Free Mandarin Chinese Lessons
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Free Mandarin Chinese LessonsMain Menu | Cantonese Lessons | Chinese Tutoring | Bookmark & Share | Link to Us |
These Mandarin Chinese lessons have been designed to provide practical travel vocabulary and a foundation for basic conversational skills through a simple listen and repeat format. Don't get frustrated if you find some of the phrases difficult to pronounce at first. Many of the sounds will be new, and saying them may be a challenge in the beginning. With practice you'll soon notice your ability to recognize and produce the sounds of Mandarin developing naturally. You may also download a complete audio transcript for listening in your car. If you prefer standard pinyin (e.g. you've studied Chinese before with that system), please click here. |
| SECTION: NATIONALITY |
| English: | Middle | |
| Chinese: | johng |
| English: | China | |
| Chinese: | johng-gwoh | |
| Literally: | middle country |
| English: | Person | |
| Chinese: | ren |
| English: | Chinese person | |
| Chinese: | johng-gwoh ren | |
| Literally: | China persion |
| English: | Beautiful | |
| Chinese: | may |
| English: | America | |
| Chinese: | may-gwoh | |
| Literally: | beautiful country |
| English: | American | |
| Chinese: | may-gwoh ren | |
| Literally: | America person |
| English: | England | |
| Chinese: | yeeng-gwoh |
| English: | English person | |
| Chinese: | yeeng-gwoh ren | |
| Literally: | (same) |
| English: | Foreign country | |
| Chinese: | wie-gwoh |
| SECTION: I / HE / SHE |
| In Chinese language, tones are very important, because different tones can give the same word different meanings. Initially, as long as you can approximate the tones, then overall meaning of your statements will usually be understood by context. But be aware of and try to imitate the intonation of the speaker as best you can. |
| English: | I | |
| Chinese: | woh |
| English: | Is/are/am | |
| Chinese: | shih |
| English: | I am | |
| Chinese: | woh shih | |
| Literally: | (same) |
| English: | I am American | |
| Chinese: | woh shih may-gwoh ren | |
| Literally: | (same) |
| English: | You are American | |
| Chinese: | nee shih may-gwoh ren | |
| Literally: | (same) |
| As we did with how are you?, to make a statement into a question, just add mah at the end of of the sentence: |
| English: | Are you American? | |
| Chinese: | nee shih may-gwoh ren mah | |
| Literally: | you are American? |
| To make a sentence negative, simply put the word for not in front of the verb. |
| English: | Not | |
| Chinese: | boo |
| English: | I am not American | |
| Chinese: | woh boo shih may-gwoh ren | |
| Literally: | I not am American |
| English: | I am Chinese | |
| Chinese: | woh shih johng-gwoh ren | |
| Literally: | (same) |
| English: | He/she | |
| Chinese: | tah |
| English: | She is American | |
| Chinese: | tah shih may-gwoh ren | |
| Literally: | she is America person |