普通话一 Mandarin 1
By Levi Clancy for Student Reader on
updated
- 中文 Chinese
- Chinese studies
- Communication
- Country and language
- 中國 China populations
- 代名詞 Pronouns
- 名字 Names
- 商店 Stores
- 天氣 / 天气 weather
- 季節 / 季节 Seasons
- 學校 / 学校 School
- 家人 Family
- 工作 Work
- 數字 Numbers
- 旅行 Travel
- 是 shì 、很 hěn 、得 dě
- 時候 / 时候 Time
- 普通话: Activities and invitations
- 普通话一 Mandarin 1
- 普通话二 Mandarin 2
- 漢字 / 汉字 hànzì
- 生日 Birthday and age
- 色 Color
- 衣服 Clothes
- 錢 / 钱 Money
- 飯館 / 饭馆 Restaurant
- 餐 Meals
- Subpages
The table below summarizes what you will be expected to learn in Mandarin, level 1.
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Punctuation | |||||||||||||
Characters | Six principles of Chinese characters. | ||||||||||||
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Measure words | |||||||||||||
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你家有幾個人? 你家有几个人? | |||||||||||||
你工作嗎? 你工作吗? | |||||||||||||
年、月、號、星期、上 / 午、點、分
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Hobbies | |||||||||||||
Availability | ...有是嗎? ... 有是吗? | ||||||||||||
Appointments | [person 1] + time + 在 + place + 等 + [person 2] | ||||||||||||
Invitations | 我想找你一起去 ... 我想找你一起去 ... | ||||||||||||
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See separate entry on 很 usage. | |||||||||||||
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Classifiers | 個 、張本 、杯 、瓶 、位 | ||||||||||||
Asking for help | 我想請你幾個請題 我想请你几个请题 | ||||||||||||
誰 、哪哪兒 、幾 、什麼 谁 、哪 、哪儿 、几 、什么 | |||||||||||||
给 | |||||||||||||
你喜歡喝查還是咖啡? | |||||||||||||
因為今天是你的生日, 因为今天是你的生日, | |||||||||||||
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才 | |||||||||||||
就 | |||||||||||||
Subj + 在去来 + place + activity | |||||||||||||
要是 ... 那 | |||||||||||||
得 | 我說中文說得怎麼樣 我说中文说得怎么样 |
名詞的一級 Nouns
照片 zháopiàn
Photograph
Zhe shi wo/ni/ta de zhaopian?
Zhe shi shei de _noun_ ?
shi wo de
bu shi wo de
Classifiers
In Chinese, classifiers (aka measure words) are used. These go between the quantity (either 幾 / 几 jǐ or and actual number) and the object being counted.
個 / 个 gè / ge
general classifier; classifier for people
口 kǒu
family members
You ji ge?
動詞的一級 Verbs
有
yǒu
to have / to own
Character is an ideogram of a hand holding a piece of meat. 没有 méi yǒu means not-have
Desire and need
喜歡
喜欢
xǐhuan
to like (to) / enjoy
If you like or prefer something in general, then this verb to like is the right choice. 你喜歡學中問嗎?你喜欢学中问吗? But if you want to go out and do something, consider using 想 xiǎng.
想
xiǎng
to want (to) / planning to
要
yào
will do
得
dě
must / to have (to)
得 dě can also be used to describe an action.
Opinion
覺得
觉得juéde
(v) to think
很
hěn
(adv) is indeed
高兴
gāoxìng
(adj) happy, pleased
漂亮 | piaoliang | pretty |
好玩 | haowan | very fun |
有意思 | youyisi | interesting |
没有意思 | meiyouyisi | uninteresting |
Knowledge
知道
zhīdào
(v) to know
Tabuzhidaoyingwen does not directly translate as, "She does not know English" -- instead, it more accurately means, "She has never ever heard of English."
認識
认识
rènshi
to be acquainted with, to recognize
Action verbs
You speak a little Chinese.
見
见
jiàn
to see
看
kan
to watch
Yes/no questions
嗎
吗
ma
yes or no?
There are two ways to form yes/no questions: using 嗎吗 ma and using affirmative-negative. Both methods accomplish the same objective.
Adding 嗎吗 ma to the end of a statement turns it into a yes or no question; 嗎吗 ma must always go at the end of the statement. One can also form a yes/no question by stating the verb/adjective in affirmative then negative form. If the verb/adjective is more than one syllable, one need only include the first syllable in the affirmative form.
Statement | 嗎吗 ma | ± |
你是中國人 你是中国人 nǐ shì zhōngguórén you are Chinese | 你是中國人嗎 你是中国人吗 nǐ shì zhōngguórén ma? you are Chinese? | 你是不是中國人 你是不是中国人 nǐ shì bùshi zhōngguórén? you are Chinese? |
你喜歡吃法國菜 你喜欢吃法国菜 nǐ xǐhuan chī fǎguó cài you like French food | 你喜歡吃法國菜嗎 你喜欢吃法国菜吗 nǐ xǐhuan chī fǎguó cài ma? you like French food? | 你喜不喜歡吃法國菜 你喜不喜欢吃法国菜 nǐ xǐ bù xǐhuan chī fǎguó cài? you like French food? |
他有工作 tā yǒu gōngzuò he has a job | 他有工作嗎 他有工作吗 tā yǒu gōngzuò ma? does he have a job? | 他有沒有工作 他有没有工作 tā yǒu méiyǒu gōngzuò? does he have a job? |
Question words
呢
ne
and?
And? It is used after a statement, to ask about another person. 你 呢 ni ne? And you? 他 呢 ta ne? And him? 她呢 ta ne? And her?
誰
谁
shéi
who?
什麼
什么
shénme
what?
哪
nǎ / něi
which?
zhe shi na guo?
ni xihuan chi na guo ren?
哪兒
哪儿
nǎr
where?
幾
几
jǐ
how many/much?
多
duō
how many/much?
為什麼
为什么
wèishénme
why __ ?
Why are you studying Chinese? 為什麼學中文?为什么学中文? The phrase 為什麼为什么 translates as why? and comes at the beginning of a statement. It is composed of two words: 為为 wèi means for; 什麼什么 shénme means what?
因為
因为
yīnwèi
because __
所以
suoyi
so __
Composed of several parts: 因 yīn (because); 為为 wèi (for).
和
和
hè
(conj) and
也
也
yě
(conj) also
要是
要是
yàoshi
(conj) if
那
那
nà
(conj) then
Used to connect sentences.
還还
還
还
huán
(conj) also, too, as well
還是还是
還是
还是
háishì
(conj) or
可是
可是
kĕshì
(conj) but, however, although
我是美國人,可是我不是加州人 我是美国人,可是我不是加州人 | wǒ shì měiguórén, kĕshì wǒ bùshì jiāzhōurén | I am an American, but I am not a Californian |
的
的
de
of, belonging to, from
A 的 de B
B belongs to, is from, and/or is of A
的 de can be omitted after 我 wǒ, 你 nǐ, 他 tā and other pronouns when discussing close kinship. For example, 我 的 爸爸 Wǒ de bàba is grammatically correct, but it strangely emphasis my! my! father; 我 爸爸 Wǒ bàba is more correct.
Similarly, 的 de is not used for single, well-understood concepts. For example, 中國 的 人 / 中国 的 人 Zhōngguó de rén is grammatically correct, but 的 de imparts an usual, added emphasis; 中國人 / 中国人 Zhōngguó rén is the norm.
Further, consider 老的朋友 lǎo de péngyǒu (friend who is old) versus 老朋友 lǎo péngyǒu (old, long-time friend).
只
只
zhǐ
only
才
才
cái
subject | time when | 才 | verb | object |
了
了
le
了 le is used to denote an action (verb) that has been completed or initiated. It emphasizes that something is in the past and is the closest Chinese equivalent to a past tense. There are three cases: no object; with an object and unmodified verb; and with an object and modified verb.
Subject | Verb | 了 |
Subject | Unmodified Verb | Object | 了 |
Subject | Modified Verb | 了 | Object |
Etiquette I
你好
nǐ hǎo
hello
再見
再见
zàijiàn
see you later
謝謝
谢谢
xièxie
thank you
不客氣
不客气
bùkèqi
對不起
对不起
duìbùqǐ
sorry (oops)
In Chinese, 對不起对不起 duìbùqǐ translates as I'm sorry. However, it is not totally equivalent to I'm sorry in English, which can be used to express sympathy. This is simply a polite way of excusing oneself after a faux pas.
沒問題
没问题
méiguānxi
no problem
There are two common ways to politely end a conversation with somebody you have just met.
(我)認識你高興
(我)认识你高兴
(wǒ) rènshi nǐ gāoxìng
A pleasure to meet you
(我)很高興認識你
(我)很高兴认识你
(wǒ) hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ
(I) am pleased meet you
太好了
tàihăole
Excellent!
太 __ 了 tài __ le
(very __ ; too __)
怎麼樣
怎么样
zĕnmeyàng
okay?
Ni zenmeyang? Colloquial way of asking "How is it going?"
Etiquette II
Etiquette III
呀 ya
soften question一下 yīxià
soften action一點一点 yīdiǎn
moderate noun有一點有一点 yǒuyīdiǎn
moderate adjective吧 ba
soften command;
confirm statement
請問
请问
qǐngwèn __
(please-question)
Pardon me, may I ask -- ? Excuse me (before asking a question). Stemming from the notion that it is rude to immediately begin questioning someone, it is polite to first say qǐngwèn when beginning a conversation. However, it does not need to be repeated subsequent questions in the same conversation.
呀
ya
Add to the end of a question to make it more polite, less demanding.
一下
yīxià
just once
一下 yīxià follows the verb in a sentence, and makes that verb more polite and moderate, as opposed to imposing and command-like.
你看 nǐkàn: Look! This is an order.
你看一下 nǐkànyīxià: Take a look.
The addition of 一下 yīxià turns the order into a gentle invitation or request.
我介绍 wǒjièshào:I am introducing!
我介绍一下 wǒjièshàoyīxià: Allow me to introduce. With the addition of 一下 yīxià, this is the set phrase to use before introducing two people.
我給你們介紹一下我给你们介绍一下
你看一下,這是什麼字?你看一下,这是什么字?
請你進來一下请你进来一下
一點
一点
yīdiǎn
a bit
Like 一下 yīxià, 一點一点 yīdiǎn also follows the verb in a sentence. However, while 一下 yīxià modifies the verb, 一點一点 yīdiǎn modifies the object. 一點一点 yīdiǎn can be shortened to just 點点 diǎn.
有一點(兒)+ adjective有一点(儿)+ adjective
普通话 | 拼音 | English |
你想餅乾嗎 / 你想饼干吗 | nǐ xiǎng bǐnggān ma? | Wanna cookie?! |
你想一點餅乾嗎 / 你想一点饼干吗 | nǐ xiǎng yīdiǎn bǐnggān ma? | Would you like some cookies? |
你想吃什麼 / 你想吃什么 | nǐ xiǎng chī shénme? | What food ya want? |
你想吃點什麼 / 你想吃点什么 | nǐ xiǎng chī diǎn shénme? | What would you like to eat? |
有一點
有一点
yǒuyīdiǎn
a bit
我學得漢字有一點難我学得汉字有一点难
吧
ba
Add to end of a command to make it less, well, commanding. Use 吧 to moderate a command and to confirm a statement. 下課以後我們去看電影吧. 你是中人吧?下课以后我们去看电影吧. 你是中人吧?
普通话 | 拼音 | English |
你喝茶 / 你喝茶 | nǐ hè chá | Drink tea! |
你喝一點茶 / 你喝一点茶 | nǐ hè yīdiǎn chá | Drink some tea! |
你喝一點茶吧 / 你喝一点茶吧 | nǐ hè yīdiǎn chá ba | Have a little tea. |
Directions
你在哪兒?你在哪儿?
你去哪兒?你去哪儿?