Phrases and sentences are often translated directly from Chinese to English. The grammar and vocabulary might be correct, but it still might sound unnatural in English. An English speaker might respond in a completely different way in that situation, so it’s not just about which words or grammar to use, but it might mean saying something completely different.

Mistake:

A: What do you usually do on the weekend?

B: I like to go swimming, it helps me release my pressure. (解放我的壓力)

Explanation:  

 “Release pressure” is an expression translated directly from Chinese to English and is not a collocation that is used in English, so it sounds a bit unnatural. 

Correction:

A: What do you usually do on the weekend?

B: I like to go swimming, I find it really relaxing.

Here are some cultural language mistakes common in Taiwan, with explanations and corrections.

1. 

Mistake: Wait me a second. (等我一下！)

Explanation:  If you use an object with the verb wait, then you need to use the preposition for. ‘Wait for him/ her/ me’. 

Correction: Give me a second. or Please wait a second/ minute/ moment. or Can you wait for me?

2. 

Mistake: Are you sick? Drink more water. (你感冒了嗎？喝多一點水)

Explanation: The grammar and vocabulary for ‘drink more water’ are correct, but this is not a natural or common expression in English.

Correction: Are you sick? Make sure you drink plenty of water.

3. 

Mistake: Do you want to eat some cookie? (你想吃餅乾嗎？)

Explanation: 

• Grammar = cookies (some + plural noun)

• Vocabulary = The verb ‘eat’ is correct – BUT – when we offer someone some food or drink in this kind of situation, we don’t usually say ‘do you want eat…do you want to drink…’

It doesn’t sound very natural in this context.

Correction: Do you want a cookie? / Here, try some of these cookies.

4. 

Mistake: I ride motorcycle. (我騎摩托車)

Explanation:

• Grammar = Subject + verb + noun – we need an article with this noun, so we use ‘a’

• Vocabulary = Motorcycle is correct, but it is much more common to say ‘motorbike’ or ‘bike’.  

Also, in Taiwan, the majority of people ride scooters (50CC, 100CC, 150CC etc…), rather than motorbikes.

Correction: I ride a bike/ motorbike/ scooter.

5.

Mistake: There have many people. (那裏有很多人)

Explanation: Grammar = There can be followed by some verbs, like is, needs or should, but not have.

Correction: There are a lot of people there.

6. 

Mistake: I need to eat medicine. (我需要吃藥)

Explanation: Vocabulary = In English, we don’t eat medicine, but we take medicine. It also sounds more natural if you use a determiner like my or some.

Correction: I need to take my/some medicine.

7. 

Mistake: My English is so poor. (我的英文很爛)

Explanation: The grammar and vocabulary for ‘My English is so poor’ are correct, but this is not a natural or common expression in English.

Correction: I can’t really speak English. / I don’t speak English very well.

8. 

Mistake: Hi, I am Tom (when you answer the phone) (嗨，我是湯姆)

Explanation: When we talk on the phone, we say ‘it is…’ or ‘this is…’ but not ‘I am…’

Correction: “Hi, this is Tom”

9.

Mistake: They’re going to live in a hotel down town.  (他們將住在市中心的飯店)

Explanation: In English, we use ‘live’ to show we reside somewhere permanently and ‘stay’ to show we will reside there temporarily.

Correction: They’re going to stay in a hotel down town.
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