"我们用手机看新闻。"
Translation:We use cell phones to read the news.
49 Comments
Not only is it correct, it's better English! The translation We use cell phones to read news sounds like non native English.
"We use cell phones to read news" does not sound like non native, but it emphasizes that you are using cell phones as opposed to lap tops, for example.
"To read news" does sound like non-native English (at least to an American), because we would say, "to read the news." Also, in my experience, the term "cell phone" has largely fallen out of favor except when necessary to clarify that it's not a land line phone.
I don't think their translation is that bad. But "We read the news on the phone" isn't quite right. That refers to something in the past, while duolingo's is habitual. You'd need something like a 了 to indicate completion.
Read is present and past tense in English, there isn't a problem with that translation.
That's a serious joke. We can't add the word "the" in front of news? This was wrong: "We use cell phones to read the news" 6 nov 2018
Yeah, I noticed that as well. "We use cell phones to read the news" is marked incorrect. "The news" is used regularly by all native speakers.
Would it be acceptable to translate this as "We use our cell phones to watch the news". I know that adds information not technically present, but in conversation it might be implied?
Yes that would be acceptable, essentially the meaning is the same, I wouldn't say its wrong, even as a native speaker. For now, it doesn't recognize many vernaculars
Because 电话 is the word for phone and 手机 is the word for cell phone or literally translated hand machine. It is an important distinction- you cannot use a 电话 to read the news.
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I think "cell" can be omitted in this context. People nowadays often omit "cell" when referring to cell phones.
There is nothing in the sentence that assumes the news is in print. You can also watch news on cellphones.
"the" not acceptable? 11 nov 2018: We use cell phones to read the news.
Yes, but typically multiple people would not be using one shared phone to read the news; you are correct from a grammatical standpoint, but it wouldn't be the most logical option.
That's awesome. There is similar sentence with computer which requires you to type I am reading the news on my computer and does not accept I use computer to read the news. With that in mind I typed We read the news on our cell phones and was marked wrong. Consistency...
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Ridiculous. It won't take "We use cell phones to read the news"
It's more correct in English to say "the news", not just "news".
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This lesson is so bad and full of inconsistencies. It won't accept:
"We use cell phones to read THE news" when it is better English than just saying "We use cell phones to read news."
Time for Duolingo to do some work on this course but given some of these comments date back to 11 month ago I guess there is not much interest in improving the problems.
we use our cellphones and read the news. we read the news by using our cell phones. aren't these the same meaning?
Why it is not okay to miss "the" in "the newspaper" but it is okay to miss "the" in "the news"?
Inconsistencies like this is making Duolingo less fun.
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The problem is with English, not with Duolingo... "I read newspaper" sounds strange, while "I read the newspaper" is ok. "I read news on my phone" sounds a bit awkward but is ok because "news" is not a specific thing. It's more natural to say "I read the news", however.
You need to say either "a" or "the" before cellphone (singular). However if you use the plural "cellphones" then no article is required.
"We use a cell phone"? When telling me I was wrong to answer "We use cell phones to watch the news.", it gave "We use a cell phone to watch the news." underlining "a" and "phone" to emphasize singularity. "We" using one cell phone to read the news? Who shares a cell with anyone? 我们 indicates plural phones. But then again, on this page the correct answer is given plural. wtf
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This freaking sentence refuses at least 3 different correct ansewers, mother of God!
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Although the translation "We use cell phones to read news." Isn't wrong in any way. "We use phones to read news should definitely be accepted.
There's not that much difference between reading "the news" and reading "news" is there?
