Her Parents

silentnoise

May 14, 2009, 11:26 PM

Could someone also tell me how to say 'please to meet you' in a respectful way?

helenshen_counselor

May 15, 2009, 07:59 AM

Nice to meet you! 见到你们真是太高兴了！jiàndào nǐmen zhēn shì tài gāoxìng le!

jckeith

May 14, 2009, 11:57 PM

Unfortunately, I don't know what would be most appropriate. However, there is an Intermediate lesson which you might find helpful: Introducing Oneself to the Family. If the dialogue is any indication, just heap on the praise and you'll be fine. There is some discussion in the lesson comments which might prove useful too. Sorry, I can't be of more help, but at least this will get bumped. All of the frequent commenters here at CPod seem to live in the Eastern hemisphere and thus this place doesn't really become active until a few hours from now.

If you want to say "Pleased to meet you", you can say 我很高兴认识你。Unfortunately, I'm not sure how formal this is.

bababardwan

May 15, 2009, 01:07 AM

brendankyle,

I suggest you try the dear amber episode on meeting the inlaws which is here .Good luck mate :)

Tal

May 15, 2009, 02:10 AM

@miantiao - far be it from me to nitpick your wonderful Chinese, but you can't say 您们 can you? I thought 您 could not take 们, maybe I'm mistaken.

Anyway brendankyle, you should also be aware that if you are being introduced to the parents then you are already being seen as the son-in-law to be, no two ways about it.

miantiao

May 14, 2009, 11:49 PM

阿姨，叔叔 幸会幸会，很高兴认识您们。

a1yi2, shu1shu, xing4hui4xing4hui4, hen3gao1xing4ren4shi4nin2men.

aunty, uncle, good fortune good fortune(good fortune can), very happy to meet you both.

 

 

 

miantiao

May 15, 2009, 04:00 AM

@reigau

after scouring a beginner text, and dictionaries of various pursuasions, i still don't know if there is a rule or not.

however, there is no reference to a plural form of 您 in any of the dictionaries or beginner text.

after thinking about it for a while i had a brainsnap; 您们 loses it's value as a showing of respect if one addresses more than one person simultaneously. therefore i have come to the conclusion that you are dead right, when using 您 to address more than one person one must address each person individually.

thanks again reigau.

 

miantiao

May 15, 2009, 04:21 AM

@brendankyle

make sure you take presents to give to your inlaws to be. i know it sounds corny and, well, just not done in most western cultures, but for the chinese it shows respect, and above all that you're not a cheapskate.

apparently when the time comes for me to travel up the dirt track that leads to my girlfriends family home in the mountains of outback sichuan, i'll need to be bearing gifts for the whole extended family. christ, i might need to buy an ox to cart all the goodies up the mountain, then give the ox to the ole man. 

 

 

Tal

May 15, 2009, 07:45 AM

You should use a train of kangaroos mate, that'd really get you noticed. Anyway, did you ever seriously consider that kangaroo farm idea of mine? Just reflect on it for a moment, don't you think it's a stroke of genius? And it's all yours mate, fame and romance awaits, go forth!

Anyway if we're talking about having Chinese in-laws, I guess I can chip in here. Hmm... what can I tell you?

Well my Chinese mother-in-law to be (may the Buddha rest her soul) wasn't entirely convinced when we first met that I didn't 'already have a wife back in England'. Not saying this is typical, but perhaps it's something to bear in mind.

My father-in-law is a charming and lovable little fellow though. Never has a bad word for anyone. Spends all the day cooking and playing mahjong. Great sense of humor too. Didn't even flinch the way everyone else did when I hugged him.

helenshen_counselor

May 15, 2009, 07:55 AM

When you are having lunch or dinner, if your gf's mother is the cook, then tell her: 阿姨，你做的菜真好吃！ā yí，nǐ zuò de cài zhēn hǎochī！The dishes you made are really good! She would be so flattered!

miantiao

May 15, 2009, 03:05 AM

@reigau

don't know mate, but thanks for pointing that out. i'll investigate.