How to keep a Mandarin–English conversation moving
Confirm that each person can follow the other’s captions, then agree how to share names or key words. Ask which written form the other person prefers instead of assuming it.
Agree how to move between Mandarin and EnglishUse an example when one word carries too much
If someone refers to a family member and the translation says only “aunt,” ask whose sister she was or how the person knew her. If the detail doesn’t affect the story, keep going. When it does, let the speaker explain it in a short sentence rather than searching for a word-for-word match.
Preserve the detail you want to come back to
Ask someone to type the characters or spelling for a name you’ll want to use again. If a story includes an expression you’d like to remember, ask how they would say it to a friend. Return the favor with an English expression from your own story.