figged out.

dictionary:

verb ( figged , figging ) [ trans. ] archaic

dress up (someone) to look smart : he was figged out in the latest modes.

the way I will use this word:

verb (figged, figging)

dress up (my language skills) to look smart, to pretend like I know what is being talked about: I fig out my language skills.   

No, I don't dress up to look smart, but I pretend {daily} like I know how to speak chinese.  

Yea, that is me, always trying to fig my way.  I dress up my language like I know what I am saying, like I know what I am hearing, and keep under cover just long enough.

Here is a figged moment:

The other day I left school at 4:40 to take a taxi to the train station.  I needed to pick up a package that was at the post office, next to the train station.  Not sure why some packages get stuck at the train station and others make it to our door.  Anyway, I jumped in a taxi and told him I needed to go to the train station.  I told the taxi driver I was going to the post office at the train station.  He looked at the clock on the dash, looked at me, told me that the post office closed at 5:30.  I said "Wo zhi dao" (I know).  He said, blah blah blah blah kuai.  At least that is what I heard.  I heard the word for "fast" (kuai).  So I said, "dui, kuai" (yes, fast).  

He continued to say something and I thought he was talking about the subway station.  I thought maybe he was suggesting taking the subway, as it may be faster with all the traffic.  He said "blah blah blah blah, hao bu hao (good or not good)".  I understood "hao bu hao" and pretended like I understood the rest.  Hao bu hao is a question, so I said "hao."  I thought maybe I was saying, "good, I will take the subway if you think that is faster."  A few minutes later he was on the phone, got off the phone, said "blah blah blah blah hao bo hao".  The question word again, so I said, "hao."  He pointed to his back seat and said something about a friend.  At this point I am wondering if he has another place to go and is suggesting I jump in his friends car, and his friend will get me there faster.  "Hao."  

I needed to stop saying Hao.  

He was driving like a mad man (meaning he is swerving in and out or traffic and going very kuai-fast).  I was thankful he was driving fast, I wanted to get the package before the post office closed, but I wondered what I was agreeing too.  Was he going to drop me off at the subway?  or his friends car?  At the next corner stood his friend, standing outside his nice red car.  I hesitantly was going to reach for the door handle thinking this is the end of my taxi ride and I will find another way to get there.  Before I did that, his friend jumped in the back.  I guess after all that "hao" business, I agreed that his friend, who was going to the train station also, could get a free ride with me.  

Many days I fig out my language skills, really having no idea what the conversation really is.  This summer it is going to be really strange to be able to understand the language again.  And they will understand me!

Chad