Lesson Eleven

Let me have a look

 

Let’s see how many verbs we have learned.

1.是 to be

2.叫 call or to be called

3.问 ask

4.有 have

5.去 go

6.要 want

7.知道 know/understand

8.谢谢 thank

9.见 see/catch sight of

10.在 to be at/in/on

11.学习study

 

Basic expressions

 

Let’s learn the phrase让 我 看看let me look look: let me have a look.

1.

ràng

让

 

let

let

 

2.

kàn

看

 

look, watch, read (a book, etc.)

look

We know that 见 means to see, as in 再见 goodbye/see you again.

 

3.

kàn jiàn

看     见

 

see

look see

 

4.

ná

拿

 

hold

hold   

 

5.

zhe

着

 

[particle placed after a verb to describe a continuing action.]

…ing/ZHE

着ZHE is pronounced in the neutral tone.  拿着holding.

 

6.

dōng xi

东   西

 

[physical] things

east west

The second syllable is pronounced in the neutral tone

 

7.

hàn yīng zì diǎn

《汉     英         字       典》

 

Chinese-English dictionary

Chinese English word standard

 

8.

kàn kan 

看     看

 

have a look

look look

 A duplicated verb can soften the tone of voice. It sometimes implies that the action lasts for only a short while. 

 

9.

gěi

给

 

give

give

 

10.

hěn

很

 

very

very

 

11.

huā

花

 

spend

spend

 

12.

shì …     de

是…   的

 

[construction]

SHI…DE

　

The SHI…DE construction is used to emphasize the elements which are placed between SHI and DE. These elements can be time, place or how an action took place in the past such as in

你  是   什么     时候  出生  的 ?           

nǐ    shì   shénme shíhou chūshēng de

you SHI what     time    be born DE          

When were you born?

 

The SHI…DE construction can also be used to emphasize that an agent carries out the action as in

是   朋友   给  的              

shì péngyou gěi de

SHI friend give DE            

It was given by a friend.

The emphasis is on “the friend”, and this is placed between 是 and的.

 

13.

péng you

朋 友

 

friend

friend

 

14.

mǎi

买

 

buy

buy

 

15.

běn   

本

 

a copy of..[a measure word for book-like objects]

BEN

 

Conversation

 

Let’s have a dialogue with the words and expressions that we have learned.

a. 喂， 汤姆,     你  拿     着    什么   东西？

    wèi，tāng mǔ,  nǐ   ná    zhe   shénme dōngxi ？

Hi,     Tom     y ou hold ZHE what     thing  
Hi, Tom. What are you holding?

         

b.《汉英字典》。                               

    hàn yīng zì diǎn

   <Chinese/English Dictionary>            

    A Chinese-English dictionary.

　

a. 让   我  看    看   行吗？           

    ràng wǒ kànkan   xíng ma ？

    let    me look look OK MA          

     Could I have a look?

　

b. 行,  给你。                           

    xíng, gěi nǐ 。                    

   OK. give you                            

   OK, here you are.

　

a. 这  本   字典         很  好。  多   少    钱？         

    zhè běn zìdiǎn         hěn hǎo。duō shǎo qián ？

   this BEN dictionary very good. how much money

   This is a very good dictionary. How much is it?

　

b. 我    没  花      钱，     是  朋友     给   的。

     wǒ méi  huā    qián，   shì péng you gěi de 。

     I didnot spend money, SHI friend     give DE  

     I didn’t buy it, it was given by a friend.

　

a. 我也  想     买  一   本。               

    wǒ yě xiǎng mǎi yī   běn 。 

    I also intend buy one BEN                

   I would like to buy one too.

 

Read the dialogue and pay attention to the tones. Answer the following questions based on the dialogue.

　

谁   拿     着    《汉      英            字典》？    

shuí  ná    zhe   《 hànyīng zìdiǎn 》 ？ 

who hold  ZHE    Chinese-English dictionary      

Who is holding a Chinese/English dictionary?

　

这    本     字典         是不 是  你  的？              

zhè  běn     zìdiǎn        shì bú shì nǐ   de ？

this  BEN  dictionary   is not is   you DE                

Is this dictionary yours?

　

汤姆    有  没  有  朋友？               

tāngmǔ yǒu méi yǒu péngyou ？

Tom has not has friend                   

Does Tom have friends?

　

汤姆   的   朋友    给   汤姆    什么    东西？      

tāngmǔ de péngyou gěi   tāngmǔ shénme dōngxi ？

Tom    DE friend    gives Tom    what     thing            

What did Tom’s friend give him?

　

你    想    不 想        买《汉英字典》？                

nǐ    xiǎng bú xiǎng     mǎi《 hànyīng zìdiǎn 》 ？

you intend not intend buy Chinese-English dictionary   

Would you like to buy a Chinese-English dictionary?

 

Practice

 

1. Read the dialogue a few times.

 

2. Tell a story by using着ZHE.

 

Tape version

 

Part one: new words

1.

let, allow

 

2.

 look , watch,  read (a book, etc.)

 

3

See

 

4.

hold, take

 

5.

[particle]

 

6.

thing

 

7.

Chinese-English Dictionary

 

8.

copy (MW for book-like objects)

 

9.

give

 

10.

spend

 

11.

friend

 

12.

too, as well, also

 

13.

buy

 

 

Part two: expressions

A

look one look

have a look

B

look look

ditto

 

Part three: conversation

a.

hi, Tom. you hold ZHE what thing

Hi, Tom. What have you got in your hand?

b.

Chinese English dictionary

A Chinese-English Dictionary.

a.

let me look look, all right MA

Could I have a look?

b.

all right. give you

Of course. Here you are.

a.

this copy dictionary very good. how much money

It’s a very good one. How much is it?

b.

I didn’t spend money, SHI friend give DE

I didn’t spend money on it. It was given by a friend.

a.

I  too would like buy one copy

I would like to get one too.