"洗手间在这儿吗？"
Translation:Is the bathroom here?
39 Comments
This is fine. In English, a dummy subject (there) may be used.
I think context would choose which way this sentence would be translated to English from the Mandarin sentence above:
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If you were talking about an exact location known to the listener then "Is the bathroom here?" would a good English translation for this Mandarin sentence.
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If you were inquiring about the existence of a bathroom in the vicinity then "Is there a bathroom here?" would also be a good English translation for this Mandarin sentence
Not quite. To ask "Is there a bathroom here?" in Mandarin would be something like "这里有洗手间吗？” or “这里有没有洗手间？”
For all the people debating, Washroom/Bathroom/Restroom/Men's room/Ladie's room/Powder room/Lavatory are all synonymous and are understood by the vast majority of native English speakers around the World.
Although some terms will be more common in some areas versus others, these terms are not exclusive to one region versus another. Basically, one term isn't British English versus American English, etc.
Americans tend to say bathroom whereas in Australia we just call it the toilet. Or loo.
That's the way I would translate this sentence, but I guess if the application wants a perfect translation... I'd like to know how to say this as well.
这里 and 这儿 are the same, but one is used mostly in the south of China, the other used mostly in the north of China.
I honestly only heard 儿化 in Beijing. But your experience may have differed.
这里 means there and 这儿 means here. If you replaced 这儿 with 这里 it would translate as "is the bathroom there?" Instead of " is the bathroom here?"
这里 and 这儿 are the same, they both mean "here"
"There" is written as 那里 or 那儿
Finally, to avoid more confusion "Where" is written as 哪里 or 哪儿
The ...里 vs …儿 versions seem to be interchangeable to anyone I ask (在武汉 btw)! As for dialects, they go waaaaay beyond that so don't worry, just learn standard Mandarim and you'll be fine! Especially, not every word ending with 儿 is used only in 北京 and I think Duolingo is not enforcing it anywhere!
No, this is wrong. 这里 and 这儿 both mean "here". The first is mainly used in southern China in spoken language, and the latter is common in the north and is the "proper" form taught in schools from what I understand.
I said "The restroom is here" and it was considered wrong. I have asked for Duolingo to add it as a correct answer.
Strange translation. No one would really ask 'Is the bathroom/ washroom here?' 'Is there a bathroom here? Where is the bathroom?' Might be more suitable translations.
Being not native speaker of English, I wonder why you use THE bathroom, while the question is about any type of bathroom that may even doesn't exist at a place.
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The question implies the speaker knows there is a bathroom somewhere around there. To ask whether or not a bathroom exists, 这儿有洗手间吗？or any equivalent is the appropriate question.
Where is the bathroom? Would work as well. A bit tiresone to get educated on using the exact English expected.
Not to be nit picky, but I'm US American and I've never heard someone call a bathroom a washroom. But I'm from the eastern coast, so maybe it's a dialect thing.
These assertions are all opinion.
Washroom/Bathroom/Restroom/Men's room/Ladie's room/Lavatory are all synonymous with each other and are not of a particular dialect of "English"
A term's use is merely based off of one's personal preference. Personal experience, not one's location, is the only thing that makes one believe a term is specific to a geographic region.
I thought washroom is UK? I've only ever heard people use bathroom here in America
"Is here the bathroom?" is also correct! Please add! It is frustrating that still a lot of correct answers are rejected!
