While I was writing the show notes, I noticed many of the expressions have been covered by other show notes that I’ve written so far. I think this exemplifies the beauty of learning a language through watching a show. You get to naturally review words and expressions that are commonly used, and you can compare and contrast them in different contexts.
Mandarin transcript (in pinyin and characters) for Peppa Pig S01E51 “Daddy’s Movie Camera” Part 2:
- wǒ zhīdào lǐmiàn shì shénme, xīnde shèxiàngjī, zhū bàba nǐde xīn wánjù
- nǐ cāi duì le
- zhèshì tái shèxiàngjī
- wǒmen kěyǐ zìjǐ pāi yǐngpiàn, ránhòu zài diànshì lǐmiàn kàn
- wǒ kěyǐ dìyī gè shǐyòng ma, bàba?
- duì háizi láishuō, yòng qǐlai yǒu yìdiǎn kùnnan na
- jiù suànshì wǒ, yě děi xiān kàn shuōmíngshū
- bǐ wǒ xiǎngxiàng zhòngdì yào nán yìdiǎn
- sūxī de māma jiù yǒu yì tái shèxiàngjī
- wǒ kàn tā dōu shì zhíjiē àn zhège ànniǔ de
- zuò dé duì, pèiqí
- 我知道里面是什么，新的摄像机，猪爸爸你的新玩具
- 你猜对了
- 这是台摄像机
- 我们可以自己拍影片， 然后在电视里面看
- 我可以第一个使用吗，爸爸？
- 对孩子来说，用起来有一点困难哪
- 就算是我，也得先看说明书
- 比我想象中的要难一点
- 苏西的妈妈就有一台摄像机
- 我看她都是直接按这个按钮的
- 做得对，佩奇
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Show Notes for Learn Chinese with Peppa Pig Season 01 Episode 51 Part 2
wǒ zhīdào lǐmiàn shì shénme, xīnde shèxiàngjī, zhū bàba nǐde xīn wánjù
我 知道 里面 是 什么，新的 摄像机，猪爸爸 你的 新 玩具
I know what’s inside, a new movie camera, your new toy, Daddy Pig
- 我 = wǒ, I/me
- 知道 = zhīdào, know
- 里面 = lǐmiàn, inside
- 是 = shì, is/am/are
- 什么 = shénme, what
- 我知道里面是什么 literally is I know inside is what, as you can notice right away, it’s just a slightly different order of words.
- Also, in this context, they’re talking about a package (包裹 = bāoguǒ), so technically the sentence should be 我知道包裹里面是什么. Since the context is clear, 包裹 is omitted.
- 新（的） = xīn (de), new, 的 is often omitted
- 摄像 = shèxiàng, to videotape. 摄影 = shèyǐng is a formal expression for to photograph
- 机 = jī, often used for a machine such as 计算机 = jìsuànjī, computer
- 摄像机 = shèxiàngjī, movie camera / video
- 猪爸爸 = zhū bàba, Daddy Pig
- 你的 = nǐde, your/yours
- 玩具 = wánjù, toy
- In my translation, I left Daddy Pig at the very end because it flows better in English. Technically, Mommy Pig addressed Daddy Pig first.
nǐ cāi duì le
你 猜 对 了
You guessed it right
- 你 = nǐ, you
- 猜 = cāi, guess
- 对 = duì, correct
- 了 = le, past tense
- verb +对 or 错 + 了 is commonly used to comment on something being right or wrong. For example, 你算错了 = nǐ suàn cuòle, you calculated it wrong, 你说对了 = nǐ shuō duìle, you said it right
zhèshì tái shèxiàngjī
这是 台 摄像机
This is a movie camera
- 这 = zhè, this
- 台 = tái, this is a measure word for a movie camera. Honestly, you can also just use 个 = gè for it. When the number count of the object is just one, 一 (one) in front of the measure word such as in 一台 is often omitted.
wǒmen kěyǐ zìjǐ pāi yǐngpiàn, ránhòu zài diànshì lǐmiàn kàn
我们 可以 自己 拍 影片，然后 在 电视 里面 看
We can shoot videos by ourselves, and then watch them on TV
- 我们 = wǒmen, we
- 可以 = kěyǐ, can
- 自己 = zìjǐ, self
- 自己 + verb usually means doing something by one’s self. Same usage showed up in S01E03 Part 3.
- 拍 = pāi, shoot (videos), or take photos: 拍照片 = pāi zhàopiàn (the colloquial version of 摄影 I mentioned earlier)
- 影片 = yǐngpiàn, a movie clip
- 然后 = ránhòu, and then
- 在 = zài, at/in/on
- 电视 = diànshì, television
- 看 = kàn, watch
- Notice that you’d either use 里面 or 上 = shàng, to describe something is being played on TV or a screen. 在电视里面看 or 在电视上看 can be translated to “To watch on TV”.
wǒ kěyǐ dìyī gè shǐyòng ma, bàba?
我 可以 第一 个 使用 吗，爸爸？
Can I be the first one to use it?
- 我 = wǒ, I
- 可以 = kěyǐ, can / able to
- 第一 = dì yīgè, first
- 个 = gè, the measure word for person. Peppa meant she wants to be the first person to use it so you need a measure word for the person.
- 使用 = shǐyòng, use. You can also use 用 and they pretty much mean the same thing.
- 吗 = ma, usually used at the end of a question
- 爸爸 = bàba, dad
duì háizi láishuō, yòng qǐlai yǒu yìdiǎn kùnnan na
对 孩子 来说，用 起来 有一点 困难 哪
It would be a bit difficult for a child to use
- 对 + a person / people + 来说 = duì + person / people + láishuō, to/for somebody somebody. 你对我很重要, you’re important to me. Same structure is used in S01E09 Part 1.
- 孩子 = háizi, a child
- 有 = yǒu, usually means “have” but here it essentially means “is”, used in the same way as in 有一点慢 in S01E03 Part 4
- 一点 = yìdiǎn, a little bit, 有一点 and 有点 can used interchangeably. Also see S01E09 Part 3
- 困难 = kùnnan, difficult, can also use 难 which means the same but when you used it on its own, you should pronounce it as nán with a clear rising tone.
- 哪 = na, it doesn’t have meaning on its own. I translated this to express “would be”. Daddy Pig sounds reluctant here. Say somebody is asking you for help, and you are reluctant you could something along the line of 这有点难哪 = zhè yǒudiǎn nán na, this would be difficult…
- 用 = yòng, to use
- 起来 turns “to use” into “if/when used”. 摄像机用起来困难 can be literally translated as “The movie camera, if used, is difficult”. This sentence structure can be used to express subjective opinion of the characteristics of an object. I wrote about 起来 and this structure with more examples in my post about 起来.
jiùsuàn shì wǒ, yě děi xiān kàn shuōmíngshū
就算 是 我，也得 先 看 说明书
Even if it’s me, I still would have to read the instruction manual first
- 就算 = jiùsuàn, even if
- 也 = yě, usually means also/too, but in this context it’s close to still, it implies a level of compromise.
- 就算…也 is a pretty common structure. 就算有钱也没用 = jiùsuàn yǒuqián yě méiyòng, even if (you) have money, it still won’t make it work.
- 得 = děi, should/have to/ought to, often reluctantly. Similar usage in S01E03 Part 4
- 先 = xiān, first
- 看 = kàn, read. In S01E09 Part 3, Daddy Pig needs to use his glasses to read newspaper.
- 说明 = shuōmíng, to formally explain
- 书 = shū, book/manual
- 说明书 = shuōmíngshū, instruction manual
bǐ wǒ xiǎngxiàng zhòngdì yào nán yìdiǎn
比 我 想象中的 要 难 一点
This is harder than I imagined
- 想象 = xiǎngxiàng, imagine
- 想象中 = literally, in (my) imagination
- 比 = bǐ, compared with.
- A比B + adjective is to express A has more of the property described by the adjective than B
- 松鼠比大象小 = bǐ dà xiàng xiǎo, the squirrel is smaller than the elephant
- 要 = yào, the word has numerous meanings. Here I think it is used to imply guestimation. It’s kinda hard to interpret, but I wouldn’t worry about this too much for now because it can be omitted from this sentence.
- 比 + person + 想象中的要 + adjective is a common way to express surprise. 加拿大比我想象中的要冷 = jiānádà bǐ wǒ xiǎngxiàng zhōng de yào lěng, Canada is colder than I imagined.
sūxī de māma jiù yǒu yì tái shèxiàngjī
苏西的 妈妈 就有 一台 摄像机
Suzy’s mom has a movie camera
- 苏西 = sūxī, name of Suzy Sheep introduced in S01E03 Part 1
- 妈妈 = māma, mom
- 就 = jiù, used for emphasis
- 有 = yǒu, have
wǒ kàn tā dōu shì zhíjiē àn zhège ànniǔ de
我看 她 都是 直接 按 这个 按钮的
From what I’ve seen before, she usually goes straight to press this button
- 看 = kàn, to see
- 我看 literally means I saw but I think it can be better translated to “based on my observations” or “from what I’ve seen before”. This is pretty colloquial. For example, 我看他肯定能行 = wǒ kàn tā kěndìng néng xíng, From what I’ve seen before, he can definitely do it sucessfully.
- 她 = tā, she
- 都是…的 = dōu shì…de, is a useful phrase used to describe something has always been done in a certain way. Compare and contrast the following expressions:
- 我四点上课 = wǒ sì diǎn shàngkè. I go to classes at four o’clock.
- 我都是四点上课的 = wǒ dū shì sì diǎn shàngkè de I always go to classes at four o’clock.
- 我骑车上学 = wǒ qí chē shàngxué, I bike to school
- 我都是骑车上学的 = wǒ dū shì qí chē shàngxué de, I always bike to school.
- You can also find an example in S01E09 Part 3.
- 直接 = zhíjiē, literally means direct. In this context it can be interpreted as Suzy’s mom has gone straight to press the button.
- 按 = àn, press
- 这个 = zhège, this
- 按钮 = ànniǔ, button (on a machine)
zuò dé duì, pèiqí
做得对，佩奇
You did it right, Peppa
- 做 = zuò, to do
- 对 = duì, correct
- 得 = dé, turns an adjective into an adverb
- 佩奇 = pèiqí, Peppa