New Members Lyla Posted March 28, 2011 at 03:35 AM New Members Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 at 03:35 AM I want to ask a Chinese friend of mine out to lunch, and thought it would be fun to do it in Chinese, since he doesn't know I'm learning the language yet. I just want to make sure I don't sound like a total fool when I do it by botching the gramar and sentence structure. Here's what I've got: 你要不要吃和我午餐？ Nǐ yào bùyào chī hé wǒ wǔcān? I'd also like to make sure this is a casual address, not a romantic invatation. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbradfor Posted March 29, 2011 at 06:08 PM Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 at 06:08 PM I believe not. I think the 和我 needs to go before the verb, i.e. 你要不要和我吃午餐. Also, and I'm not sure why I think this but I do, I think 跟 would be preferred here, i.e. 你要不要跟我吃午餐. Would he take it as a romantic invite? Well, if he likes you, he'll take it that way no matter how you phrase it :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted March 29, 2011 at 08:16 PM Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 at 08:16 PM I would use 午饭 over 午餐。 The former was definitely more common where I used to live in China. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guoke Posted March 30, 2011 at 08:58 AM Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 at 08:58 AM Make sure you don't say: 你要不要吃我和午餐？ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny同志 Posted March 30, 2011 at 09:24 AM Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 at 09:24 AM 小女子今日略备了些酒菜，想请公子共进午餐，不知肯赏光否？ Don't use my version. I would use 午饭 over 午餐。 The former was definitely more common where I used to live in China. The latter is more formal. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xiaocai Posted March 30, 2011 at 02:33 PM Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 at 02:33 PM 小女子今日略备了些酒菜，想请公子共进午餐，不知肯赏光否？ Don't use my version. Or use it if you want to freak him out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted March 30, 2011 at 02:47 PM Report Share Posted March 30, 2011 at 02:47 PM I like #4 most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smiletrl Posted April 2, 2011 at 05:41 AM Report Share Posted April 2, 2011 at 05:41 AM A much more casual sentence would look like this:一起吃午饭吧，怎么样？,and this sentence is generally used as a simple invitation between friends.On the other hand,你要不要和我吃午餐？shows much stronger feelings of the talker.If you really want to make this invitation natural and espeically not romantic,I guess my recommendation is better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny同志 Posted April 4, 2011 at 02:26 AM Report Share Posted April 4, 2011 at 02:26 AM Simply say 我想请你吃个饭，不知道你有空吗？ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbradfor Posted April 4, 2011 at 01:36 PM Report Share Posted April 4, 2011 at 01:36 PM Wouldn't the use of "请" imply that you would treat the other person to the meal? I'm pretty sure that's not what the OP meant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny同志 Posted April 4, 2011 at 04:42 PM Report Share Posted April 4, 2011 at 04:42 PM You’re right. But for some cultural reasons, it’s very hard to get the subtle part of the message across clearly because it’s almost taken for granted that when a Chinese person asks another one to have dinner, he or she will treat that person. Even if you say “你不介意的话，我们一块儿吃顿午饭好吗,” the message is still unclear as to whether the invited person is supposed to pay part of the bill or not. There is, however, an exception when one asks another out for dinner. Consider A and B are roommates and it’s time for lunch; when A says to B, “(我们)吃饭去吧”, there’s no implication that A is supposed to pay the whole bill. In most cases, that is, unless they have prearranged the money issue, for example, A told B that A was going to treat B, they are supposed to pay their own bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members Lyla Posted April 9, 2011 at 03:58 AM Author New Members Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 at 03:58 AM Thanks for all of the advice. My revised sentece is 你想不想和我一起去吃晚饭？ That sound right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbradfor Posted April 15, 2011 at 08:19 PM Report Share Posted April 15, 2011 at 08:19 PM If this friend is from Beijing, I was told the current "hip-slang" way to say it is "饭子搓一頓" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted April 16, 2011 at 02:58 AM Report Share Posted April 16, 2011 at 02:58 AM Lyla, that sounds right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Members sunflower521 Posted April 16, 2011 at 03:29 AM New Members Report Share Posted April 16, 2011 at 03:29 AM “晚饭”is supper 我想请你吃午餐，不知道你有空吗？ this sounds politely and simply Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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