Lesson three Shopping
(part one)
Week two 给我换一个，行吗
Learn the following sentence
| Gĕi wǒ huàn yí ge, xíng ma? |
| For me change one, OK ma? |
Play Media Could you please change another one for me?
New words
|
Gĕi |
Play Media | for,
to. It is used a
co-verb in sentences. Most co-verbs in Chinese
are verbs.
The original meaning of the verb gĕi is to
give.
The Chinese word
order is based on the sequence of event. The
word order for the above sentence is to intend
for me, (you) change another one.
As you can see the intention goes before the action of
changing. Here is another example of a sentence
with the co-verb
zài
to
be in
zài jiā
chīfàn
eat at home. The word order for that sentence is to be at home have meal. The action of to be at home happens before having the meal. |
| Huàn | Play Media |
to change, exchange. |
| Xíng | Play Media |
OK.
It is similar to the usage
of
hăo: women
chī zhōngguó fàn hăo ma, or
women
chī zhōngguó fàn
xíng
ma Should we eat
Chinese food? The
short positive answer should be
hăo or
xíng. The negative answer should be
bù hăo |
Supplementary words
| Yīfu | Play Media | clothes |
| Kùzi | Play Media | trousers |
| Xié | Play Media | shoes |
The measure words
for
yīfu is jiàn, for kùzi is
tiáo,
and for xié is
shuāng. A measure word is used when specifying quantifying an object. For
example sān jiàn yīfu three tops zhè shuāng
xié
Use the word-order-table to say the following sentences in Chinese.
Say the following sentences in Chinese. What are you cooking for her? What are you going to give him to eat? What are you going to give him to drink? Please bring me another cup (change another cup for me.)
| Word order |
||
| subject (nouns and pronouns) | co-v phrases verbs | object (nouns and pronouns) |
You can bring a topic at the
beginning of a sentence and make a comment afterwards. For example,
wǒ fàn chī de tài duō le
Listening to the following sentences by clicking on the following links. Hover the mouse over "Answer" to view the answers.
| Play Media | Answer |
| Play Media | Answer |
| Play Media | Answer |
| Play Media | Answer |
| Play Media | Answer |
| Play Media | Answer |
Now you should be able to say the following sentences in Chinese
| Could you please buy me a glass of orange juice? | Play Media |
| If you have bought it, you can't change it. | Play Media |
| What do you want to change? | Play Media |
| I would like to buy a top. | Play Media |
| This pair of shoes are very nice looking. | Play Media |
| Change another pair of trousers. | Play Media |
| I'll give you a pair of new shoes. | Play Media |
| Who are you buying the clothes for?. | Play Media |
| I don't buy the clothes for you. | Play Media |