Previous Lesson: Mandarin Lesson 20: Children—Sons and Daughters
Who is it?
Please come in.
1 son.
He’s very grown up.
The son is very grown up.
The older son.
The word that means “big” or “grown up”, can also mean “more grown up” or “older”.
The older daughter.
The daughter is very grown up.
Remember, you use the “luh” ending when you say that someone is big or grown up.
We have an older daughter.
How many children do you1plural have?
My wife and I.
My wife and I have an older daughter.
Please wait one moment.
Can you2singular please wait one moment? (var 1)
Can you3singular please wait one moment? (var 2)
We live.
We live in America.
Located along with the children.
My wife and I have 3 children.
Where are they?
The children are in America.
They are in America.
The daughters are here.
The older daughter is here.
The older son is here.
Younger daughter(s).
What about the younger daughter?
Young.
Or, “younger”.
Younger son.
My son is very young.
Our son is very young.
Our son isn’t very grown up.
He’s very young.
Really.
He’s really very young.
Really?
To ask, “really?”, all you need to do is use question intonation. Try it.
Yes, really.
He isn’t very grown up.
Where is your4plural daughter?
My wife and I have 2 daughters.
The older daughter or the younger daughter?
It isn’t the younger daughter.
Where are the children?
Bathroom.
Where is the bathroom?
It’s over there.
The bathroom is over there.
Really, it’s over there.
Our older daughter.
Your5plural older daughter.
Family.
Or literally, “home people”.
Your family.
Where’s your family?
The younger daughters are in America.
The older son is in Beijing.
The older son is with us.
The older son is here with us.
Since the emphasis is on the location rather than with us, you don’t need “together”.
You6plural have a very big family.
Literally, “your home people very many”.
You7plural have a really big family.
Conversation
Now imagine that you’re with your family in Beijing. You have 2 sons and 1 daughter. You’ve all been invited to a collegue’s home. How does she ask, “Who is it”?
Who is it?
You’ve identified yourself. How does she tell you to, “Please come in”?
Please come in.
How does she greet you?
Hello.
She will ask you a few questions. In your answers, because you’re speaking for your whole family, say “we” and “our” rather than “I” and “my”.