Lesson Twenty-five A

How much is it for a kilogram

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Basic expression

One can buy fresh vegetables and other farm products in supermarkets in big cities in China.  However, Chinese people, especially those who live near suburb prefer to shop in open markets, as the products in those markets are fresher and cheaper than they are in supermarkets. Although shopping in open market is fun, one has to learn how to bargain.  Today’s dialogue is carried out between A, a farmer and B, a customer. The conversation takes place in an open market. Let’s learn the new words first.

a. 新鲜黄瓜 xīnxiān huángguā  fresh cucumber

b. 西红柿很新鲜。xīhóngshì hĕn xīnxiān tomato is very fresh (used as a stative verb.)

c. 新鲜空气 xīnxiān kōngqì fresh air

d. 水果不新鲜。shuĭguŏ  bu  xīnxiān the fruit is not fresh

a. 这本书便宜。zhè bĕn shū piányi this book is cheap (used as a stative verb)

b. 那本书不便宜。nà bĕn shū bu piányi that book is not cheap

c. 我不买贵的东西，我买便宜的 wŏ bu măi guì de dōngxi. wŏ măi piányìde I don’t buy expensive things , but I buy cheap things.

It is a unit of Chinese currency. One 毛 máo (in speaking) or 角 jiăo (in written) is the equivalent  0.1 块 kuài (in speaking) or 元 yuán (in written). For instance, 一块三毛六分 yí kuài sān măo liù (fēn) ¥1.36.

a. 多   说    汉语       duō shuō hànyŭ

more speak Chinese

Speak more Chinese.

b. 少   说     英语     shăo shuō yīngyŭ  

less speak English

Speak less English.

c. 多   吃  新   鲜  菜   duō chī xīnxiān cài          

more eat fresh vegetables

Eat more fresh vegetables.

  qĭng    nĭ   suàn     yíxiàr       wŏmen xuéxí  le duōshao     kè

a. 请    你   算      一下儿，我们    学习 了 多少         课 ？

  please you count YIXIA      we       study  LE how many lessons

Please count how many lessons we have learned?

b. qĭng   nĭ   suàn  suan   duōshao    qián

    请    你    算    算      多少         钱？

   please you count count how much money

Can you calculate how much money it is?

算 suàn is also used a lot in bargaining. lit. to be counted as …

c. jiù suàn                   sān máo  ba

    就  算                     三 毛     吧。

   only to be counted as 3 MAO BA

 only charge 3 mao.

   zhè dōngxi hĕn zhòng

a. 这  东西   很    重。

    this thing very heavy

This thing is very heavy.

   wŏ ná zhòng de     nĭ  ná   qīng  de

b. 我  拿  重   的，你  拿   轻    的。

I take heavy DE you take light DE

I take the heavy one, you take the light one.

The phrase 拿不了nábuliăo is used as a potential verb phrase. 了here indicates that one is capable or incapable; possible or impossible of doing something, as in

a. 我 去不了 wŏ qù buliăo I can’t go

b. 他 吃不了 tā  chī buliăo He can't eating all.

c. 她病了, 她明天来不 了tā bìng le, tā míngtiān lái buliăo She is ill. She can’t come tomorrow.  

不 bu is used in the negative form in this speech pattern, as indicated above, 得de is used in the affirmative form, as in

d. 我去得了wŏ qù deliăo I can go

e. 他吃得了tā  chī deliăo He can eating all.

f. 她明天来得了tā míngtiān lái deliăo She will be able to come tomorrow.

   wŏ  zhăo      lăoshī

a. 我   找        老师。

     I   look for teacher

I am looking for the teacher.

b. nĭ zhăo       shénme

    你 找         什  么？

  you look for what

What are you looking for?

   wŏ sòng tāmen qù xuéxiào

a. 我  送   他们  去  学校 。

    I send    them   go school

    I take them to the school.

b. nĭ   bă  shū   sòng gĕi  wŏ ba

   你  把  书     送    给  我  吧？

   you BA book give to   me BA

Why don’t you give me the book as a present?

    tā    míngtiān zăoshang  bā diăn   dào    Bĕijīng

a. 他     明天    早上       八 点      到     北京。

    he tomorrow morning   8 o’clock arrive Beijing

He will arrive in Beijing at 8 o’clock tomorrow morning.

   wáng xiānsheng shénme shíhou dào    xuéxiào

b. 王     先     生   什么    时候   到     学校？

    Wang Mr.          what     time   arrive school

When will Mr. Wang arrive at school?

  shàng kè   shíjiān dào    le

c. 上    课   时间   到    了。

   have class time   reach LE

It is time for class.

dào 到is also used in resultative verb phrases to indicate attainment or arrival of a place, as in

  wŏ  kàndào       le   lĭ xiānsheng

d. 我  看到         了  李  先生。

     I    look attain LE Li Mr

I saw Mr. Li.

    tā  măidào     le  nà     bĕn  zìdiăn

e. 他 买  到     了 那     本    字典。

    he buy attain LE that BEN dictionary

He has bought that  dictionary.

f. tāngmŭ  bă  qián      sòng   dào nĭ    jiā      le

   汤  姆  把    钱       送      到  你   家     了。

    Tom    BA  money deliver to  your home LE

Tom has delivered money to your home.

   cài       gòu       le     bú yào  le

a. 菜       够       了，不  要  了。

   dishes enough LE, not want LE

The dishes are enough, I don’t want any more.

    wŏ de qián     bú  gòu 

b. 我  的 钱       不   够。

    my    money   not enough

My money is not enough.

    tā  de qián gòu      măi liăng bĕn   shū

c. 他 的 钱    够       买   两   本   书。

     his money enough buy   2   BEN books

His money is enough to buy two books.

Let’s read the new words out loud again.