Chinese Sentences and Phrases, 5.5

Hi all!

How’s your studying coming along during the summer? I’ve been loving the summer weather and taking what chances I get to get out and enjoy, taking my little notebook along with me and trying to make my own sentences as I go. 🙂

A big thing for me: I’m now able to put together some little sentences for myself. Not much, but okay, based on the lessons I’ve learnt thus far!
YAY!!!
What about you?

Make sure to post your own, I’d love to hear from you! 🙂

Yup, those are le me feet.
XD

But enough of the chit-chat!

Let’s get down to today’s little lesson.

We’ve got some nice synonyms here, so make notes of that.
Also, we’ll be looking at how to use SUBJECT+VERB sentence structures with one verb: learning. so watch for the sentence pattern. I’ll be putting up a grammar note for the next post soon to follow up on this, so keep an eyeball out for that one, too.

我们在哪里？
Wǒmen zài nǎlǐ?
Where are we?

我们在学校里。
Wǒmen zài xuéxiào lǐ.
We are in school.

我们在上课。
Wǒmen zài shàngkè.
We are in class.

这些是学生。
Zhèxiē shì xuéshēng.
Those are students.

这是女老师。
Zhè shì nǚ lǎoshī.
that is the (lady) teacher.

这是班级。
Zhè shì bānjí.
That is the class.

这是教师。
Zhè shì jiàoshī.
That is the classroom.

我们做什么？
Wǒmen zuò shénme?
What are we doing?

我们学习。
Wǒmen xuéxí.
We learn.

我们学习一门语言。
Wǒmen xuéxí yī mén yǔyán.
We learn a language.

我们学习英语。
Wǒmen xuéxí yīngyǔ.
We learn English.

你学习西班牙语。
Nǐ xuéxí xībānyá yǔ.
you learn Spanish.

他学习德语。
Tā xuéxí déyǔ.
He learns German.

你们学习意大利语。
Nǐmen xuéxí yìdàlì yǔ.
You (all) learn Italian.

他们学习俄语。
Tāmen xuéxí èyǔ.
They learn Russian.

学习言语是很有趣的。
Xuéxí yányǔ shì hěn yǒuqù de.
Learning languages is very interesting.

我们要理解人们。
Wǒmen yào lǐjiě rénmen.
We want to understand people.

我们要听懂人们。
Wǒmen yào tīng dǒng rénmen.
We want to understand people.

我们要理解讲话。
Wǒmen yào lǐjiě jiǎnghuà.
We want to understand speech.

我们要听懂讲话。
Wǒmen yào tīng dǒng jiǎnghuà.
We want to understand speech.

我们想和人们说话。
Wǒmen xiǎng hé rénmen shuōhuà.
We would like to speak with people.

我们想和人们交谈。
Wǒmen xiǎng hé rénmen jiāotán.
We would like to converse with people.

And, of course, after all this, here are the usual flashcards. From now on, I won’t be making only English and pinyin flashcards, to motivate us all to use the language in its proper manner: no pinyin only! 🙂

Sentence flashcards (hanzi and pinyin)
Word flashcards (hanzi and pinyin)

And after all that work, here’s a potato face!

Have fun learning!
R

Chinese Sentences and Phrases, Lesson 5

Hi all you dears who can be bothered to read this bothersome record of my own study (perhaps even using it for your own) on that magical Internet cloud!

Hope you’re enjoying your summer! 🙂

A: 您好！
Nín hǎo!
How do you do!

B: 您好！您找谁？
Nín hǎo! Nín zhǎo shuí?
How do you do. Who are you looking for?

A: 请问，张老师在家吗？
Qǐngwèn, zhāng lǎoshī zàijiā ma?
May I ask if Professor Zhang is at home?

B: 他出去了。您贵姓？
Tā chūqùle. Nín guìxìng?
He is out. What is your name?

A: 我姓潘，我叫潘国强。
Wǒ xìng pān, wǒ jiào pānguóqiáng.
My surname is Pan, I’m called Pan guoqiang.

B:我是张老师的弟弟。请进。请坐。
Wǒ shì zhāng lǎoshī de dìdì. Qǐng jìn. Qǐng zuò.
I am Professor Zhang’s older brother. Come in please. Please sit down.

A: 不客气。
Bù kèqì.
Thank you.

B: 请喝茶。
Qǐng hē chá.
Please have a cup of tea.

A: 谢谢。
Xièxiè.
Thank you.

B: 请等一会儿。
Qǐng děng yīhuǐ’er.
Please wait a moment.

– (Professor Zhang comes back)

A: 张老师，您好！
Zhāng lǎoshī, nín hǎo!
How are you, Professor Zhang?

C: 您好。对不起，让你久等了。
Nín hǎo. Duìbùqǐ, ràng nǐ jiǔ děngle.
Fine. Sorry to have made you wait for so long.

A: 没关系。
Méiguānxì.
Don’t bother about it.

C: 工作忙吗？
Gōngzuò máng ma?
Are you busy?

A: 不很忙。您近来身体好吗？
Bù hěn máng. Nín jìnlái shēntǐ hǎo ma?
Not very busy. How have you been recently?

C: 很好。
Hěn hǎo.
I’m fine.

A: 时候不早了，我该走了。再见！
Shíhòu bù zǎole, wǒ gāi zǒuliǎo. Zàijiàn!
It’s getting late! I must be going. See you later!

C: 再见！慢走。
Zàijiàn! Màn zǒu.
See you later! Take care.

A: 别送了！
Bié sòngle!
You don’t have to see me off. (reply phrase)

Chapter 5 Flashcards, sentences
Chapter 5 Flashcards, vocabulary (hanzi and pinyin only)
Chapter 5 Flashcards, vocabulary (pinyin and English only)

And here’s a tiny crocheted snail on a finger as a reward for making it this far!
XD

Have fun learning!
R
🙂

Chinese Sentences and Phrases, Lesson 4

Hi all!

Today we’re looking into more detail with the family!
🙂

DIALOGUE

我的亲属很多。
Wǒ de qīnshǔ hěnduō.

他们都在那儿？
Tāmen dōu zài nà’er?

叔叔在美国，姑姑在加拿大，舅舅，舅母在日本。
Shūshu zài měiguó, gūgū zài jiānádà, jiùjiu, jiùmu zài rìběn.

有没有在中国的？
Yǒu méiyǒu zài zhōngguó de?

有。伯伯在祖籍广东省台山县，姨妈，堂哥，表姐，表哥在广州。我在中国的亲属可多呢。
Yǒu. Bóbo zài zǔjí guǎngdōng shěng táishān xiàn, yímā, táng gē, biǎojiě, biǎo gē zài guǎngzhōu. Wǒ zài zhōngguó de qīnshǔ kě duō ne.

你见过你伯伯，姨妈了没有？
Nǐ jiànguò nǐ bóbo, yímāle méiyǒu?

我见过姨妈了。星期天，伯伯和堂哥要来看我。我真高兴。
Wǒ jiànguò yímāle. Xīngqítiān, bóbo hé táng gē yào lái kàn wǒ. Wǒ zhēn gāoxìng.

你有真么多亲属来看你，我真替你高兴。
Nǐ yǒu zhēn me duō qīnshǔ lái kàn nǐ, wǒ zhēn tì nǐ gāoxìng.

Chapter 4, Vocabulary Flashcards  (Hanzi and Pinyin only)
Chapter 4, Vocabulary Flashcards (English and Pinyin only)
Chapter 4, Sentences

And after all that amazing work, here’s a happy picture for you!

Have fun learning!
R
🙂

Chinese Sentences and Phrases, Lesson 3.5

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Family Relations

Hi all!

I’m having a bit of trouble remembering all the names of family members, honestly. Though it’s true that even in my native languages, knowing all those family connections is far some simple! (I have a big family, too! XD)

[Source]

So, I’ve had a look around, asked a few questions and made the following to get things moving.

爷爷 (yéye): Grandfather (father’s father)

奶奶 (nǎinai): Grandmother (father’s mother)

外公 (wàigōng): Grandfather (mother’s father)

外婆 (wàipó): Grandmother (mother’s mother)

爸爸 (bàba): Father

妈妈 (māma): Mother

伯伯 (bóbo): Uncle (father’s older brother)

叔叔 (shūshu): Uncle (father’s younger brother)

婶婶( shěnshen): Aunt (father’s sister)

舅舅 (jiùjiu): Uncle (mother’s brother)

姨妈 (yímā): Aunt (mother’s sister)

哥哥 (gēge): Older brother

嫂子 (sǎozi): Sister in law (Older brother’s wife)

姐姐 (jiějie): Older sister

姐夫 (jiěfu): Brother in law (Older sister’s husband)

弟弟 (dìdi): Younger brother

弟妹 (dìmèi): Sister in law (Younger brother’s wife)

妹妹 (mèimei): Younger sister

妹夫 (mèifu): Brother in law (Younger sister’s husband)

我 (wǒ): Me

爱人 (àirén): Spouse

儿子 (érzi): Son

女儿 (nǚ’ér): Daughter

孙子(sūnzi): Grandson (Son’s son)

孙女 (sūnnǚ): Granddaughter (Son’s daughter)

外孙 (wàisūn): Grandson (Daughter’s son)

外孙女 (wàisūnnǚ): Granddaughter (Daughter’s daughter)

We can practice all these words with the following set. 🙂

Flashcards – Family  Relations

Have fun learning!!
R

Extras [1]: Grammar for Lesson 3

Particles

1. 吗 [ma]

This is an interrogative particle and may be put at the end of a declarative sentence to make it into an interrogative one. This basically means that you make a statement into a yes/no question.

Examples

你身体好吗？
Nǐ shēntǐ hǎo ma?

你哥哥工作了吗？
Nǐ gēgē gōngzuò le ma?

你妈妈是大学老师吗？
Nǐ māmā shì dàxué lǎoshī ma?

2. 呢 [ne]

This particle may be used in two ways.

a. It may be used to ask about ‘where’, ‘how’, etc. by adding it to a noun, a pronoun, etc.

Examples

你弟弟，妹妹呢？
Nǐ dìdì, mèimei ne?

• 你们都在家里。
  Nǐmen dōu zài jiā lǐ.

你身体好吗？
Nǐ shēntǐ hǎo ma?

• 好，谢谢。你呢？
  Hǎo, xièxiè. Nǐ ne?

b. When added to the end of a declarative sentence, the modal particle 呢 functions to point out a fact and make people sure of it.

Examples

我姐姐还没工作呢。

Wǒ jiějiě hái méi gōngzuò ne.

我哥哥工作了，他还是老师呢。

Wǒ gēgē gōngzuò le, tā háishì lǎoshī ne.

3. 吧 [ba]

This particle also has more uses.

a. It can make commands, requests and suggestions less direct. It can make a pushy question more neutral.

Example

快点吧。
Kuài diǎn ba.
Hurry up.

b. It can also expresses a tone of consultation, as in an ‘isn’t it?’

Example

十二点了，我们休息吧。
Shí’èr diǎnle, wǒmen xiūxí ba.
It’s 12, we should rest, (shouldn’t we?)

Chinese Sentences and Phrases, Lesson 3

Hi all you magical wonders of that supernatural and all-round amazing Land of the Internet!
How’s it going?

Today’s lesson is about family. We’ll learn how we can give a basic description of our families and check out some nice grammar in the next lesson as well.

You’ll read this and then feel like this (like me) on the first go. XD

So let’s get right into it !:)
and see how we can give a basic description of our families.

Main Dialogue

你家有几口人？
Nǐ jiā yǒu jǐ kǒu rén?
How many people are in you family?

我家有七人：爸爸，妈妈，哥哥，姐姐，弟弟，妹妹，和我。
Wǒjiā yǒu qī rén: Bàba, māmā, gēgē, jiějiě, dìdì, mèimei, hé wǒ.
There are seven people in my family: my father, my mother, my older brother, my older sister, my younger brother, my younger sister and me.

你爸爸，妈妈身体好吗？
Nǐ bàba, māmā shēntǐ hǎo ma?
How are your father and mother?

都很好，他们还在工作。我爸爸是医生，我妈妈是大学老师。
Dōu hěn hǎo, tāmen hái zài gōngzuò. Wǒ bàba shì yīshēng, wǒ māmā shì dàxué lǎoshī.
Very well. They still work. My father is a doctor, my mother is a university teacher.

你哥哥，姐姐都工作的吗？
Nǐ gēgē, jiějiě dōu gōngzuò de ma?
Do your elder brother and sister work?

他们还没工作。哥哥是大学生，姐姐是中学生。
Tāmen hái méi gōngzuò. Gēgē shì dàxuéshēng, jiějiě shì zhōngxuéshēng.
No, not yet. My older brother is a university student; my older sister is a middle school student.

你弟弟，妹妹也是中学生吗？
Nǐ dìdì, mèimei yě shì zhōngxuéshēng ma?
Are your younger brother and sister also middle school students?

他们不是中学生，他们都在小学学习。
Tāmen bùshì zhōngxuéshēng, tāmen dōu zài xiǎoxué xuéxí.
They are not middle school students. They both study in primary school.

你呢？
Nǐ ne?
And you?

我在中学生学习。
Wǒ zài zhōngxuéshēng xuéxí.
I study in middle school.

Make sure to also check out the flashcard sets made specifically for this lesson!

Sentence Flashcards
Vocabulary Flashcards (hanzi and pinyin only)
Vocabulary Flashcards (pinyin and English only)
Keep an eye out for extra materials to compliment this lesson in the following posts and make sure you keep practicing, especially by posting!

Here’s a unicorn for your hard work! 🙂

Have fun learning!
R

Extras [2] for Lesson 2

Hi there all you magical denizens of the ether known as the Internet!

In this post we’ll have a few practice readings to help settle what we’ve learnt so far from the first 2 Chapters.

To add to the fun, let’s get a discussion up about what the pinyin reading and translation of the following dialogue and small text is!

Those who are correct will get a sticker from me! XD

Ready?

Let’s do this!

Dialogue 1

A: 请问，什么时候到开学？

B: 明天开学。

A: 明天见！

B: 明天见！

 Dialogue 2

A: 什么时候到开学？

B: 九月一日开学。

A: 今天几号？

B: 今天四号。

A: 明天星期几？

B: 明天星期天。

A: 你好好休息吧。

B: 再见！

A: 再见！

Passage reading

我三月二十日早上到广州。四月一日开学，我们上午八点上课，十一点四十分下课。今天星期六，我上课，很忙。明天星期天，不上课，我要好好休息。

How did it go?
Let me know in the comments below! I’d love to know how you’re doing and if you’ve got any ideas about what you would like to see covered in the future. For now, here’s a cookie for your amazing efforts!

🙂
Have fun learning!
R

Extras [1] for Lesson 2

Hi all you good things out there in the magical land known as the Internet!

Today I’ll be giving you a few extras to help you out with the vocab and ideas in lesson 2 and some exercises to help practice them!

First up, some little slides (also available on our FB page) summarizing the numbers, days of the week and the names of the months in the Gregorian Calendar.

And now for some practice!
Make sure you not only say these to yourself, but post them in the comments below!

1. Substitute the days of the week to make meaningful sentences. 
Example:

今天星期一，明天星期二。 [Today is Monday, tomorrow is Tuesday.]

Now it’s your turn!
今天…，明天…。

2. Read aloud and comment with the pinyin.

a. 1990年 4月1日

b. 1980 年 7月8日

c. 2014 年 10 月 15日

d. 1979 年 7月 28日

e. 2001 年 12 月 25日

3. Answer (aloud and in the comments below) the questions about time and date.

Example

a. 现在几点？

七点。

b. 12月1日

今天几号？

今天十二月一号。

明天几号？

明天十二月二号。

Now it’s your turn!

a. 现在几点？

b. 现在几点？

c. 现在几点？

d. 现在几点？

e. 3月10日

f. 5月14日

g. 10月1日

h. 10月6日

4. Answer the following questions both aloud, to yourself and by posting in the comments below. (You may answer using the main dialogue of Lesson 2, or make your own answers up. 🙂 )

a. 你什么时候到广州的？

b. 请问，几号开学？

c. 上午几点上课？

d. 下午几点上课？

e. 明天星期几？

I look forward to your posts! If you practice even just a little everyday, you’ll get the hang of it in no time at all!

Have fun learning!
R

Chinese Sentences and Phrases, Lesson 2

Hi all!

Let’s continue with today’s lesson, no. 2.

This lesson is a little more complicated, but only because of more wonderful things to learn. 🙂 We’ll be check out the numbers and days of the week! I’ll have some charming little videos at the end of the dialogue to help us out about these as well.

Let’s get started!
Thinking glasses on!

A: 你好！

Nǐhǎo!
Good day!

B: 你好！

Nǐhǎo!
Good day!

A: 你什么时候到广州的？

Nǐ shénme shíhou dào Guǎngzhōu de?
When did you arrive in Guangzhou?

B: 今天早上到的。请问，几号开学？

Jīntiān zǎoshang dào de. Qǐngwèn jǐ hào kāixué?
This morning. Excuse me, but may I ask on what date school starts?

A: 四月一日。

Sì yuè yī rì.
The 1st of April.

B: 上午几点上课？

Shàngwǔ jǐ diǎn shàngkè?
What time does the class being in the morning?

A: 八点。

Bā diǎn.
8.

B: 几点下课?

Jǐ diǎn xiàkè?
What time does class end?

A: 十一点四十分。明天星期天，你好好休息吧。

Shíyī diǎn sìshí fēn. Míngtiān xīngqītiān, nǐ hǎohǎo xiūxi ba.
11:40. Tomorrow will be Sunday, have a good rest.

B: 谢谢。

Xiè xie.
Thank you.

So that’s the second lesson.

1. Chapter 2 sentence flashcards
2. Chapter 2, vocabulary hanzi and pinyin  
3. Chapter 2, vocabulary pinyin and English

Also, I haven’t forgotten the help for the numbers, days of the week and months! They’re all based on very basic numerical logic, so you’ll get the hang of them very easily with a bit of practice.

Check out these really cool little vids to help you out here. 🙂

And for the days of the week:

And, lastly, for the names of the months! 🙂 (I LOVE Sammi!! 🙂 XD)

So now you’ve got enough to practice lots and become super smart!

And, as always, have fun learning!
R