Light the lamp.
???
Iau tien tung.

Call the cook.
?????
Kyau da-s-voo le.

Call the coolie.
???? (or ??)
Kyau tsheh-tien le (or Khoo-lih).

Call a ricksha.
???????
Kyau ih-boo toong-yang-tsho le.

Set the table.
???? (or ?????)
Iau ba de-ts (or Iau yui-be de-ts).

There are guests coming to-day for tiffin.
?????????
Kyung-tsau yeu khak-nyung le chuh tsoong van.

To-day four guests come to dinner (evening meal).
???????????
Kyung-tsau yeu s-kuh khak-nyung le chuh ya-van.

Call an extra boy to help [you.]
???????????
Iau ling-nga kyau ih-kuh si-tse le siang-paung.

Clean this room.
?????????
Di-kan vaung-ts iau seu-tsauh koen-zing.

Wash this floor.
??????
Di-kuh di-pan iau zing.

Sweep this floor.
??????
Di-kuh di-pan iau sau.

The door, windows, and base-board of this room I want you to wash.
???????????????
Di-kan vaung-ts li-kuh mung, tshaung, lau tih-kyak-pan zen iau zing.

This is not clean; do it again.
??????, ???
Di-deu ’veh-zung koen-zing, iau tse tsoo.

Use soap and brush it.
??????
Iau yoong bi-zau le seh.

Don’t use a brush here.
???????
Di-deu ’veh iau yoong pan-seh.

You must scour the table.
????
De-ts iau tshah.

Wipe the table.
????
De-ts iau kha.

Bring a feather brush.
??????
Tan kyi-mau-toen-tseu le.

Dust the pictures.
??????
Wo-doo iau toen koen-zing.

Use a cloth to dust the room.
??????????
Di-kan vaung-ts iau yoong poo kha koen-zing.

This cloth is dirty; you must wash it.
??????, ??
Di-kuh kha-poo auh-tshauh, iau zing.

Dust (or clean) all things in this room.
????????, ?????
Di-kan vaung-ts-li kuh meh-z, zen iau kha koen-zing.

Clean the windows.
???????
Poo-li-tshaung iau kha koen-zing.

These curtains are dirty, change to clean ones.
??????, ?????
Di-kuh tshaung-lien auh-tshauh, iau wen koen-zing-kuh.

Brush this table cover.
??????
Di-kuh de-poo iau seh.

Put these books in order.
??????
Di-kuh su iau pa-hau.

Put these things in their proper place.
????, ????????
Kauh-yang meh-z iau pa la iung-ke-kuh di-faung.

Please come and help me.
??????
Tshing noong le siang-paung ngoo.

This box (trunk) I want taken over there.
??????????
Di-tsah siang-ts iau-pen tau i-deu chi.

Where are you?
????
Noong la ‘a-li?

If you want to go out, first tell me.
????, ????
Noong iau tsheh-chi, sien kau-soo ngoo.

Why are you so idle?
??????
We-sa zeh-ke lan-doo?

At the end of the month you can go.
???????? (or ???)
Tsoo tau nyoeh-ti, noong khau-i ding (or khau-i chi).

If you go home, you must get me a substitute.
?????, ????
Zak-z noong kyiu-chi, iau kyau thi-koong.

[We] want to use another boy.
???????
Tse iau yoong ih-kuh si-tse.

Can you get me a coolie?
???? (or ?) ?????
Noong khau-i zing (or kyau) ih-kuh khoo-lih va?

If you want to go (stop work) you must wait till the end of the month.
?????, ?????
Zak-z noong iau ding, iau tsoo tau nyoeh-ti.

[If] you want to go (or stop work), you must wait till I find new man.
???, ???????
Noong iau ding, tung ngoo zing-dzak sing-kuh nyung.

If you go now it is not convenient to pay your wages.
???, ??????
Yien-dze ding, ’veh bien foo noong koong-dien.

[I] will pay at the end of the month.
??????
Tau nyoeh-ti lau foo noong.

[If you] go now I will cut your wages.
???, ??????
Yien-dze ding, ngoo iau ngah noong koong-dien.

This cook is not a very good one.
????????
Di-kuh da-s-voo ’veh da hau.

This coolie is also very lazy.
????????
Di-kuh khoo-lih ‘a-z lan-doo.

I want to put up the stove for this room at once.
?????????
Di-kan kuh hoo-loo zieu tsaung-chi-le.

You must first brush it.
?????
Sien iau seh-koen-zing.

Brush these shoes.
??????
Di-saung ‘a-ts iau seh.

Brush these clothes and hang in the sun.
??????????
I-zaung seh-ts lau so la nyih-deu li.

Be careful the wind does not blow them away.
????????
Taung-sing ’veh iau peh foong ths-theh.

Take this out and shake it [clean].
???????
Tan tsheh-chi teu-teu koen-zing.

Open this bundle.
??????
Di-kuh pau iau ka-khe.

Wrap it up.
????
Iau pau-chi-le.

Use a rope to tie this.
?????
Yoong zung khwung-chi-le.

Buy some strong rope.
?????
Iau ma lau-kuh zung.

Buy a basket (with string net on top).
?????
Ma ih-tsak maung-lan.

Put all the food into this basket.
???????????
Chuh-kuh meh-z zen pa-la di-tsak lan-li.

Buy me a foot-stove and some charcoal (balls).
??????????
Ma ih-tsak kyak-loo lau kyi-kuh than-doen.

Roll up my bedding.
?????
Phoo-ke tang-chi-le.

Take this letter to...........
?????...........
Di-foong sing soong tau.........

An answer is wanted.
????
Iau we-sing kuh.

Go to the Chinese Imperial Post Office.
?????
Tau Yeu-tsung-jok chi.

Go to the Post Office for the mail.
????????
Tau su-sing-kwen chi tan sing le.

Take this parcel to the Post Office.
?????????
Di-kuh pau, soong tau su-sing-kwen chi.

Call a wheelbarrow and take these things to the steamer.
????????????
Kyau siau-tsho soong di-kuh meh-z tau zen laung chi.

Put camphor with the clothes.
???????
I-zaung-li iau faung tsaung-nau.

The answer says there are two books; why is there only one here?
???????, ??????, ???
We-sing wo yeu liang-pung su; yien-dze tsuh-yeu ih-pung, sa yoen-koo?

The chit book says there is an answer; where is it?
?????????, ???
Soong-sing-boo laung sia-ming yeu we-sing, la ‘a-li?

This letter is not mine; have you any other?
???????, ?????
Di-fong sing ’veh-z ngoo-kuh; wan yeu bih-kuh va?

This is for the next house.
??????????.
Di-kuh meh-z z kah-pih nyung-ka-kuh.

Call a man to put a new cover on this chair.
????????????
Di-tsak iui-ts, kyau nyung le wen sing-kuh iui poo.

Get a new glass for this broken window.
??????????
Tshaung-laung-kuh se poo-li iau phe sing-kuh.

Take this pass-book to the store and bring the things.
?????????, ????
Tan di-pung boo-ts tau tien-li chi, nau meh-z le.

Go and buy some bread tickets.
???????
Chi ma men-deu phiau-ts le.

Take these tickets and exchange for bread.
?????????
Tan di-kuh phiau-ts chi wen men-deu.

Go and buy biscuits.
??????
Chi ma tien ping-koen le.

I want a ricksha to go to the French Concession.
???????????
Iau ih-boo toong-yang-tsho tau Fah-tsoo-ka chi.

I want a carriage for half a day.
?????????
Ngoo iau ih-boo mo-tsho yoong pen-nyih.

I want it again to-morrow.
?????
Ming-tsau ngoo tse iau.

He asks too much money.
???????
Yi thau-kuh ka-dien thuh doo.

Three Dollars are enough.
??????
San-khwe yang-dien keu-tse.

This carriage is not good; get another.
??????, ????
Di-boo mo-tsho ’veh-hau; iau wen hau-kuh.

I am not very well to-day (or am ill).
??????? (or ???)
Kyung-tsau ngoo ’veh da saung-khwa (or yeu mau-bing).

What is the matter?
????
Sa-kuh mau-bing?

I don’t know what it is.
????????
Ngoo ’veh hyau-tuh z sa mau-bing.

I’ve got fever and ague.
???? (or ??)
Ngoo yeu ngauh-ts (or nyak-dzih).

I’ve got fever.
????
Ngoo yeu ‘oen-nyih.

I’ll give you a dose of medicine.
?????
Ngoo peh noong tien yak.

You had better see the doctor.
???????
Noong iau tshing i-sang khoen.

I must go to the hospital.
???????
Ngoo iau dzu-la i-yoen-li.

I want to go home.
???? or ????
Ngoo iau kyui-chi (or tau ok-li chi).

You can return home for a short time.
???????
Noong dzan-z khau-i kyui-chi.

You are still not fit for work.
?????????
Noong yien-dze wan ’veh nung tsoo sang-weh.

Come again when you are stronger.
??????
Noong hau-tien lau tse le.

Cook is sick and can’t get up.
??????, ????
Da-s-voo la sang-bing, ’veh-nung chi-le.

Why do you work so very slowly?
?????????
Noong tsoo sang-weh we-sa man-le-si?

Because I am tired.
?????
We-ts ngoo sa-doo.

Perhaps you go out too much at night.
?????????
Khoong-pho noong ya-deu tsheh-chi thuh too.

I think you smoke opium (or drink wine.)
??????? (or ??)
Ngoo siang noong chuh ia-phien-ien (or chuh tsieu).

Your clothes and hat are untidy.
???????
Noong-kuh i-mau ’veh tsung-zi.

Don’t have your shoes down at the heel.
??????
Noong ’veh iau thoo ‘a-bi.

Have you not combed your hair to-day?
????????
Noong kyung-tsau ’veh-zung s-deu va?

This is not proper (respectful.)
???????
Di-kuh z m kwe-kyui-kuh.

Call amah to come.
????
Kyau A-ma le.