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Welcome to CultureAlleyMandarian!! Nǐhǎo this is Basic Mandarin lesson 9!
Lets start by going over some of the phrases that you learnt in the last lesson…
Student translates to xuésheng While Teacher translates to Lǎoshī
You would also recal that bù, becomes bú that is, it changes from fourth tone to second
tone, when used alongside another falling, or fourth tone
Therefore, We say bùhǎo, and búshì meaning not good and is not respectively!
Now lets revise by simulating a conversation between Mark and lisa! As always, We will
first have the conversation in English and then in Mandarin! Here we go!
Mark Are you a student? Lisa I am a student
Lisa Are you a teacher? Mark I am not a teacher
This is what it translates to in Mandarin! Mark Nǐshìxuésheng ma?
Lisa Wǒshìxuésheng Lisa NǐshìLǎoshī ma?
Mark Wǒbúshìlǎoshī… hope you remembered all of it!
Lets also go over the different question particles weve encountered till now!
The question particle Ma, is used to frame yes or no type of questions !
A suitable example for this is Nǐhǎo ma? thatiterally translates to You good?
The second question particle ,Ne is used to frame repetitive questions ! For example,
Im very good, and you? Becomes Wǒhěnhǎo, nǐ ne?
And finally, Shénme is used to frame questions that have What as an interrogative in them!
For example, Whats his/her family name ? Is translated as Tāxìngshénme?
Great! Lets begin a new topic now! Todays lesson is about LearningNationalities
This lesson will help us learn about nationalities, and have conversations regarding the same!
Lets start by learning a few nationalities in Mandarin!
Before we begin, heres something you should take a note of!
While in English, people from China are referred to as Chinese, their translation in Mandarin
is not Chinesebut Chinese people This is to say that, in Mandarin, the word
people, that translates as Rén , follows each nationality!
Lets start with China! Chinese people translates to Zhōngguórén
,where Zhōngguó is pronounced with a high level tone on the first o and a mid rising
tone on the second o Lets hear you say Zhōngguórén Great!
American people translates asMěiguórén, in whichMěiguó is pronounced with
a falling rising tone on the e and a mid rising tone on the o
Lets hear you say Měiguórén good job! Lets move on to the next one!
English people translates to Yīngguórén where,Yīngguó is pronounced with
a high level tone on the i and a mid rising tone on the o, like Yīngguó
Lets hear you say Yīngguórén Good! Lets try another one!
French people translates as Fǎguórén Fǎguó is pronounced with falling rising
tone on a and a mid rising tone on the o Lets hear you say Fǎguóréngreat! Weve covered
four nationalities! Lets revise what weve learnt till now!
Chinese people translates to Zhōngguórén While, American people becomes Měiguórén
Similarly, English people translates to Yīngguórén
and French people becomes Fǎguórén Great job!
Now lets try and use the vocabulary weve just learnt in a conversation!
Lets try ans say the sentence I am Chinese , here is the individual break up!
I translates to Wǒ, Am becomes shì China translates to Zhōngguó and People translates
asrén Remember that, While in English, people from
China are referredto as Chinese, their translation in Mandarin is not Chinese but Chinesepeople
! So lets get back to our sentence! I am Chinese is translated as WǒshìZhōngguórén,
that literally means I am China person As noted before, Mandarin does not differentiate
between singular and plural, therefore the word rén can be used for both, a single person
as well as people! Lets look at another sentence! He is American breaks down to the following
He translates to Shì, Is becomes tā American translates to Měiguóand People
is rén Therefore He is American translates to TāshìMěiguórénwhich
literally means He is American person Good ! Lets try and frame a question now!
Here is how we would say Is she English? Is translates to Shì,He becomes tā,English
is translated as Yīngguó As always, People is rén and finally the
question particle is denoted by ma Therefore, Is he English/British?translates
as TāshìYīngguórén ma? Literally meaning He is English person? here
is another one! Are you French? Once again, lets look at the
break up Are translates toShì ,You becomes nǐFrance
is translated as Fǎguó People asrén and the question particle is ma
Are you French?translates as NǐshìFǎguórén ma? Great! Lets move on!
Here a grammar tip for you, In Mandarin, The answers to Yes and No type questions
are given referring to the verbs or adjectives used in the question! Confusing? Lets take
an example! to answer the question Is he french? , in
the affirmative, we would simply say Yes, he is!
We replying using a single word that is, Shì here implying that I am French
Similarly, to deny a statement, all we need to do is add the negative bù !
But remember, when bù is used with another fourth tone, it changes to second tone!
Lets try ans say no, hes not French… No, he isnt translates to Búshì implying
that He is not French ! Can you say that again Búshì ! good job!
Alright! Lets take a quick quiz to see if you remember what weve learnt so far!
How do we say Is he Chinese? Do we say, NǐshìZhōngguórén ma? or is
it WǒshìZhōngguórén? Or would we say TāshìZhōngguórén ma?
The correct way of saying Is he Chinese? is TāshìZhōngguórén ma?! Good job!
Now let us learn how to ask someone where they are from!
Lets take a look at the vocabulary required for the same!
Which translates to Nǎ Country becomes Guó
Which country?together translates as Nǎguó? and peopleis Rén
Heres something youd need to know! Where are you from? literally translates to
You are which country people? in Mandarin! Note that which takes the same place as the
answer would For Example the questionYou are which country
people? Is answered by the statement I am China country people! Lets take a look!
Heres how we ask Where are you from? Lets look at the breakup!
You translates to nǐAre becomes shìWhich Is nǎCountry translates to guó And People
is rén Thus, Where are you from? Translates to Nǐshìnǎguórén?
, literally meaningYou are which country person? Lets look at another form of question, are
you from this place? Are you from...? type questions literally
translate to You are .... person? Note that, even in this case, the country
takes the same place as the answer would For Example the question,You are America person?
Is answered by , I am America person! Heres the break up of the vocabulary used
in the sentence are you from America? You translates to Nǐ Are becomes shì American
becomes Měiguó Person translates to rén and the question particle remains ma
Therefore, Are you from America? translates to NǐshìMěiguórén ma?
To answer this question ,we would say I am from America, where,
I is Wǒ Am becomes shì
America translates to Měiguó And Person becomesrén
Thus, I am from America is translated as WǒshìMěiguórén Great!
Lets go on and learn the names of a few other nationalities and revise the ones we learnt
earlier! Japanese translates to Riběnrén
Korean becomes Hánguórén Vietnamese is Yuènánrén
Filipino (Philippines) is translated as Fēilǜbīnrén Chinese translates toZhōngguórén
American translates toMěiguórén Englishtranslates toYīngguórén and finally,
French translates toFǎguórén Alright! Its quiz time once again!
How do we say Where are you from? would it be Nǐshìnǎguórén? or Do we say
Nǐshìrén ma? or is it Nǐshìlǎoshī? The correct way of saying Where are you from?isNǐshìnǎguórén?
! good job! Now let us learn how to say two things at
once, for example, Im a student, Im also Chinese
For this we will have to learn the adverb also
Also translates to Yě Heres something to note! In Mandarin, adverbs,
especially one syllable adverbs, normally appear after subjects and in before verbs
The adverb Yě cant be put before the subject or at the very end of a sentence
Lets try and say I am also Chinese I becomes Wǒ, Am is shìAlso is yěChinese
translates to Zhōngguó and Person is rén Therefore, I am also Chinese is translated
as WǒyěshìZhōngguórén Lets take another quiz!
How do we say I am also Chinese? Do you say WǒyěshìZhōngguórén or do you say WǒbúshìZhōngguórén
Or is it YěwǒshìZhōngguórén ? In Mandarin, I am also Chinese translates
as WǒyěshìZhōngguórén! Lets revise by having a quick conversation
between Mark and Lisa! As aways, we shall first cover the conversation in English and
then in Mandarin! Mark Are you Chinese?
Lisa Yes, I am Lisa Where are you from?
Mark I am from Japan Heres how it sounds in Mandarin!
Mark NǐshìZhōngguórén ma? Lisa Shì
Lisa Nǐshìnǎguórén Mark WǒshìRiběnrén Good job!
Alright! Now its time for the Culture Leaf of the day! Today we will learn
about the Chinese Zodiac! The Shēngxiào better known in English as
the Chinese Zodiac, is a scheme that relates each year to an animal and its reputed attributes,
according to a 12-year mathematical cycle! It has wide currency in several East Asian
countries such as China, Vietnam, Korea and Japan.
In Chinese astrology the animal signs assigned by year represent how others perceive you!
There are also animal signs assigned by month, called inner animals, by the day, called true
animals, and also by hours known as secret animals!
In total, this makes for 103,680 possible combinations that a person might be!
Here you see an image of the Twelve Chinese zodiac jade figurines, found at the Capital
Museum, in Beijing, China! In the next lesson we will learn a little
more about familial relations! Hope you enjoyed your lesson today!
See you at the Alley for the next one!
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