Most people spend the majority of their waking hours at work, at least 5 days per week. Occasionally problems or issues will arise and it’s useful to know how to talk about them and, hopefully, solve them by talking them through with colleagues or managers.
In this Podcast, you will learn:
(i) To discuss a problem or issue which has arisen at work (ii) How to make suggestions to solve such problems
Dialogue: A manager is talking to his subordinate about a recent work issue:
A：李刚，你来一下。Lǐgāng, nǐ lái yīxià.
Gang, please come here for a minute.
B: 哎，什么事儿王经理。A, shénme shì er wáng jīnglǐ.
What is the matter, Manager Wang?
A: 这周你上班经常迟到早退啊。怎么，家里有什么事儿么？Zhè zhōu nǐ shàngbān jīngcháng chídào zǎotuì a. Zěnme, jiā li yǒu shé me shì er me?
This week you have often come late and left early. Why? Is there something wrong at home?
B: 真是抱歉。我老婆这周出差了，我得每天接送孩子上下学。我一个人还真有点搞不定。Zhēnshi bàoqiàn. Wǒ lǎopó zhè zhōu chūchāile, wǒ dé měitiān jiēsòng háizi shàngxià xué. Wǒ yīgè rén hái zhēn yǒudiǎn gǎo bùdìng.
I am really sorry. My wife is on a business trip this week, and I have to pick up and drop off my children at school. I am a bit overwhelmed.
A: 哦我能理解。但是，还是不能耽误工作啊。Ó wǒ néng lǐjiě. Dànshì, háishì bùnéng dānwù gōngzuò a.
I understand, but you cannot be late for work.
B: 对，您说的对。明天开始我父母会过来帮忙。我就能恢复正常了。您放心。Duì, nín shuō de duì. Míngtiān kāishǐ wǒ fùmǔ huì guòlái bāngmáng. Wǒ jiù néng huīfù zhèngchángle. Nín fàngxīn.
Yes, you are right. Tomorrow my parents will come and help and after that I will return to normal. There’s no need to worry.
Chinese words and phrases mentioned in this Podcast:
来一下：come here
经理：manager
这周：this week
上班：go to work
经常：often
吃到早退：come to work late and leave early
家里：family, home
有什么事儿：What is the matter?
真是抱歉：apologise sincerely
老婆：wife
出差了：on a business trip
我得：I have to
每天：everyday
接送孩子：take children to school and bring them back
搞不定：cannot handle it
我能理解：I understand
但是：but, however
耽误：delay, influence
您说的对：you are right
明天开始：starting tomorrow
我父母：my parents
恢复正常：return to normal
放心：be at ease, don’t worry