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Continued Tone Change Series #3 - Being Too Sick for Work

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IN THIS LESSON
ID: 4280 Elementary
In our previous newbie tone change series, we have introduced the tone change rules for 不, 一, two third tones, and three third tones. Just like many other aspects in the Chinese language, tone changes are more nuanced than the rules you see in textbooks. That's why for the elementary tone change series, we decided that we would reinforce the rules with the help of dialogues that you hear in everyday conversations. Practice and familiarize yourselves with the sounds, and you'll be a tone master in no time! In this episode, we're going to learn and practice the tone change rules for 不 [bù] through a phone conversation between a concerned colleague, and someone who is too sick to move or eat. Let's check it our right now!
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Detailed Vocabulary
Each lesson has it's unique vocabulary and will provide you with definitions and recordings so you can practice the pronunciation. You will also be able to grasp the core material of a lesson at a glance. Here we're showing you the Simplified Chinese version.
SIMPLIFIED PINYIN ENGLISH  
V.不下 bùxià verb complement denoting something will not fit
V.不动 bùdòng verb complement denoting one has no physical ability to do something
V.不V. ...or not
不用 bùyòng need not
怎么没接电话
zěnme 怎么méi 没jiē 接diànhuà 电话
How come you didn’t pick up the phone?
我生病了吃不下也走不动
wǒ 我shēngbìng 生病le 了chī 吃bù 不xià 下yě 也zǒu 走bù 不dòng 动
I was sick. Couldn’t eat and couldn’t even move.
你还好吗要不要去看医生
nǐ 你hái 还hǎo 好ma 吗yào 要bù 不yào 要qù 去kàn 看yīshēng 医生
Are you okay? Do you want to go see a doctor?
我明天去今天不能去上班怎么办
wǒ 我míngtiān 明天qù 去jīntiān 今天bùnéng 不能qù 去shàngbān 上班zěnmebàn 怎么办
I’ll go tomorrow. I can’t go to work today. What should I do?
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