Archive for the ‘Chinese language’ Category

• Chinese Grammar – Do You Have …? – Chinese language

  Date: 2010.09.01 | Category: Chinese Grammar, Chinese language | Response: 0

  The positive / negative question ►yǒu méiyǒu 有沒有 (trad) 有没有 (simp) can be used to askDo you have? Yǒu méiyǒu literally means have or not have. It can be prefaced with a pronoun, but if the context is clear, the pronoun is usually omitted.

  If you are in a store, you can ask ►yǒu méiyǒu mài - Do you sell? The correct tone is essential here – ►mài 賣 (trad) 卖 (simp) means “to sell” but ►mǎi 買 (trad) 买 (simp) means “to buy”.

  Examples of Do You Have?

  Audio files are marked with ►

  Do you have a pen?
  ►nǐ yǒu méiyǒu bǐ?
  (trad) 你有沒有筆?
  (simp) 你有没有笔?

  Does he have a car?
  ►tā yǒu méiyǒu chē?
  (trad) 他有沒有車?
  (simp) 他有没有车?

  Do you have any money?
  ►nǐ yǒu méiyǒu qián?
  (trad) 你有沒有錢?
  (simp) 你有没有钱?

  Examples of Do You Sell?

  Do you sell newspapers?
  ►nǐ yǒu méiyǒu mài bàozhǐ?
  (trad) 你有沒有賣報紙?
  (simp) 你有没有卖报纸?

  Do you sell magazines?
  ►nǐ yǒu méiyǒu mài zázhì?
  (trad) 你有沒有賣雜誌?
  (simp) 你有没有卖杂志?

  Do you sell bread?
  ►nǐ yǒu méiyǒu mài miànbāo?
  (trad) 你有沒有賣麵包?
  (simp) 你有没有卖面包?

• Chinese language – Expressing Distance With Li – Chinese Grammar

  Date: 2010.08.25 | Category: Chinese Grammar, Chinese language | Response: 0

  The distance between two places is expressed using the co-verb lí 離 (traditional) 离 (simplified). Lí is translated as “from” but it is only used when talking about distance, not movement. If you want to talk about the starting point between two places, use the co-verb cóng 從 (trad) 从 (simp).

  The construction of sentences using lí is:

  A lí B DISTANCE.

  Distance can be expressed in specifics (miles/kilometers, minutes/hours) or generalities (far/not far, close/not close).

  Examples of Positive Sentences Using Li for Distance

  Wǒ jiā lí huǒchēzhàn hěn jìn.
  My house is very close to the train station.
  (trad) 我家離火車站很近｡
  (simp) 我家离火车站很近｡

  Xuéxiào lí tú shū guǎn hěn yuǎn.
  It’s very far from the school to the library.
  (trad) 學校離圖書管很遠｡
  (simp) 学校离图书管很远｡

  Examples of Negative Sentences Using Li for Distance

  Zhèlǐ lí gōngyuán bù yuǎn.
  It’s not far from here to the park.
  (trad) 這裡離公園不遠｡
  (simp) 这里离公园不远｡

  Shìqū lí zhèlǐ bù hěn jìn.
  It’s not very close from downtown to here.
  (trad) 市區離這裡不很近｡
  (simp) 市区离这里不很近｡

  Examples of Questions Using Li for Distance

  Yīyuàn lí chēzhàn hěn yuǎn ma?
  Is it very far from the hospital to the bus station?
  (trad) 醫院離車站很遠嗎?
  (simp) 医院离车站很远吗?

  Nǐ jiā lí tā jiā hěn jìn ma?
  Is it very close from your house to his house?
  (trad) 你家離他家很近嗎?
  (simp) 你家离他家很近吗?

  Zhèlǐ lí shìchǎng yuǎn bù yuǎn?
  How far is it from here to the market?
  (trad) 這裡離市場遠不遠?
  (simp) 这里离市场远不远?

  Luòshānjī lí jiùjīnshān duō yuǎn?
  How far is it from Los Angeles to San Francisco?
  (trad) 洛杉磯離舊金山多遠?
  (simp) 洛杉矶离旧金山多远?

• Chinese Grammar – Although – Even Though – Chinese language

  Date: 2010.08.15 | Category: Chinese Grammar, Chinese language | Response: 0

  The English although or even though is used to combine two phrases which form a contrast e.g. Although he is tall, he does not play basketball.

  This same sentence structure is used in Mandarin Chinese, with a slightly different construction.

  The Mandarin translation of although and even though is:

  suī rán
  雖然 (trad)
  虽然] (simp)

  Mandarin phrases which use suī rán are followed by a contrasting phrase which begins with dàn shìor kě shì, both of which translate as but.

  dàn shì
  但是

  kě shì
  可是

  Therefore, the construction of the Mandarin “although” sentence is:

  Suī rán (phrase one), dàn shì (phrase two).

  The suī rán phrase must come before the dàn shì phrase, even though in English the two phrases may sometimes be reversed.

  Examples of Sui Ran … Dan Shi

  Please note that in each of these examples, kě shì can be used in place of dàn shì.

  Suīrán tā chàng dé bùhǎo, dànshì guānzhòng hěn xǐhuan.
  Even though her singing was bad, the audience liked her.
  雖然她唱得不好但是觀眾很喜歡｡ (trad)
  虽然她唱得不好但是观众很喜欢｡ (simp)

  Suīrán wǒ búshì hěn fùyǒu, dànshì wǒ hěn kuài lè.
  Although I’m not rich, I’m happy.
  雖然我不是很富有但是我很快樂｡ (trad)
  虽然我不是很富有但是我很快乐｡ (simp)

  Tā suīrán hěn jiāo xiǎo, dànshì lìqi hěn dà
  Although she is very small, she is strong.
  她雖然很嬌小但是力氣很大｡ (trad)
  她虽然很娇小但是力气很大｡ (simp)