英语流利说

Top 10 Things foreigners are tired of hearing

你中文真好！

When I first started learning Chinese, it gave me a lot of positive reinforcement:
我刚学中文的时候，这句话特别鼓励我
But now that my Chinese is good, if I just say '你好' and people immediately say '你中文真好”， it feels like an empty compliment, not very sincere:
但是现在我中文不错，如果我刚开口说“你好', 中国人就说“你中文真好”， 我会感觉这像一句空洞的赞美，不是真心的
If I have a conversation in Chinese and get '你中文真好”, it makes me feel that you mean it and we are really communicating:
但是如果我们用中文交谈了一段，你说“你中文真好”，我会觉得你是用心在跟我交流

别再叫我“老外”

Some foreigners find the word 'laowai' disparaging:
有些外国人觉得'老外”这个词比较贬义
They don't want to be labelled as 'laowai', the outsider:
他们不想一直被贴上“老外”, 外人的标签
They don't want to be treated like an outsider all the time. They want to fit in:
他们不想老被当外人看，他们希望融入中国


你能教我英文吗？你认识什么人能教我英文吗？

Just because I'm a foreigner and I speak English, it doesn't mean I want to teach English or know someone who teaches English:
虽然我说英语，但不代表我想教英语，或者一定认识教英语的人
If you meet an English teacher or a young foreigner, they might be interested in teaching:
如果你认识一个教英语的外国人或者年轻的外国人，他们大概有兴趣教英语
But if they have their own job and career, chances are they are not interested in teaching: 但是如果这个外国人已经有自己的工作和事业，他们肯定不想再教英文


你们国家的福利真好！

Americans in particular are annoyed by this comment because the social welfare system is not very good in America: 美国人特别烦听这句话，因为美国的福利不太好
Social benefits: 社会福利
Medical benefits: 医疗福利
Unemployment benefits: 失业福利
Social security: 社保
You can't live off of benefits in America: 在美国，吃救济活不了


你常吃汉堡和披萨吗？

你会做饭吗？

A lot of Americans do often eat hamburgers and pizzas, but not all the time: 当然很多美国人常吃汉堡、披萨，但也不是顿顿都吃
Americans in China don't tend to be the type of Americans who eat bugers and pizzas all the time: 而且在中国的美国人通常也不是天天吃快餐的这类美国人
They tend to be willing to try new food and new things: 他们会更想尝试新食物、新事物

你想回国吗？

When foreigners get asked this question, it might come across as 'you must be dying to go home':
外国人听到这句话，很多时候感觉是你觉得我在中国活得水生火热，很想回国
Many foreigners enjoy living in China: 很多外国人其实在中国活得很开心
另外外国人也很怕听'Your country is so great. Why did you come to China?'
你们国家那么好，你来中国干嘛？
People of older generations tend to say it more: 老一辈的人更喜欢说这句话
I get this from taxi drivers a lot: 出租车司机常这么问我
Younger generations tend to have a better understanding of the US: 年轻人对美国可能更了解，不太会这么说


还有些节目里没说，但也很让老外心塞的话：


你应该取个中国老婆

'Can you use chopsticks?
你会用筷子吗？
Foreigners pretty much all know how to use chopsticks, except for really old people: 外国人基本都会用筷子，除了年纪很大的

抛开种族隔阂，把外国人当普通人看待和交流
We are all humans after all.
今天分享的这些话都是我们在不知道跟老外聊什么时，会蹦出来的conversational clutch(谈话拐杖)。
老外怕听这些话，很大的原因就是他们不想老被当外人看；想更融入中国社会。
跟外国人交流， 抛开“老外”意识和stereotype (脸谱化印象) ，把他们当个体、个人看待。
Treat them the way you treat your Chinese friends.
这样你会得到更真诚、更有意义的交流。

你有什么和外国人交流的精彩故事？欢迎留言分享！