basic mandarin chinese | lesson 9 | ask people their nationalities and backgrounds!

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Nǐ hǎo Lesson 9 on Basic Mandarin!

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Revision

English Mandarin

Student Xuésheng

Teacher Lǎoshī

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Revision

'bù’, becomes ‘bú’ (it changes from fourth tone to second tone), when used alongside

another falling/ fourth tone

We say ‘bù hǎo’, and ‘bú shì’

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Revision

English Mandarin

Mark Are you a student? Nǐ shì xuésheng ma?

Lisa I am a student Wǒ shì xuésheng

Lisa Are you a teacher? Nǐ shì Lǎoshī ma?

Mark I am not a teacher Wǒ bú shì lǎo shī

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Revision

Question particle Usage English Mandarin

Ma yes/no questions You good? Nǐ hǎo ma?

Nerepetitive

questions

I’m very good,

and you?Wǒ hěn hǎo, nǐ ne?

Shénme ‘What’What’s his/her

family name ?Tā xìng shénme?

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Lesson objectives

1 Nationalities

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What's in store today?

Today we will learn about nationalities, and have conversations regarding nationalities!

Let’s start by learning a few nationalities!

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Grammar tip

Note that, while in English, people from China are referred to as ‘Chinese’, their translation in Mandarin is not 'Chinese'

but 'Chinese people’

The Mandarin word for ‘people’, that is ‘Rén’, follows each nationality

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Tonal tip

Chinese people = Zhōngguó rén

Zhōngguó is pronounced with a high level tone on the first ‘o’ and a mid rising tone on

the second ‘o’

Let’s hear you say Zhōngguó rén

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Tonal tip

American people = Měiguó rén

Měiguó is pronounced with a falling rising tone on the ‘e’

and a mid rising tone on the ‘o’

Let’s hear you say Měiguó rén

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Tonal tip

English people = Yīngguó rén

Yīngguó is pronounced with a high level tone on the ‘i’

and a mid rising tone on the ‘o’

Let’s hear you say Yīngguó rén

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Tonal tip

French people = Fǎguó rén

Fǎguó is pronounced with falling rising tone on ‘a’

and a mid rising tone on the ‘o’

Let’s hear you say Fǎguó rén

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Revision

Rén = People

English Mandarin

Chinese people Zhōngguó rén

American people Měiguó rén

English people Yīngguó rén

French people Fǎguó rén

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Moving on…

Great! Now that we have learnt vocabulary, let’s use it in a conversation!

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Nationalities

I am Chinese people

↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

Wǒ shì Zhōngguó rén

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So remember!

While in English, people from China are referred to as ‘Chinese’, their translation in Mandarin

is not 'Chinese' but 'Chinese people’

The meaning however, remains the same

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Nationalities

Literally, ‘I am Chinese person’

I am Chinese

Wǒ shì Zhōngguó rén

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Grammar tip

Note that, Mandarin does not differentiatebetween

singular and plural , and therefore the word 'rén' can be used for both, a single

person as well as people

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Nationalities

He is American people

↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

Shì tā Měiguó rén

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Nationalities

Literally, ‘He is American person’

He is American

Tā shì Měiguó rén

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Nationalities

Is he English people ?

↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

Shì tā Yīngguó rén ma?

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Nationalities

Literally, ‘He is English person?’

Is he English/British?

Tā shì Yīngguó rén ma?

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Nationalities

Are you French people ?

↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

Shì nǐ Fǎguó rén ma?

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Nationalities

Literally, ‘You are French people?’

Are you French?

Nǐ shì Fǎguó rén ma?

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Grammar tip-Yes and no

The answers to 'Yes and No' type questions are given referring to the verbs or

adjectives used in the question

Let's take an example!

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Nationality

Shì here implying that'I am (French)'

Yes, he is

Shì

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Grammar tip

Similarly, to deny the statement, we just add

the negative 'bù' and we get an answer!

But remember, when 'bù' is used with another fourth tone, it

changes to second tone

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Learning 'to-be' verb

Bú shì here implying that 'He is not (French)'

No,he isn’t

Bú shì

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Let's see if you remember…

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Pick the right option

How do we say 'Is he Chinese?'

1

Nǐ shì Zhōngguó

rén ma?

2

Wǒ shì Zhōngguó

rén?

3

Tā shì Zhōngguó

rén ma?

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Solution

How do we say 'Is he Chinese?'

1

Nǐ shì Zhōngguó

rén ma?

2

Wǒ shì Zhōngguó

rén?

3

Tā shì Zhōngguó

rén ma?

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Moving on…

Now let us learn how to ask someone where they are from!

Let’s take a look at the vocabulary!

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Grammar tip

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

Example: You are which country people? I am China country people

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Nationality

You are which country people

↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

nǐ shì nǎ guó rén

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Nationality

Literally, 'You are which country person?'

Where are you from?

Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?

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Grammar tip

'Are you from...?’ literally translates to ‘You are .... person?’ in Mandarin

Note that the country takes the same place as the answer would

Example: You are America person? I am America person

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Nationality

You are American person ?

↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

nǐ shì Měiguó rén ma?

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Nationality

Literally, 'You are Měiguó person'

Are you from America?

Nǐ shì Měiguó rén ma?

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Nationality

I am America person

↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

Wǒ shì Měiguó rén

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Nationality

Literally, 'I am America person'

I am from America

Wǒ shì Měiguó rén

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Vocabulary list

English Mandarin

Japanese Ri běn rén

Korean Hán guó rén

Vietnamese Yuènán rén

Filipino (Philippines) Fēilǜbīn rén

Chinese Zhōngguó rén

American Měiguó rén

English Yīngguó rén

French Fǎguó rén

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Let's see if you remember…

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Pick the right option

How do we say 'Where are you from'?

1

Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?

2

Nǐ shì rén ma?

3

Nǐ shì lǎoshī?

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Solution

How do we say 'Where are you from'?

1

Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?

2

Nǐ shì rén ma?

3

Nǐ shì lǎoshī?

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Moving on..

Now let us learn how to say two things at once, for example, I'm a student, I'm also Chinese

For this we will have to learn the adverb 'also'

Also = Yě

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Grammar tip

In Mandarin, adverbs, especially one syllable adverbs, normally appear after subjects and in before verbs

The adverb 'Yě' can't be put before the subject or at the very end of a sentence

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Adverb 'Yě'

I am also Chinese person

↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

Wǒ shì yě Zhōngguó rén

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Adverb 'Yě'

Literally, 'I also am China person'

I am also Chinese

Wǒ yě shì Zhōngguó rén

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Let's see if you remember…

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Pick the right option

How do we say 'I am also Chinese'?

1

Wǒ yě shì Zhōngguó

rén

2

Wǒ bú shì Zhōngguó

rén

3

Yě wǒ shì Zhōngguó

rén

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Solution

How do we say 'I am also Chinese'?

1

Wǒ yě shì Zhōngguó

rén

2

Wǒ bú shì Zhōngguó

rén

3

Yě wǒ shì Zhōngguó

rén

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Let's revise!

English Mandarin

Mark Are you Chinese? Nǐ shì Zhōngguó rén ma?

Lisa Yes, I am Shì

Lisa Where are you from? Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?

Mark I am from Japan Wǒ shì Riběn rén

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Culture leaf

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Culture leaf

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

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Culture leaf

In Chinese astrology the animal signs assigned by year represent what others

perceive you as being. There are also animal signs assigned by month (called

inner animals), by day (called true animals) and hours (called secret animals)

In total, this makes for 103,680 possible combinations that a person might be!

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What's next?

In the next lesson we will learn about familial relations!

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Credits

Content Team CultureAlley, Sunny Dang

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac

Images http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:12_zodiac.jpg

Rosemania

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See you at the Alley!

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