When something in your room stops working, you need to tell the front desk clearly and understand what they promise to do. In this workshop you will speak both parts of a short hotel conversation: the guest reporting problems and the staff member responding. You will first learn the meaning of each line, then practice a guided exchange, choose the correct reply, and finally recall the conversation with the roles switched.
What the guest says
The guest's job is to name the problem and ask for help. «空调坏了。» means the air conditioning is broken. «没有热水。» means there is no hot water. «空调不制冷。» means the air conditioning isn't cooling. «请派人来修。» means please send someone to repair it. Notice that each line names one clear problem or one clear request, so the staff member can understand immediately. When you speak these lines, keep your voice calm and steady. Say the problem first, then the request.
What the staff member says
The staff member's job is to show that the message was received and to say what will happen next. «好的，我马上派人去修。» means okay, I'll send someone to fix it right away. «好的，大概今天下午能修好。» means okay, it can probably be fixed this afternoon. These replies do not repeat the problem; they respond to it. When you play the staff role, speak a little more slowly and clearly, because the guest is listening for a time or an action. A short, calm reply is enough.
Putting the conversation together
In the full scene, the guest opens with «你好，我房间的空调坏了。», which means hello, the air conditioning in my room is broken. The staff member answers with «好的，我马上派人去修。». The guest then adds a second problem with «谢谢。还有，没有热水。», which means thank you, also, there is no hot water. The staff member closes with «好的，大概今天下午能修好。». The order matters: greeting and first problem, reply, second problem, reply. Keep that order even when you switch roles, so the conversation still makes sense.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
空调坏了。
The air conditioning is broken.
kōngtiáo huài le
没有热水。
There is no hot water.
méiyǒu rè shuǐ
空调不制冷。
The air conditioning isn't cooling.
kōngtiáo bù zhìlěng
请派人来修。
Please send someone to repair it.
qǐng pài rén lái xiū
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
你好，我房间的空调坏了。
Hello, the air conditioning in my room is broken.好的，我马上派人去修。
Okay, I'll send someone to fix it right away.谢谢。还有，没有热水。
Thank you. Also, there is no hot water.好的，大概今天下午能修好。
Okay, it can probably be fixed this afternoon.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided exchange at the front desk
Imagine you are a hotel guest calling the front desk. Your room has two problems: the air conditioning and the hot water. A partner, or the audio, plays the staff member.
Your task: Read the guest part aloud in order. Start with «你好，我房间的空调坏了。». Wait for the staff reply «好的，我马上派人去修。». Then say «谢谢。还有，没有热水。». Wait for the closing reply «好的，大概今天下午能修好。». Then switch roles with your partner and read the staff part while your partner reads the guest part.
Choose the right reply
You are the staff member. A guest has just said «你好，我房间的空调坏了。», meaning hello, the air conditioning in my room is broken. You need to choose a reply that matches the request for help.
Your task: Choose the best reply: A) «好的，我马上派人去修。», meaning okay, I'll send someone to fix it right away. B) «没有热水。», meaning there is no hot water. C) «空调不制冷。», meaning the air conditioning isn't cooling. Say your choice aloud, then say the full reply line.
Recall the conversation with roles switched
Cover the lines above. You and a partner will rebuild the conversation from memory, but this time the person who was the guest becomes the staff member and the person who was the staff member becomes the guest.
Your task: The new guest begins with the greeting and first problem, then waits. The new staff member gives the first reply. The guest adds the second problem, then waits. The staff member gives the closing reply. Say each line aloud from memory before checking.
Common questions
Can I practice alone if I do not have a partner?
Yes. You can play both roles yourself while listening to the audio. Read the guest lines aloud, pause, then read the staff lines aloud. There is no automatic assessment, so use the success criteria to check your own order and clarity.
What should I focus on first, the words or the order?
Focus on the order first. The conversation only works when the greeting and first problem come before the first reply, and the second problem comes before the closing reply. Once the order feels natural, work on saying each line calmly and clearly.
Sources and further reading
- chinese: report a problem in the roomChecked September 2026
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