Lesson Eight

Is Mr Wáng Qiáng in

Basic expressions

We have learned the words for year, month and date in Chinese, but we may have to learn more time words if we have to make an appointment to see somebody.

你  是   彼得 吗？          

nǐ   shì   bǐdé  ma ？

you are Peter MA             

Are you Peter?

他们  要    这   个 吗？  

tāmen yào  zhè  gè ma ？           

they   want this GE MA      

Would they want this one?

你们  知道  吗？             

nǐmen zhīdào ma ？

 you   know  MA                 

Do you know?

a. 王      强     在    家    吗？               

   Wáng Qiáng zài    jiā     ma

           Wang Qiang is at  home MA                   

           Is Wang Qiang at home?

b. 在  家，  他 爸爸 不 在     家。          

    zài   jiā,      tā  bàba  bú zài     jiā

           is at home, his father not be at home

           Yes, he is, but his father is not at home.

        a. 他 爸爸  在   哪儿？                         

            tā   bàba  zài   nǎr

            his father  is at where                               

            Where is his father?

王Wang is a surname and 强 Qiang is a given name. A surname is followed by a given name in Chinese. A title such as 先生Mr is place after a name or surname as in 王强先生 Wang Qiang Mr. Try to say the following names.

Chairman  Mao Zedong

Mr. Deng Xiaoping

Premier Wang Qiang

Miss  Zhang Lingling.

就is used to emphasize 是the verb to be in the following sentences.

a.  我  就 是  王      强。        

     wǒ jiù  shì Wáng Qiáng    

     I    just am Wang Qiang            

     I am Wang Qiang.

b.  我  就  要    这 个。 

     wǒ jiù  yào   zhè ge

      I   just want this GE     

     I just want this one ( but not any other ones).

有事 yǒu shì have matter (to attend). ( I ) have got matters to attend to/ things to do.

 a.    有     什么    事 ？        

        yǒu   shénme shì

        have what      matters      

       What is the matter?

b.   没          事                  

        méi         shì

        not have matters            

        Nothing.

想xiǎng intend to is placed before the main verb of a sentence and is used as a modal verb, as indicated in the following sentences.

a.               a. 他  想     去  北京。        

                      tā xiǎng      qù  Běijīng

                he intend to go Beijing           

               He would like to go to Beijing.

b. 你  想      问   什么 ？         

    nǐ xiǎng         wèn shénme

                you intend to ask  what          

                What would you like to ask?

We have learned 请问 which means may I ask …. or excuse me as a set phrase, but 请qǐng can also be used as a verb.

a.  我   请    你   吃饭。              

     wǒ qǐng   nǐ    chī fàn         

   I     invite you eat meal              

   I would like to invite you for a meal.

    b.   谁  请     你  哥哥 ？        

          shéi qǐng   nǐ      gēge

          who invite your older brother   

        Who is inviting your older brother?

    a. 这个   星期                         

       zhè ge  xīngqī

              this GE week             

              This week

           b.下   星期                  

              xià   xīngqī

              next week                

              Next week

           c. 星期 三                    

              xīngqī sān

              week  three               

              Wednesday

Other weekdays are:

       Monday (in Chinese is)  week one

       Tuesday (in Chinese is)  week two

       Thursday (in Chinese is) week four

       Friday    (in Chinese is)  week five

       Saturday (in Chinese is)  week six

       Sunday is 星期日xīngqī rì week sun in Chinese.

Please speak after me from Monday to Sunday.

The following time words can also be useful when we want to make conversation.

When we read out the time.     

     七    点           

      qī diǎn

      seven  o’clock

      八    点          

      bā diǎn

      eight  o’clock    

Place点 diǎn o’clock after a number to tell the following times:

one o’clock      two o’clock      ten o’clock       twelve o’clock

Please remember the Chinese sequence of time: year, month, date, day, part of day, hour, minutes…  

       上午     七点      

       shàngwǔ  qī diǎn  

       morning   7  o’clock  

       7 o’clock in the morning (7 a.m.)

When it comes to telling the time 半 means half an hour.

Try to work out the meanings of the following sentences.

     a. 这  个  地方 是北京。

    zhè ge  dìfang shì Běijīng

        this GE place  is  Beijing

     b. 那  个 地方  是 什么   地方？

    nà   ge  dìfang shì shenme dìfang

        that GE place  is  what     place

We have learned 你好 hello. Here, the word 好means OK

Conversation

Let’s talk to a Chinese friend called Wang Qiang on the phone. 

a. 喂，我 是 彼得。王      强     先生    在  吗？ 

   wéi,  wǒ shì  Bǐdé.    Wáng Qiáng xiānsheng zài   ma

    hi,    I    am  Peter.   Wang Qiang Mr           is in MA   

    Hello, this is Peter. Is Mr. Wang Qiang there?

b. 在。我 就 是  王      强。    彼得，你  有     什么   事？

    zài,  wǒ jiù  shi Wáng Qiáng     Bĭdé    nǐ   yǒu   shénme shì ？

    yes   I   just am Wang Qiang   Peter    you have what     matter

    Yes, speaking. Hi, Peter, what’s up?

a. 我  想    请   你   吃  饭。

  wǒ xiǎng qǐng  nǐ   chī   fàn

     I   want invite you eat meal

     I would like to invite you for a meal.

b. 太  好    了！ 什么   时候？

  tài  hǎo   le!     shénme shíhou

    too good LE!  what      time

    Great! When?

a. 下  星期    三    晚 上     七    点        半。

  xià xīngqī   sān   wǎnshang qī    diǎn      bàn

     next week three evening seven o’clock half

     7.30 next Wednesday evening.

b. 在    什 么  地方？

  zài     shénme dìfang

    Be at  what    place

    Where?

a.  北京    饭店。

  Beijīng  Fàndiàn

    Beijing Hotel.

b. 好， 谢谢， 再见！

  hǎo,   xièxie,   zàijiàn

    good, thanks, goodbye

    OK, thanks, bye!

Practice   

1. Try to practise the following words.

先生    Mr       下        next     星期    week    在        to be in, on at…                     

再见    goodbye        什么    what    事        matter  是        to be    时候    time

2. Invite your friends to have dinner or to do something with you.   

3. Say from Monday to Sunday in Chinese.

4. Tell your classmates what you are going to do from Monday to Sunday.

Tape version

Part one: new words

Part two: expressions

Part three: telephone conversation

Part four: supplementary words