Previous Lesson: Lesson 19: Pronouns, Honorifics and Address
Who is it?
Please come in.
Please give me water.
Would you like to drink something? (var 1)
Would you like to drink something? (var 2)
I have beer. . .
. . . and tea.
It’s more expensive.
It’s too expensive.
Quickly.
You’re speaking too quickly.
Where’s your husband?
Where is Mr. Chen?
My husband?
I don’t know where he is.
Where’s your wife?
Is she with you?
Literally, “She with you is located along?” This is how you’ll ask if two people are together or in the same location.
Would you like to drink something with me? (var 1)
Would you like to drink something with me? (var 2)
She’s with your husband.
Where is he?
He’s over there.
He’s with your wife.
Where do you1plural live?
We live in America.
Children.
Do you2plural have any children?
Do you3singular have any children? (var 1)
Do you4singular have any children? (var 2)
Yes, we have children.
How much Renminbi do you have?
How much?
How many?
“Kuh” is a measure word. In Mandarin, it’s used when referring to the size of a group of people.
How many children do you5plural have?
3 children.
We have 3 children.
Son.
2 sons.
We have 2 sons.
Daughter.
1 daughter.
1 son.
We have 1 daughter.
She’s with my wife.
And.
My wife and I.
My wife and I would like to drink something.
My wife and I have 3 children.
We have 2 sons, 1 daughter.
How many children do you6singular have?
I don’t have any sons.
But we have 4 daughters.
How many children?
We have 4 children.
That’s a lot of children.
We have 5 children.
3 sons.
2 sons.
Big.
Very grown up.
My son is very grown up.
With the “luh” ending, the word “big” refers only to maturity, not to the person’s size. It’s like saying, “My son has gotten very big.”
Is your son very grown up?
Is your daughter is very grown up?
Not very big.
Remember that you don’t need the “luh” with the negative.
She’s not very big.
The son is not very big.
Where is he?
He’s in America.
Together.
He’s with my wife together.
They
They’re very grown up.
They’re here.
They’re not in America.
They’re here with me.
The daughter is not very big.
Conversation
Now a conversation with Mrs. Chen. Answer her when she speaks to you. You are to assume the following role: You are a gentleman of middle age; you have a wife and 3 children—2 sons and 1 daughter—and they’re all grown up; they’re with you in Beijing. Now, try to answer her questions.