Mandarin Chinese Lessons (Standard Pinyin)
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Mandarin Chinese Lessons (Standard Pinyin)Main 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. You may also download a complete audio transcript for listening in your car. |
| SECTION: PARDON ME |
| In Chinese, when approaching someone to ask a question, it's polite to first say Excuse me, may I ask... before asking the question. |
| English: | I'm sorry / excuse me (get attention / pardon) | |
| Pinyin: | duì-bu-qǐ |
| English: | Excuse me, do you speak English? | |
| Pinyin: | duì-bu-qǐ, nǐ huì shuō yīng-wén ma | |
| Literally: | excuse me, you know how to speak English? |
| English: | To ask (verb) | |
| Pinyin: | wèn |
| English: | May I ask | |
| Pinyin: | qǐng wèn | |
| Literally: | please to ask |
| English: | May I ask, where is the hotel? | |
| Pinyin: | qǐng wèn, jiǔ-diàn zài nǎr | |
| Literally: | please to ask, hotel located where? |
| English: | Excuse me, may I ask, where is the hotel? | |
| Pinyin: | duì-bu-qǐ, qǐng wèn, jiǔ-diàn zài nǎr | |
| Literally: | excuse me, please to ask, hotel located where? |
| SECTION: PLACE |
| English: | Where | |
| Pinyin: | nǎr |
| English: | Place (notice the tone difference) | |
| Pinyin: | nàr |
| English: | I | |
| Pinyin: | wǒ |
| English: | My place | |
| Pinyin: | wǒ nàr | |
| Literally: | (same) |
| English: | We | |
| Pinyin: | wǒ-mén |
| English: | Our place | |
| Pinyin: | wǒ-mén nàr | |
| Literally: | (same) |
| English: | You | |
| Pinyin: | nǐ |
| English: | Your place | |
| Pinyin: | nǐ nàr | |
| Literally: | (same) |
| English: | Friend | |
| Pinyin: | péng-yǒu |
| English: | A friend's place | |
| Pinyin: | péng-yǒu nàr | |
| Literally: | friend's place |
| English: | I'm going to my friend's place | |
| Pinyin: | wǒ qù wǒ de péng-yǒu nàr | |
| Literally: | (same) |
| English: | I would like to go to your place | |
| Pinyin: | wǒ xiǎng qù nǐ nàr | |
| Literally: | I would like to go your place |
| English: | Home | |
| Pinyin: | jiā |
| English: | There is our home | |
| Pinyin: | nàr shì wǒ-men de jiā | |
| Literally: | (same) |