| John: In this lesson, you’ll learn how to introduce someone in a business setting. The conversation takes place at an office. |
| Siuling: It's between Monica and John. |
| John: The speakers are employee and customer, therefore, they will speak formal Cantonese. Okay, let's listen to the conversation. |
| DIALOGUE |
| 黃小芬: 呢位係我哋嘅市場專員，張小姐。 |
| (wong4 siu2 fan1: ni1 wai2 hai6 ngo5 dei6 ge3 si5 coeng4 zyun1 jyun4, zoeng1 siu2 ze2.) |
| 張麗珊: 我係張麗珊，英文名係 Linda，多多指教。 |
| (zoeng1 lai6 saan1: ngo5 hai6 zoeng1 lai6 saan1, jing1 man4 meng2 hai6 Linda, do1 do1 zi2 gaau3.) |
| 李家明: 我叫李家明，多多指教。 |
| (lei5 gaa1 ming4: ngo5 giu3 lei5 gaa1 ming4, do1 do1 zi2 gaau3.) |
| 黃小芬: Linda，李先生想了解一下我哋嘅新服務，你可以同佢解釋嗎？ |
| (wong4 siu2 fan1: Linda, lei5 sin1 saang1 soeng2 liu5 gaai2 jat1 haa5 ngo5 dei6 ge3 san1 fuk6 mou6, nei5 ho2 ji5 tung4 keoi5 gaai2 sik1 maa3?) |
| 張麗珊: 當然可以，李生對邊方面有興趣？ |
| (zoeng1 lai6 saan1: dong1 jin4 ho2 ji5, lei5 saang1 deoi3 bin1 fong1 min6 jau5 hing3 ceoi3?) |
| John: Listen to the conversation one time slowly. |
| 黃小芬: 呢位係我哋嘅市場專員，張小姐。 |
| (wong4 siu2 fan1: ni1 wai2 hai6 ngo5 dei6 ge3 si5 coeng4 zyun1 jyun4, zoeng1 siu2 ze2.) |
| 張麗珊: 我係張麗珊，英文名係 Linda，多多指教。 |
| (zoeng1 lai6 saan1: ngo5 hai6 zoeng1 lai6 saan1, jing1 man4 meng2 hai6 Linda, do1 do1 zi2 gaau3.) |
| 李家明: 我叫李家明，多多指教。 |
| (lei5 gaa1 ming4: ngo5 giu3 lei5 gaa1 ming4, do1 do1 zi2 gaau3.) |
| 黃小芬: Linda，李先生想了解一下我哋嘅新服務，你可以同佢解釋嗎？ |
| (wong4 siu2 fan1: Linda, lei5 sin1 saang1 soeng2 liu5 gaai2 jat1 haa5 ngo5 dei6 ge3 san1 fuk6 mou6, nei5 ho2 ji5 tung4 keoi5 gaai2 sik1 maa3?) |
| 張麗珊: 當然可以，李生對邊方面有興趣？ |
| (zoeng1 lai6 saan1: dong1 jin4 ho2 ji5, lei5 saang1 deoi3 bin1 fong1 min6 jau5 hing3 ceoi3?) |
| John: Listen to the conversation with the English translation. |
| 黃小芬: 呢位係我哋嘅市場專員，張小姐。 |
| (wong4 siu2 fan1: ni1 wai2 hai6 ngo5 dei6 ge3 si5 coeng4 zyun1 jyun4, zoeng1 siu2 ze2.) |
| Monica: This is our marketing specialist, Ms. Cheung. |
| 張麗珊: 我係張麗珊，英文名係 Linda，多多指教。 |
| (zoeng1 lai6 saan1: ngo5 hai6 zoeng1 lai6 saan1, jing1 man4 meng2 hai6 Linda, do1 do1 zi2 gaau3.) |
| Linda: I am Cheung Lai San. You can call me Linda, nice to meet you. |
| 李家明: 我叫李家明，多多指教。 |
| (lei5 gaa1 ming4: ngo5 giu3 lei5 gaa1 ming4, do1 do1 zi2 gaau3.) |
| John: My name is Lee Ka Ming, very happy to meet you. |
| 黃小芬: Linda，李先生想了解一下我哋嘅新服務，你可以同佢解釋嗎？ |
| (wong4 siu2 fan1: Linda, lei5 sin1 saang1 soeng2 liu5 gaai2 jat1 haa5 ngo5 dei6 ge3 san1 fuk6 mou6, nei5 ho2 ji5 tung4 keoi5 gaai2 sik1 maa3?) |
| Monica: Linda, Mr. Lee would like to see our new offer. Could you tell him something about it? |
| 張麗珊: 當然可以，李生對邊方面有興趣？ |
| (zoeng1 lai6 saan1: dong1 jin4 ho2 ji5, lei5 saang1 deoi3 bin1 fong1 min6 jau5 hing3 ceoi3?) |
| Linda: Of course. What exactly is Mr. Lee interested in? |
| POST CONVERSATION BANTER |
| John: There were a few introductions in the conversation this time, both a self-introduction and introducing someone else. |
| Siuling: Introducing someone else is important. |
| John: And we’ll talk about that in more detail later! I presume that in introductions and business settings in general, we should use formal Cantonese? |
| Siuling: That’s right. Always address someone with Mr., Mrs., or Miss plus their family name. |
| John: Also, use their professional title if they have one, such as professor or doctor. |
| Siuling: For example, 黃小姐 (wong4 siu2 ze2), "Miss Wong," or 黃教授 (wong4 gaau3 sau6) |
| John: "Professor Wong." What format do Chinese names take? |
| Siuling: Chinese names have family names first, then a first name. |
| John: Lots of people from Hong Kong use western names too, right? |
| Siuling: Yes, but only use those if you’re invited to. A useful sentence is 你貴姓呀?(nei5 gwai3 sing3 aa3?) |
| John: "What is your surname?" This is very polite. |
| Siuling: You can reply with 我姓 (ngo5 sing3) plus your surname, or 小姓 (siu2 sing3) plus your surname. |
| John: The second version there is more polite. Okay, now onto the vocab. |
| VOCAB LIST |
| John: Let’s take a look at the vocabulary from this lesson. The first word is... |
| Siuling: 市場專員(si5 coeng4 zyun1 jyun4) [natural native speed] |
| John: "marketing specialist" |
| Siuling: 市場專員(si5 coeng4 zyun1 jyun4)[slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| Siuling: 市場專員(si5 coeng4 zyun1 jyun4) [natural native speed] |
| John: Next we have... |
| Siuling: 想(soeng2) [natural native speed] |
| John: "to want to" |
| Siuling: 想(soeng2)[slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| Siuling: 想(soeng2) [natural native speed] |
| John: Next we have... |
| Siuling: 了解(liu5 gaai2) [natural native speed] |
| John: "to understand, to know" |
| Siuling: 了解(liu5 gaai2)[slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| Siuling: 了解(liu5 gaai2) [natural native speed] |
| John: Next we have... |
| Siuling: 一下(jat1 haa5) [natural native speed] |
| John: "a bit" |
| Siuling: 一下(jat1 haa5)[slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| Siuling: 一下(jat1 haa5) [natural native speed] |
| John: Next we have... |
| Siuling: 新服務(san1 fuk6 mou6) [natural native speed] |
| John: "new service" |
| Siuling: 新服務(san1 fuk6 mou6)[slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| Siuling: 新服務(san1 fuk6 mou6) [natural native speed] |
| John: Next we have... |
| Siuling: 解釋(gaai2 sik1) [natural native speed] |
| John: "to explain" |
| Siuling: 解釋(gaai2 sik1)[slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| Siuling: 解釋(gaai2 sik1) [natural native speed] |
| John: Next we have... |
| Siuling: 當然(dong1 jin4) [natural native speed] |
| John: "of course" |
| Siuling: 當然(dong1 jin4)[slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| Siuling: 當然(dong1 jin4) [natural native speed] |
| John: Next we have... |
| Siuling: 方面(fong1 min6) [natural native speed] |
| John: "aspect" |
| Siuling: 方面(fong1 min6)[slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| Siuling: 方面(fong1 min6) [natural native speed] |
| John: And lastly... |
| Siuling: 興趣(hing3 ceoi3) [natural native speed] |
| John: "interest" |
| Siuling: 興趣(hing3 ceoi3)[slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| Siuling: 興趣(hing3 ceoi3) [natural native speed] |
| KEY VOCAB AND PHRASES |
| John: Let's have a closer look at the usage of some of the words and phrases from this lesson. The first word is... |
| Siuling: 我想了解一下...(ngo5 soeng2 liu5 gaai2 jat1 haa5...) |
| John: meaning "I want to understand a bit about..." |
| John: Let’s break down this phrase. |
| Siuling: First is 我想(ngo5 soeng2 ), which means "I want" and then is 了解(liu5 gaai2) |
| John: Which means "to understand." The last part of this phrase means "a bit." |
| Siuling: That is 一下(jat1 haa5 ). |
| John: You can use this phrase to get more information. |
| Siuling: You can also use 知道(zi1 dou3) instead of 了解(liu5 gaai2). |
| John: Can you give us an example using this phrase? |
| Siuling: Sure. For example, you can say... 我想了解一下你哋嘅新服務。(ngo5 soeng2 liu5 gaai2 jat1 haa5 nei5 dei6 ge3 san1 fuk6 mou6.) |
| John: ...which means "I want to understand a bit about your new service." |
| John: Okay, what's the next word? |
| Siuling: 當然可以(dong1 jin4 ho2 ji5) |
| John: meaning "of course; certainly" |
| John: Ok, let’s break this down too. |
| Siuling: First is 當然(dong1 jin4), meaning "of course", and next is 可以(ho2 ji5). |
| John: This means "can." |
| Siuling: This is another way of saying "yes." |
| John: You can use it to say that something is certain and obvious. Can you give us an example using this word? |
| Siuling: Sure. For example, you can say... 當然可以，冇問題。(dong1 jin4 ho2 ji5, mou5 man6 tai4.) |
| John: ... which means "Of course, no problem." |
| John: Okay, now onto the lesson focus. |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| John: In this lesson, you'll learn about how to introduce your co-worker. |
| John: How should we do this, Siuling? |
| Siuling: First use the appropriate job title, and then give their family name. |
| John: Let’s hear the sentence pattern. |
| Siuling: 呢位係 [TITLE], X(先)生/Y小姐 (ni1 wai2 hai6 [TITLE], X (sin1) saang1 / Y siu2 ze2.) |
| John: "This is, job title, Mr. X or Ms. Y" I think an example would be useful! |
| Siuling: 呢位係我哋嘅市場專員，張小姐。(ni1 wai2 hai6 ngo5 dei6 ge3 si5 coeng4 zyun1 jyun4, zoeng1 siu2 ze2.) |
| John: "This is our marketing specialist, Ms. Cheung." |
| Siuling: 呢位係我哋部門嘅經理，Michael. (ni1 wai2 hai6 ngo5 dei6 bou6 mun4 ge3 ging1 lei5, Michael.) |
| John: "This is the manager of our department, Michael." |
| Siuling: You can also add the short phrase 我想同你介紹 (ngo5 soeng2 tung4 nei5 gaai3 siu6). |
| John: This means "I would like to introduce you to…" |
| Siuling: That last phrase uses 我想 (ngo5 soeng2). |
| John: Which means "I want to…" or "I’d like to…" and you can add a verb after it. |
| Siuling: It’s a useful way to show your intention or desire. |
| John: Next, we’ll learn how to make polite requests of our coworkers. |
| Siuling: The most polite way is 可唔可以請你...? (ho2 m4 ho2 ji3 ceng2 nei5…?) |
| John: "Would you… please?" |
| Siuling: You could also say 你可以...嗎? (nei5 ho2 ji3…maa3?) or 你可唔可以...? (nei5 ho2 m4 ho2 ji3) |
| John: Those both mean "Could you…?" in English, so they’re not quite as polite. Let’s finish with some example sentences of requests. |
| Siuling: 可唔可以請你帶陳生去會議室？(ho2 m4 ho2 ji3 ceng2 nei5 daai3 can4 saang1 heoi3 wui6 ji5 sat1?) |
| John: "Would you bring Mr. Chan to the meeting room please?" |
| Siuling: 你可以影印呢份資料嗎？(nei5 ho2 ji3 jing2 jan3 ni1 fan6 zi1 liu2 maa3?) |
| John: "Could you copy this information?" |
| Siuling: 你可唔可以講解呢份報告？(nei5 ho2 m4 ho2 ji3 gong2 gaai2 ni1 fan6 bou3 gou3?) |
| John: "Could you explain this report?" |
Outro |
| John: Okay, that’s all for this lesson. Thank you for listening, everyone, and we’ll see you next time! Bye! |
| Siuling: 拜拜！(baai1 baai3!) |
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