Vocabulary

Dialogue

Structure Drills

Sentence Pyramids

The Sentence Pyramids illustrate the use of each new vocabulary item and structure introduced in the lesson. Use them to help you to learn how to form phrases and sentences in Mandarin. Supply the English translation for the last line where indicated.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

一下

for a bit, briefly

jièshào一下

introduce (briefly)

给你们 jièshào一下

introduce you

我给你们 jièshào一下。

Let me introduce you.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

shì友

roommate

这是我的shì友

____________________

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

到我们家来

come to our home

欢yíng 你到我们家来。

Welcome to our home.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

sòng给你们。

give to you as a present

我买了一些水guǒ sòng给你们。

I bought some fruit to give to you as a present.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

客qi

polite

那么客qi

so polite

别那么客qi。

Don’t be so polite.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

āyí

aunt

shūshu āyí

uncle and aunt

叫 shūshu āyí

call (us) uncle and aunt

叫  shūshu āyí 吧。

Call (us) uncle and aunt.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

xiōng弟姐妹

brothers and sisters

我没有xiōng弟姐妹。

______________________

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

一年

one year

快一年了

almost one year

已经快一年了

already almost one year

她来中国已经快一年了。

She came to China almost a year (ago).

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

坐坐

sit; visit

请你来家坐坐

invite you to come to my home to visit

早就 yīnggāi 请你来家坐坐了

long before now invite you to come home to visit.

我们早就 yīnggāi 请你来家坐坐了。

We should have invited you long before now to come to our home to visit.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

哥哥

older brother

xiàng 我的哥哥

resembles my older brother

国强就xiàng 我的哥哥。

______________________

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

huā

flowers

那些huā

those flowers

门前那些huā

the flowers that are in front of the door

我tè别喜欢门前那些huā 。

I especially like the flowers that are in front of the door.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

piàoliang

beautiful

真 piàoliang

really beautiful

fáng子 真 piàoliang

house really beautiful

您的 fáng子 真piàoliang。

your house is really beautiful

大为:您的 fáng子 真 piàoliang。

Dawei: ______________________

谢太太:哪里。

Mrs. Xiè: ______________________

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

到了

arrived

zhōngyú到了

finally arrived

你zhōngyú到了!

You finally got here.

Audio File

Vocabulary 

Translation

mí路

get lost (can’t find your way)

以为你mí路了呢。

assumed you got lost

我们以为你mí路了呢。

______________________

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

在哪儿?

Where?

洗手间在哪儿?

Where is the bathroom?

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

一张zhàopiàn

a photo

zhào 一张zhàopiàn

take a photo

先 zhào 一张zhàopiàn

first take a photo

我们先 zhào 一张zhàopiàn吧

let’s first take a photo

以前我们先 zhào 一张zhàopiàn

before, let’s take a photo

吃饭以前我们先 zhào 一张zhàopiàn。

Before we eat, let’s first take a photo.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

zhào

take (a photo).

我来zhào。

I’ll take the photo.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

qié子

eggplant

大家说“qié子。”

Everyone say “eggplant.”

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

Suíbiàn 吃.

eat whatever you want.

Suíbiàn 坐,suíbiàn 吃.

Sit wherever you want, eat whatever you want.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

cài

food

没什么 cài

not much food

今天没什么 cài。

There isn’t much food today.

不好yìsi,今天没什么 cài。

I’m so embarrassed. Today there isn’t much food.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

家常cài

home-style food

是家常 cài

are home-style food

都是家常 cài

are all home-style food

今天的cài 都是家常 cài。

______________________

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

báicài

cabbage

chǎo báicài

stir-fried cabbage

回 guō ròu和 chǎo báicài

twice-cooked port and stir-fried cabbage

红shāo yú、回 guō ròu和 chǎo báicài

red summered fish, twice- cook pork and stir-fried cabbage

我做了红shāo yú、回 guō ròu和 chǎo báicài。

______________________

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

jī tang

chicken soup

jiǎo子和jī tāng

dumplings (jiaozi) and chicken soup

还有jiǎo子和jī tāng。

Also, dumplings and chicken soup.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

一年

one year

一年了

one year

差不多一年了

almost one year

zhù了差不多一年了

lived almost one year

已经 zhù了差不多一年了

already lived almost one year

他们在中国已经 zhù了差不多一年了。

______________________

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

吃过 jiǎo子

eaten Chinese dumplings before

当然吃过 jiǎo子

of course eaten Chinese dumplings before

他们当然吃过 jiǎo子。

Of course they have eaten dumplings before.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

jiǎo子馆

dumpling restaurant

好吃的jiǎo子馆

delicious dumpling restaurant

一家非常好吃的jiǎo子馆

an extremely delicious dumpling restaurant

有一家非常好吃的jiǎo子馆。

there is an extremely delicious dumpling restaurant

学校fùjìn有一家非常好吃的jiǎo子馆。

In the vicinity of the school there is an extremely delicious dumpling restaurant.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

好吃的jiǎo子

delicious dumplings

这么好吃的jiǎo子

such delicious dumplings

我没吃过这么好吃的jiǎo子。

I have never before eaten such delicious dumplings.

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

yòng得真好

use really well

yòng kuài子yòng得真好

use chopsticks really well

你yòng kuài子yòng得真好。

______________________

Audio File

Vocabulary

Translation

一点

a little

吃一点

eat a little

多吃一点。

______________________

Quizzes

Listening and Speaking: Listening for Information

Reading and Writing: Focus on Chinese Characters

Communicating through Reading and Writing

Word Bank