THE CHINESE TEACHER (先生).
Reading edition
I want a (Chinese) teacher. 我要請一位先生 Ngoo iau tshing ih-we sien-sang.
I want to learn Mandarin. 我要學官話 Ngoo iau ’auh Kwen-wo.
I want to learn the Shanghai dialect. 我要學上海土白 Ngoo iau ’auh Zaung-he thoo-bak.
Good morning, teacher. 先生早呀 Sien-sang tsau ’a.
My Chinese words are few. 我个中國說話勿多 Ngoo-kuh Tsoong-kok seh-wo ’veh-too.
I want to study in the morning. 我要拉早晨讀書 Ngoo iau la tsau-zung dok-su.
What hour in the morning to begin? 早晨幾點鐘起頭 Tsau-zung kyi tien-tsoong chi-deu?
From seven to eight o’clock. 七點鐘到八點鐘 Tshih tien-tsoong tau pah tien-tsoong.
Can you come earlier? 儂能彀早點來否 Noong nung-keu tsau-tien le va?
What hour is most convenient? 啥時候頂便當 Sa z-’eu ting bien-taung.
How much a month do you wish? 每月儂要幾化薪水 ’Me nyoeh noong iau kyi-kau sing-soe?
If each day [we] study one hour [I] want eight dollars. 若是每日讀一點鐘要八塊洋錢 Zak-z ’me nyih dok ih tien-tsoong iau pah-khwe yang-dien.
What book do you think I should study? 儂想讀啥个書 Noong siang dok sa-kuh su?
To aspirate is important. 出風是要緊个 Tsheh-foong z iau-kyung kuh.
Read it over again. 再讀一遍 Tse dok ih-pien.
[To teacher] Should I learn to write the characters? 儂想我要學寫中國字否 Noong siang ngoo iau ’auh sia Tsoong-kok z va?
[To teacher] Do I speak correctly? 我話來對否 Ngoo wo le te va?
[To student] You do not speak distinctly. 儂話來勿淸爽 Noong wo le ’veh tshing-saung.
Speak more quickly. 話來快點 Wo-le khwa-tien.
Speak more slowly. 話來慢點 Wo-le man-tien.
You speak too quick. 儂話來忒决 Noong wo le thuh-khwa.
To listen to other people’s idiom is important. 聼別人个話法是要緊个 Thing bih-nyung-kuh wo-fah z iau-kyung-kuh.
[We have] finished the study of this book; may [we] study Yates’ Lessons? 第本書讀完之,可以讀中國譯語妙法否 Di pung su dok-wen-ts, khau-i dok Tsoong-kok Yuk Nyui Miau Fah va? * Since writing these Sentences new Lessons on the Shanghai Dialect have been prepared by Rev. L. Hawks Pott, D.D.(卜先生)
Sir, please write a letter for me. 先生請儂替我寫一封信 Sien-sang, tshing noong thi ngoo sia ih foong sing.
[To teacher] To-morrow I have matters [to attend to] and will not be able to study. 明朝我有事體, 勿能讀書 Ming-tsau ngoo yeu z-thi, ’veh nung dok-su.
[To student] The day after to-morrow I go from home and cannot come to teach. 後日我要出門, 勿能來敎書 ‘Eu-nyih ngoo iau tsheh-mung, ’veh nung le kau su.
At the beginning, of next week I want to go to the hills for a summer holiday, so in the meantime we will stop for a week. 下禮拜起, 我要上山歇夏, 所以暫時停一个月 ‘Au li-pa chi, ngoo iau zaung san hyih ‘au, soo-i dzan z ding ih-kuh nyoeh.