Telling my landlord the hot water is broken: Explaining the problem

💬 When you ask when or how something already happened, Chinese ends the question with 的: 什么时候来的？ "when did you arrive?"

💬 This answers a 的 question with the same 的 pattern, and the time goes first. Swap in another time: 今天早上开始的 "it started this morning."

💬 一直 (yì zhí) means "the whole time" or "continuously." Note that 一 is read (yì) before a rising tone.

💬 亮 means "lit up" and works on its own without 是. Add 吗 to turn any statement into a yes/no question.

🇨🇳 Many Chinese flats use an electric or gas water heater with an indicator light. Checking that light is the first thing a landlord will ask about.

💬 Adding 器 "device" to a word turns it into a machine: 热水 + 器 gives you water heater. You'll see the same ending in 充电器 "charger."

💬 To answer a yes/no question, just repeat the key word, with 不 in front for no. There's no separate word for "no."

💬 没反应 (méi fǎn yìng) is the everyday way to say a device does nothing when you press or plug it in. It works for phones, lights and remotes alike.

💬 也 goes before the verb or 没, never at the end of the sentence like English "either."

🇨🇳 师傅 (shī fu) is the polite way to address any skilled tradesperson, such as a plumber, electrician or taxi driver. Call them 师傅 directly when they arrive.

💬 Tack 行吗 onto any suggestion to soften it into a request: 明天来，行吗？ "come tomorrow, okay?"

💬 Time words come before the verb, not at the end like in English. That's why it's 明天上午 followed by 在家.

🇨🇳 This is the standard polite thanks for anyone doing you a favor, and it works better here than a plain 谢谢. Using 您 adds respect for the landlord.

💬 不 keeps its normal (bù) here, since 麻 isn't a falling tone.

🇨🇳 This is the gracious standard reply to thanks, meaning "it's my job, no need to thank me." You'll hear it often from service people and landlords.