User Comments - dskulinska

Posted on: Can I Have your Phone Number? Please?

Moin moin pharmatronix :)

Just a quick hint: You used ”不可以“ (bù kěyǐ) in your negation, but I think this has a different connotation in Chinese, more along the way of "must not". If you want to express "cannot" like in "not being able to", I'd use “不能“ (bù néng). Someone please correct me if I'm wrong :)

Posted on: Can I Have your Phone Number? Please?

Matthew, I don't think it is rude just by the choice of words.  In a situation like in the dialogue, of course it is an obvious sign of rejection, but I wouldn't call it rude, from a girl's perspective anyway :)

If I bump into friends at a bar and they invite me to stay for another drink, I might also just say "我要回家了" (wǒ yào huíjiā le), in a situation where it's more like "Oh, I was just about to go home, I have to get up early tomorrow and cannot stay."

So if you're getting at the use of 了 (le) here, I think the emphasis is on that the change (I am here, but I am about to leave) is imminent, but not necessarily that it is due to the poor pick-up line :)