Lesson Four

Where are you going

Basic expressions

Knowing how to look for a place is important while travelling in China, especially if you’ve got lost on the way to your hotel.  Of course, the easy way to get back is by taxi. Supposing, a taxi driver asks you ‘Where are you going?’ in Chinese and he speaks no other languages. Let’s learn some phrases which will help you to get about in China.

1.

nǎr

哪儿

 

where

where

 

2.

nín

 

you (polite form)

you

 

3.

 

go

go

 

4.

lǚguǎn

      

 

hotel

travel  accommodation for guests

 

5.

fàndiàn

             

 

hotel

meal, rice  shop

饭店 meal shop means restaurant. However, it is also means grand hotel.

 

6.

Běijīng

北京

 

Beijing

Beijing

 

7.

nǎ ge

       

 

which one

which GE?

The following supplementary words might be useful for forming dialogues. There is no need for you to remember all of them at the moment. Repeat after me.

中      国              上    海       学    校 教        室 厕     所       食   堂 商    店 体     育               馆
Zhōng guó Sàng hǎi  xué   xiào jiào       shì  cè     suǒ  shí   táng shāngdiàn tǐ       yù                guǎn
middle country on     the sea study school teaching room toilet place food hall trade shop body development house
China Shanghai school classroom toilet dining hall, canteen shop gymnasium

Conversation

Please listen very carefully and repeat after me.                                                                                                                  

        a.         问,您   哪儿?

             qǐng    wèn, nǐ   qù  nǎr

             please ask, you go where                    

            Excuse me , where are you going?

 

        b.   旅馆。                                     

             wǒ qù lǚguǎn

      I   go  hotel                                          

    I am going to the hotel.

 

a.           a.  哪       旅馆?                                 

                  nǎ       ge lǚguǎn

            which GE hotel                                     

            Which hotel?

 

         b. 北京        店。                              

             Běijīng Fàn  diàn

             Beijing meal shop                                 

             Beijing Hotel.

Notes on expressions

Let’s try to say the retroflexed word ér as in哪儿nǎr Listen carefully, and repeat after me.

哪儿  nǎr where

哪儿nǎr is used to ask for a location. It is put at a place where an answer is expected. Can you tell the meaning of the following questions?    

汤姆     哪儿?

Tāngmǔ qù nǎr

Tom      go where

 

彼得 哪儿?

Bǐdé qù nǎr

Peter go  where

 

他们  去 哪儿?

tāmen qù nǎr

they    go where

 

你爸爸 哪儿?

nǐ bàba qù  nǎr

your father go where   

Could you give your answers to all the above questions? For instance, you could say:   

汤姆   去    店。

Tānmǔ qù fàn  diàn

Tom    go meal shop  [Do you remember the meaning of “meal shop”?]

 

彼得 我 家。

Bǐdé  qù wǒ jiā

Peter go my home

 

他们

tāmen qù…

They go…

If you have no idea how to answer the above questions, you can certainly say:

对不起,我不知道。

duìbuqǐ,    wǒ bù zhīdào

Sorry,      I   not know                         

Sorry, I don’t know.

which, is a question word that is used for a choice among certain things. For example, there are three families that you would like to visit, but you have to choose one of them. People might ask you:

         家?                          

nǐ    qù  nǎ       jiā

you go which  family                        

Which family would you like to go to?

Practice

1. Listen and repeat the first dialogue.

2. Say the following dialogue in Chinese.

       a.  Peter, where are you going?

       b.  I am going to Tom’s home.

       a.  How many people are there in Tom’s family?

       b.  There are 5 people in his family.

       a.  Who are they?

 b.  His father, mother, elder brother, younger sister and Tom.

 a.  How many people are there in Daphne’s family?

       b.  Sorry, I have no idea.

3. Tell your classmates where you really want to go after finishing the course.

Tape version

Part one: new words

1.

Where [QW]

 

2.

you [polite form]

 

3.

go

 

4.

hotel

 

5.

Beijing

 

6.

which (one) [QW]

 

 

Part two: expressions

A

you go where

Where are you going?

B

I go hotel

I am going to the hotel.

C

which one hotel

Which hotel (are you going to?)

D

who go hotel

Who is going to the hotel?

E

Peter go what hotel

Which hotel is Peter going to?

F

which one is Beijing Hotel

Which one is the Beijing Hotel?

Part three: conversation

a.

please ask, you go where

Excuse me / May I ask where are you going?

b.

I go hotel

I am going to the hotel.

a.

which one hotel

Which hotel?

b.

Beijing Hotel

The Beijing Hotel