一家人的故事

这张照片里的老人是谁？

Zhè zhāng zhàopiàn li de lǎorén shì shéi?

Who's the old lady in this photo?

是我奶奶，今年七十八岁了。她旁边是我哥哥，奶奶最喜欢这个孙子。

Shì wǒ nǎinai, jīnnián qīshíbā suì le. Tā pángbiān shì wǒ gēge, nǎinai zuì xǐhuan zhège sūnzi.

That's my grandma; she's seventy-eight this year. Next to her is my brother. He's her favorite grandson.

那你呢？你是她的孙女，她不喜欢你吗？

Nà nǐ ne? Nǐ shì tā de sūnnǚ, tā bù xǐhuan nǐ ma?

And you? You're her granddaughter. Doesn't she like you?

当然喜欢！她有两个孙子、三个孙女，我们五个她都喜欢。

Dāngrán xǐhuan! Tā yǒu liǎng ge sūnzi, sān ge sūnnǚ, wǒmen wǔ ge tā dōu xǐhuan.

Of course she does! She has two grandsons and three granddaughters, and she loves all five of us.

五个孩子，她记得住大家的名字吗？

Wǔ ge háizi, tā jì de zhù dàjiā de míngzi ma?

Five kids. Can she remember all your names?

常常记不住，还会把我们的名字叫错。

Chángcháng jì bu zhù, hái huì bǎ wǒmen de míngzi jiàocuò.

Often she can't, and she even mixes up our names.

那你们怎么办？

Nà nǐmen zěnme bàn?

So what do you do?

每次见面，我们都先说自己的名字：“奶奶，我是小雪！”她听了就笑。

Měi cì jiànmiàn, wǒmen dōu xiān shuō zìjǐ de míngzi: “Nǎinai, wǒ shì Xiǎoxuě!” Tā tīng le jiù xiào.

Every time we see her, we each say our name first: "Grandma, I'm Xiaoxue!" She laughs when she hears it.

周六我叔叔一家要来，我父母也来。

Zhōuliù wǒ shūshu yì jiā yào lái, wǒ fùmǔ yě lái.

On Saturday my uncle's family is coming, and my parents too.

你叔叔？是你父亲的兄弟吗？

Nǐ shūshu? Shì nǐ fùqīn de xiōngdì ma?

Your uncle? Is he your father's brother?

对。我父亲兄弟三个，叔叔最小，他们俩很久没见面了。

Duì. Wǒ fùqīn xiōngdì sān ge, shūshu zuì xiǎo, tāmen liǎ hěn jiǔ méi jiànmiàn le.

Yes. My father is one of three brothers, and my uncle is the youngest. The two of them haven't seen each other in a long time.

那一共来几个人？

Nà yígòng lái jǐ ge rén?

So how many people are coming in all?

叔叔、他爱人、两个孩子，还有我父母，六个人。

Shūshu, tā àiren, liǎng ge háizi, hái yǒu wǒ fùmǔ, liù ge rén.

My uncle, his wife, their two kids and my parents: six people.

还有我们俩，一共八个人。家里的桌子坐不下。

Hái yǒu wǒmen liǎ, yígòng bā ge rén. Jiāli de zhuōzi zuò bu xià.

Plus the two of us and that's eight people altogether. Our table won't seat that many.

我去问邻居借一张，你去买菜，怎么样？

Wǒ qù wèn línjū jiè yì zhāng, nǐ qù mǎi cài, zěnmeyàng?

I'll go borrow one from the neighbors, and you go buy the food. OK?

好。你父母很久没来北京了，我多买几个菜。

Hǎo. Nǐ fùmǔ hěn jiǔ méi lái Běijīng le, wǒ duō mǎi jǐ ge cài.

Sure. Your parents haven't been to Beijing in ages, so I'll buy a few extra dishes.

今天来了这么多人，都是你们家的亲戚吗？

Jīntiān lái le zhème duō rén, dōu shì nǐmen jiā de qīnqi ma?

So many people came today. Are they all your relatives?

差不多都是。我们家是一个大家庭，亲戚特别多。

Chàbuduō dōu shì. Wǒmen jiā shì yí ge dà jiātíng, qīnqi tèbié duō.

Almost all. Ours is a big family, with lots of relatives.

门口那两位穿红色衣服的是姐妹吧？

Ménkǒu nà liǎng wèi chuān hóngsè yīfu de shì jiěmèi ba?

Those two in red by the door are sisters, right?

不是，她们是母女。母亲五十多了，看起来很年轻吧？

Bú shì, tāmen shì mǔnǚ. Mǔqīn wǔshí duō le, kàn qilai hěn niánqīng ba?

No, they're mother and daughter. The mother is over fifty. She looks young, doesn't she?

真看不出来！那个跟孩子一起玩的男人呢？他们是父子吧？

Zhēn kàn bu chūlái! Nàge gēn háizi yìqǐ wán de nánrén ne? Tāmen shì fùzǐ ba?

I'd never have guessed! And the man playing with the child? They're father and son, I suppose?

不是，他是孩子的叔叔。孩子的母亲在那儿，他们俩才是母子。

Bú shì, tā shì háizi de shūshu. Háizi de mǔqīn zài nàr, tāmen liǎ cái shì mǔzǐ.

No, he's the child's uncle. The child's mother is over there; those two are mother and son.

你们家的人太多了，我真记不住。

Nǐmen jiā de rén tài duō le, wǒ zhēn jì bu zhù.

There are so many people in your family. I really can't keep track.

没关系，我也常常叫错。吃饭的时候我再一个一个给你介绍。

Méi guānxi, wǒ yě chángcháng jiàocuò. Chī fàn de shíhou wǒ zài yí ge yí ge gěi nǐ jièshào.

Don't worry, I mix them up too. At dinner I'll introduce them to you one by one.