basic mandarin chinese | lesson 6 | introducing yourself & meeting new friends

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Nǐ hǎo Lesson 6 on Basic Mandarin!


Revision

English Mandarin

Good morning Zǎo'ān

Good afternoon/evening Wǎnshàng hǎo

Good night Wǎn'ān

Wonderful! Tài hǎo le!

Good day, everyone! Dàjiā hǎo!

It’s nothing really! Nǎ lǐ!


Lesson objectives

1 Meeting new friends!


What's in store today?

Today we will learn how to introduce ourselves!


Introductions

Let’s begin by discussing a few titles

Lets start with 'friends'!


Introductions

Friends

Péngyǒu


Pronunciation tip

In pinyin, the word ‘p’ is pronounced with a mixture of the tones of ‘p’ and ‘b’

It’s pronunciation is close to that of ‘ph’, as in ‘Péngyǒu’


Tonal tip

Péng is pronounced with a mid rising tone, or the second tone

Yǒu is pronounced with the falling rising tone, or the third tone


Grammar tip

Note that ‘friends’ and ‘friend’ both translate to ‘péngyǒu’ only

In Mandarin, most of the time there is no different plural form; to indicate plural we usually

add number or quantity words


Grammar tip

An example of what we just learnt can be seen in the following

One friend: Yi ge péngyǒu

Two friends: Liang ge péngyǒu

The word ‘péngyǒu’ however, does not change


Tonal tip

Let’s hear you say ‘friend’ in Mandarin one more time!

‘Péngyǒu’

Great! Now lets learn how to say girlfriend, boyfriend , and young friend!


Introductions

Girlfriend/ female friend

Nǚ péngyǒu


Pronunciation tip

Nǚ means girl, daughter, female or woman, and is pronounced with a falling rising

tone, or the third tone

Let’s say Nǚ péngyǒu


Introductions

Boyfriend/male friend

Nán péngyǒu


Pronunciation tip

Nán means male or man, and is pronounced with a mid rising tone, or the second tone

Let’s say Nán péngyǒu


Introductions

Young friend

Xiǎo péngyǒu


Pronunciation tip

Xiǎo means 'small' or 'young' and is pronounced with a falling rising tone,

or the third tone

Remember, that ‘x’ in Mandarin is pronounced with a ‘sh’ sound

Let’s try and say Xiǎo péngyǒu


Culturally speaking

‘Xiǎo péngyǒu’ is often used to address children as well


Revision

Translation Mandarin

Friend Péngyǒu

Female friend / girlfriend Nǚ péngyǒ

Male friend / boyfriend Nán péngyǒu

Young friend Xiǎo péngyǒu


Moving on…

Next, we will learn how to say Mr., Mrs. and Miss in Mandarin!


Introductions

Miss = Xiǎo jiě

Young/little = Xiǎo Elder sister = Jiě

Thus, ‘miss’ literally translates to ‘young lady’ in Mandarin


Tonal tip

‘Xiǎo’ and ‘jiě’ are both pronounced using the falling rising tone or the third tone

Remember that ‘x’ carries a ‘sh’ sound in Mandarin!

Let’s hear you say Xiǎo jiě


Introductions

Miss

Xiǎo jiě


Introductions

Mister = Xiān sheng

Early/ prior = Xiān Student = Sheng

Thus, ‘mister’ literally translates to ‘prior student’ in Mandarin


Tonal tip

‘Xiān’ is pronounced using the high level tone or the first tone

‘Sheng’ is pronounced using the neutral tone

Let’s hear you say Xiān sheng


Introductions

Mister/Mr.

Xiān sheng


Introductions

Mrs. = Fū ren

‘Mrs.’ literally means ‘madam’ and is used while referring

to a married woman


Tonal tip

‘Fū’ is pronounced using the high level tone or the first tone

‘Ren’ is pronounced using the neutral tone

Let’s hear you say Fū ren


Introductions

Mrs.

Fū ren


Revision


Miss Xiǎo jiě

Mister/ Mr. Xiān sheng

Mrs. Fū ren


Let's see if you remember…


Pick the right option

How do you say ‘young friend'?

1

Xiǎo péng yǒu

2

Xiān sheng

3

Nǚ péng you



How do we say 'Mister' in Mandarin?

1

Xiān sheng

2

Wǒ shì

3

Xiǎo jiě


Moving on…

Let's learn the vocabulary for self introduction!

There are two ways of saying what your name is, one formal, the other informal, let's

begin with the formal one!


Introductions

I/me = Wǒ


Tonal tip

‘Wǒ’ is pronounced using the falling rising tone, also known as the third tone

Let’s try and say Wǒ


Introductions

Name = Mínɡzi


Tonal tip

‘Mínɡzi’ is pronounced with a mid rising tone, also known as the second tone

Let’s try and say Mínɡzi


Introductions

My(possessive

particle)name is

↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

Wǒ de mínɡzi shì


Grammar tip

The particle ‘de’, is a possessive particle,

used in possessive pronouns, example (mine = wǒ de)

It is also used for emphasis


Introductions

My name is ...

Wǒ de mínɡzi shì...


Moving on...

Now let's take a look at the informal way of telling your name

In future, we shall stick to the informal way of telling names!


Introductions

I/me

Wǒ


Introductions

To be called

Jiào


Tonal tip

‘Jiào’ is pronounced in the falling tone, also known as the fourth tone

Let’s hear you say Jiào


Introducing yourself

It may also be translated as 'I am named…'

I am called….

Wǒ jiào…


Introductions

To be surnamed

Xìng


Tonal tip

Xìng is spoken in the falling tone also known as the fourth tone

Remember, ‘x’ is spoken with a ‘sh’ sound!

Let’s hear you say Xìng


Introducing yourself

It may also be translated as 'I am surnamed…'

My surname is….

Wǒ xìng......


Culturally speaking

Name and surname both form an integral part of Chinese culture, thus the two words ‘Jiào’ and ‘Xìng’ are

important to learn!


Grammar tip

As we can see, the 'to-be' verb 'am' is nottranslated

in both the cases, as we are saying ‘ I am named…’ or 'I am surnamed' as opposed to

‘My name is …’ or 'My surname is...'

‘Named' here acts as an adjective describing the 'person’ and is therefore not translated

It's the same as saying 'I am tall', and as welearnt,

is/am are not translated before an adjective!


Revision


I Wǒ

Name Mínɡzi

To be surnamed Xìng

To be called Jiào


Let's see if you remember…



How do we say 'My name is...'?

1

Wǒ de mínɡzi shì...

2

Wǒ xìng shì…

3

Wǒ de jiào…



How do we say 'I am named ….'?

1

Wǒ jiào…

2

Wǒ shì…

3

Wǒ xìng…


Revision


Miss Xiǎo jiě

Mister/ Mr. Xiān sheng

Mrs. Fū ren

Female friend/ girlfriend Nǚ péngyǒu

Male friend/ boyfriend Nán péngyǒu

Young friend Xiǎo péngyǒu


Revision

English Mandarin

I Wǒ

To be surnamed Xìng

To be called Jiào

My family name is Wáng Wǒ xìng Wáng

My name is Wáng Péng

(formal)Wǒ de mínɡzi shì Wáng Péng

My name is Wáng Péng

(informal)Wǒ jiào Wáng Péng


Culture Leaf


Culture leaf

Yellow, also called the color of the earth, is considered the most beautiful colour

The Chinese saying, 'Yellow generates Yin and Yang', implies that yellow is the

center of everything, Yellow often decorates royal palaces, altars and temples

The color was used in the robes and attire of the emperors


Culture leaf

Yellow also represents freedom from worldlycares and is thus esteemed

in Buddhism

Monks’ garments are yellow, as are elementsof Buddhist temples


What's next?

In the next lesson, we will learn how to ask someone their family name and maiden names!


Credits

Content Team CultureAlley, Sunny Dang

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_in_Chinese _culture

Images http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chinese_Buddhist_Monk_Yellow

_Robe_Shanghai.jpeg Wloh


See you at the Alley!


basic mandarin chinese | lesson 6 | introducing yourself & meeting new friends

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