Vocabulary

Dialogue

Structure Drills

Sentence Pyramids

The Sentence Pyramids illustrate the use of each new vocabulary item and structure introduced in the lesson. Use them to help you to learn how to form phrases and sentences in Mandarin. Supply the English translation for the last line where indicated.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

在吗?

at (location)?

国强在吗?

Is Guoqiang there?

请问,国强在吗?

Excuse me (may I ask), is Guoqiang there?

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

am

就是

(precisely) am

我就是。

That’s me.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

wèi

(polite classifier for people)

哪 wèi?

who?

您是哪 wèi?

Who are you?

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

接我

get me

来接我

come to get me

néng来接我

able to come to get me

什么时候néng来接我?

what time come to get me?

你什么时候néng来接我?

_______________________

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

arrive

到了

arrived

已经到了

already arrived

Kè人已经 到了。

the guests have already arrived

Bié的 kè人已经 到了。

The other guests have already arrived.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

接你

get you

néng去接你

able to go get you

不néng去接你了

not able to go get you anymore

不好yìsi。 我不néng去接你了。

I’m sorry (I’m so embarrassed). I can’t go and get you anymore.

真不好yìsi。 我不néng去接你了。

NEED CLARIFICATION ON THIS ONE, 5 AUDIO FILES AND VOCAB BUT ONLY 4 TRANSLATIONS

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

去你家

Go to your house

自己去你家

Go to your house by myself

我可以自己去你家。

I can go to you house by myself.

没guānxi。 我可以自己去你家。

No problem. I can go to your house by myself.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

go

怎么走

how to go

gàosu你怎么走

tell you how to go

我 gàosu你怎么走。

______________________

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

zhǎo

look for, find

容易zhǎo

easy to find

我家很容易zhǎo。

My home is very easy to find

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

nán xiě

difficult to write

很 nán xiě

very difficult to write

那个字很nán xiě.

______________________

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

wàibiān

outside

在 wàibiān

located outside

我在 wàibiān。

______________________

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

wàibiān

outside

车站的 wàibiān

outside of the station

我在车站 的 wàibiān。

I am outside of the station.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

wàibiān

outside

车站的 wàibiān

outside of the station

在车站的 wàibiān

located outside of the station

在车站的lǐbiān还是在车站的wàibiān?

located inside the station or outside the station?

你在车站 的 lǐbiān 还是在车站 的wàibiān?

______________________

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

门wài

outside the door

在门wài

located outside the door

我在门wài。

I’m outside the door.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

zuǒbiān。

left side

我的 zuǒbiān。

my left side

在我的 zuǒbiān。

on my left side (to my left)

电yǐng yuàn 在我的 zuǒbiān。

The movie theater is to my left.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

yòubiān

right hand side

我的 yòubiān

my right hand side

在我的 yòubiān

on my right

饭馆在我的 yòubiān。

The restaurant is on my right.

有一个饭馆在我的yòubiān。

There is a restaurant on my right.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

中间

between

饭馆的中间

between the restaurant(s)

在电yǐng yuàn和饭馆的中间

between the restaurant and the movie theater.

我在电yǐng yuàn和饭馆的中间。

______________________

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

zhǐ

paper

一张 zhǐ

a piece of paper

有一张 zhǐ

there is a piece of paper

门上有一张 zhǐ。

On the door there is a piece of paper.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

很多人

a lot of people

有很多人

there are a lot of people

饭馆lǐ 有很多人。

In the restaurant there are a lot of people.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

西běi门

Northwest gate

车站的西běi门

The northwest gate of the station

在车站的西běi门

At the northwest gate of the station

你就在车站的西běi门。

You are (precisely at  the northwest gate of the station

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

马路

street

guò 马路

cross the street

你得 guò 马路。

You have to cross the street.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

wǎng běi走

go north

再 wǎng běi 走

then go north

xiān guò 马路, 再 wǎng běi走

first cross the street, then go north

你得xiān guò 马路, 再 wǎng běi走.

______________________

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

guǎi

turn

wǎng zuǒ guǎi.

turn left

在公园路 wǎng zuǒ guǎi.

Turn left at Park Road.

Pronunciation Challenges

A Chinese poem: Thoughts on A Quiet Evening

The following poem was written by the Tang Dynasty poet Li Bo (also pronounced Li Bai)  (701-762 AD).  Its English translation is provided on the right.  Listen to the recording and practice the poem one line at a time until you can recite it smoothly without error.

Poem

Translation

Audio files

Jìng Yè Sī  (静夜思)
by Li Bo (李白)

Chuáng qián míng yuè guāng
床前明月光
Yí shì dì shàng shuāng
疑是地上霜
Jǔ tóu wàng míng yuè
举头望明月
Dī tóu sī gù xiāng
低头思故乡

Thoughts on A Quiet Evening

In front of my bed the bright moon is shining,
I suspect there is frost on the ground.
I lift my head and gaze at the bright moon,
I lower my head and think about my old home.

Quizzes

Listening and Speaking: Listening for Information

Reading and Writing: Focus on Chinese Characters

Focus on Structure

Communicating through Reading and Writing