an informal talk involving a small group of people or only two; the activity of talking in this way (非正式)交談,談話 a phone conversation 電話交談 The main topic of conversation was the likely outcome of the election. 談話的主題是選舉可能的結果。 I tried to make conversation (= to speak in order to appear polite). 我設法找些話題。 - conversation with somebody
I had a long conversation with her the other day. 前幾天我與她作了一次長談。 She was engaged in conversation with a colleague. 她正在和一位同事談話。 - (British English)
to get into conversation with somebody 開始與某人攀談 - (North American English)
to get into a conversation with somebody 開始與某人攀談 - conversation between A and B
I overheard a conversation between two colleagues. 無意中聽到兩個同事的對話。 - conversation about something
We had to listen to endless conversations about high prices and food shortages. 我們不得不聽那些關於高物價和食品短缺的無休無止的談話。 - in conversation
Don was deep in conversation with the girl on his right. 唐與他右邊的女孩在專心交談。 I spent an hour in conversation with him. 我花了一個小時和他交談。 The conversation turned to gardening. 話題轉到了園藝上。 Desperately he struggled to keep the conversation going. 他拼命努力讓談話繼續下去。 I see no point in continuing this conversation. 我認爲繼續這場談話沒有意義。 She tried to steer the conversation away from the topic of marriage. 她試圖把話題從婚姻上引開。 He felt a sudden alarm at the turn the conversation was taking. 在談話即將開始的時候,他突然感到一陣驚慌。
Synonyms discussiondiscussion- conversation
- dialogue
- talk
- debate
- consultation
- chat
- gossip
- discussion a detailed conversation about something that is considered to be important:
Discussions are still taking place between the two leaders. 兩位領導人仍在進行討論。
- conversation a talk, usually a private or informal one, involving two people or a small group; the activity of talking in this way:
a telephone conversation 電話交談
- dialogue conversations in a book, play or film:
The novel has long descriptions and not much dialogue. 這部小說描述多,對話少。
dialogue 亦指兩個團體間爲解決問題或結束爭端進行的正式對話、討論、交換意見: The President told waiting reporters there had been a constructive dialogue. 總統告訴等候的記者,剛才進行了一次富有建設性的對話。
- talk a conversation or discussion, often one about a problem or something important for the people involved:
I had a long talk with my boss about my career prospects. 我和老板就我的事業前景進行了一次長談。
- debate a formal discussion of an issue at a public meeting or in a parliament. In a debate two or more speakers express opposing views and then there is often a vote on the issue:
a debate on prison reform 關於監獄制度改革的辯論
- consultation a formal discussion between groups of people before a decision is made about something:
There have been extensive consultations between the two countries. 兩國之間進行了廣泛磋商。
- chat
a friendly informal conversation; informal talking. The countable use of chat is especially British English: I just called in for a chat about the kids.指友好的非正式交談、聊天 - gossip a conversation about other people and their private lives:
We had a good gossip about the boss. 我們講了好一會兒老板的閒話。
- a discussion/conversation/dialogue/talk/debate/consultation/chat/gossip about something
- a discussion/conversation/dialogue/debate/consultation on something
- in (close) discussion/conversation/dialogue/debate/consultation with somebody
- to have a discussion/conversation/dialogue/talk/debate/consultation/chat/gossip with somebody
- to hold a discussion/conversation/debate/consultation
Express Yourself Conversation openersConversation openers 打開話題 What can you say when you have to speak to someone for the first time or when you have to open a meeting? Here are some possible ways of starting a conversation or getting the audience's attention before a talk or speech: 與人初次交談時打開話題,會議開始要講話,或者演講之前引起聽衆注意,可用以下方式: Do you mind if I sit here? 我坐在這兒可以嗎?
Hello, is this seat taken? 你好,這個座位有人嗎?
May I join you? Can I get you a coffee? 可以和你一起嗎?我給你拿杯咖啡好嗎?
Lovely weather we’re having!/Can you believe this rain/wind/cold/sunshine? 多好的天氣呀!/真想不到會下這麽大雨/刮這麽大風/這麽冷/陽光這麽燦爛!
Excuse me, could I ask you a question? 打擾一下,可以問您一個問題嗎?
Shall we make a start? I think it's almost three o'clock. 我們馬上開始好嗎?我看都快三點了。
Shall we get started? I'd like to introduce our speaker. 我們開始吧?我來介紹一下演講人。
I think everyone's here, so I'd like to welcome you to this conference. 我想大家都到齊了,在此我對出席本次會議的各位表示歡迎。
Extra ExamplesA chance conversation led to a brilliant new career for the young student. 一次偶然的談話讓這位年輕的學生進入了一個前景光明的新職業。 All conversation ceased and everyone turned around. 所有的談話都停了下來,大家都轉過身去。 All too soon the stilted conversation ran dry. 這次談話本來就有點兒不自然,很快就沒什麽可說的了。 Cara kept up a one-sided conversation. 談話時,卡拉只顧着一個人說個不停。 Don was in close conversation with the girl on his right. 唐正和他右邊的女孩親切交談。 During the course of conversation, it emerged that Sheila had lived in Nigeria. 從談話中得知,希拉在尼日利亞生活過。 He said that television had been the death of good conversation. 他說電視已取代了人與人之間愉快的交談。 He was waiting for her to open the conversation. 他在等她先開口說話。 I got into a conversation with Chris about UFOs. 我和克裏斯談起了不明飛行物。 I got into conversation with one of the directors. 我和一個負責人交談起來。 I had an interesting conversation with Dick Wortley. 我和迪克・沃特利進行了一次很有意思的交談。 I managed to bring the conversation around to why they were leaving. 我設法將談話轉到了他們爲什麽離開這個問題上。 I overheard snatches of a conversation between two doctors. 我無意中聽到兩位醫生之間的零星談話。 I recall a conversation in which he told me he would never leave Paris. 我回想起他在一次談話中告訴我他永遠不會離開巴黎。 I tried to make conversation with the three people around the table. 我嘗試和桌子旁 3 個沉默的人交談。 I was courteous but didn't encourage conversation. 我謙恭有禮,但是不願多與人交談。 I was keen to strike up a conversation with him. 我渴望和他交談起來。 In the Western world it is polite to maintain eye contact during conversation. 在西方國家,交談時保持目光接觸是禮貌的行爲。 In the programme tonight we hear Dr Chris Toole in conversation with the artist Mary Witherspoon. 在今晚的節目中,我們將聽到克裏斯·圖爾博士和藝術家瑪麗·威瑟斯龐的談話。 It's not a subject that often crops up in casual conversation. 這不是閒談中常常會冒出來的那種話題。 Our hostess did her best to keep the conversation going. 我們的女主人盡了最大努力使談話繼續下去。 Police taped the conversation. 警方對談話進行了錄音。 She avoided conversation with the other passengers. 她避免和其他乘客交談。 She could hear him over the buzz of conversation and laughter. 一片嗡嗡的談笑聲中,她能聽到他的聲音。 She ignored all my attempts at conversation. 我每次嘗試和她談一談,她都不理睬。 She turned the conversation to her work. 她把話題轉到了她的工作上。 The book became an instant best-seller and topic of water-cooler conversation. 這本書一出版就十分暢銷,成爲人們工作之餘談論的熱門話題。 The conversation drifted away from babies. 話題不知不覺離開了嬰孩。 The conversation drifted into family chat. 談話不知不覺地變成了聊家常。 The conversation ended when the vacuum cleaner started up. 真空吸塵器一開,談話就結束了。 The conversation moved on to other things. 談話接着轉到了其他事情上。 The conversation proceeded in French. 談話用法語進行。 The main topic of conversation was the big football match. 話題主要是這場重要的足球比賽。 The two of you need to have a face-to-face conversation. 你們兩個人需要面對面地談一談。 There is an ongoing conversation in society about how we raise our children. 社會上關於如何撫養孩子的討論還在繼續。 There was no time for a proper conversation. 沒有時間進行一次象樣的交談。 They all relaxed and conversation flowed freely. 他們都很放鬆,自由自在地暢談着。 They were deep in conversation and didn't notice the time. 他們談得很起勁,沒有注意到時間。 Think of prayer as a two-way conversation. 把祈禱想成一種雙向的交談。 We carried on a rather awkward conversation. 我們尴尬地進行了交談。 We engaged in a long conversation. 我們進行了一次長談。 We had a long conversation about old cars. 我們圍繞舊汽車談了很久。 We sat making polite conversation and feeling rather uncomfortable. 我們彬彬有禮地坐着交談,感到有點兒不舒服。 When I tried to engage him in conversation, she always interrupted. 我試圖讓他參與談話的時候,她總是打岔。 When did this conversation take place? 這次談話是什麽時候的事? When you are struggling with an unfamiliar language, the simplest conversations can be misinterpreted. 如果不熟悉一種語言,最簡單的談話都可能被誤解。 You can't hold a private conversation there. 那裏無法進行私人談話。 Young children become quickly bored by adult conversation. 小孩子對大人的談話很快就會厭倦。 a conversation between Jane and her parents 簡和父母的談話 a conversation on the topic of activities for children 以兒童活動爲主題的談話 a plain girl who had no conversation and no social graces 相貌平平、不善交談也不懂社交禮儀的女孩 listening to endless conversations about high prices and food shortages 聽那些無休無止關於價格高、食品匮乏的談話 I got into a conversation with a man on the bus. 我在公共汽車上跟一個男人攀談起來。 I tried to make polite conversation. 我設法說些應酬話。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- brief
- short
- lengthy
- …
- snatch
- carry on
- have
- hold
- …
- occur
- take place
- continue
- …
- during conversation
- in conversation with
- conversation about
- …
- an attempt at conversation
- be in… conversation (with somebody)
- a buzz of conversation
- …
Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘living among, familiarity, intimacy’): via Old French from Latin conversatio(n-), from the verb conversari ‘keep company (with)’, from con- ‘with’ + versare, frequentative of vertere ‘to turn’.