Free Mandarin Chinese Lessons
Main Menu | Cantonese Lessons | Chinese Tutoring | Discussion Forum
|
Free Mandarin Chinese LessonsMain Menu | Cantonese Lessons | Chinese Tutoring | Discussion Forum |
These Mandarin Chinese lessons have been designed to provide practical travel vocabulary and a foundation for basic conversational skills. You may also download a complete audio transcript for listening in your car. |
| SECTION: CAN (to be able) |
| English: | Can | |
| Chinese: | kuh-ee |
| English: | Is it okay? | |
| Chinese: | kuh-ee mah | |
| Literally: | can? |
| English: | I can go | |
| Chinese: | woh kuh-ee tchoo | |
| Literally: | (same) |
| English: | Can you go? | |
| Chinese: | nee kuh-ee tchoo mah | |
| Literally: | you can go +? |
| English: | Can you come? | |
| Chinese: | nee kuh-ee lie mah | |
| Literally: | you can come +? |
| English: | May I sit down? | |
| Chinese: | woh kuh-ee dzoh mah | |
| Literally: | I can sit +? |
| English: | I cannot eat this | |
| Chinese: | woh boo kuh-ee chih juh-guh | |
| Literally: | I not can eat this |
| There is more than one way of saying can in Mandarin. In general you'll find kuh-ee to involve permission issues. The following verb, nung, implies ability because of skills/knowledge. However, this is a very loose rule and these two verbs are often used interchangeably. |
| English: | Can (alternate) | |
| Chinese: | nung |
| English: | Can you speak English? | |
| Chinese: | nee nung shoh yeeng-wuhn mah? | |
| Literally: | you able to speak English? |
| English: | I cannot come | |
| Chinese: | woh boo nung lie | |
| Literally: | I not able come |
| SECTION: WHEN |
| English: | What | |
| Chinese: | shun-muh |
| English: | When | |
| Chinese: | shun-muh-shih-hoh | |
| Literally: | what times |
| English: | When are we going? | |
| Chinese: | woh-men shun-muh-shih-hoh tchoo | |
| Literally: | we when go? |
| English: | When are you going? | |
| Chinese: | nee shun-muh-shih-hoh tchoo | |
| Literally: | you when go? |
| English: | When is he coming? | |
| Chinese: | tah shun-muh-shih-hoh lie | |
| Literally: | he when come? |
| English: | When can you come? | |
| Chinese: | nee shun-muh-shih-hoh kuh-ee lie | |
| Literally: | you when can come? |
| English: | When are we eating? | |
| Chinese: | woh-men shun-muh-shih-hoh chih | |
| Literally: | we when eat? |
| English: | When do you want to eat? | |
| Chinese: | nee see-ahng shun-muh-shih-hoh chih | |
| Literally: | you would like when to eat? |