Learn Chinese

M: Dàjiā hǎo. Huānyíng nǐmen dào Xiànzài Xué Hànyǔ. Wǒ shì Manli.
S: Wǒ shì Stuart.

M: We’re still in the Yíhéyuán. Wǒmen hái zài Yíhéyuán.

S: We’re going to take some photos, zhàoxiàng.

M: And learn some ways to describe position. Very useful.

S: Here goes. Mary and Jiànguò, Miss Zhang, Mr. Li, (where did they come from? Never mind. It’s the magic of radio!) 玛丽, 建国, 张小姐, 李先生, 我们照相, 好不好? Wǒmen zhàoxiàng, hǎo bù hǎo?

M: Hǎo zhǔyi.

S: And you guys at home, try to pick out the words for ‘stand’, ‘at the back’ and ‘at the front’.

M: 李先生，你比我们高。You stand at the back. 你站在后面 nǐ zhàn zài hòumiàn.

LXS: 好，我站在后面 hǎo, wǒ zhàn zài hòumiàn.

S: Jiànguó, you also stand at the back. 建国, 你也站在后面 nǐ yě zhàn zài hòumian.

M: Zhāng Xiǎojiě, we’ll stand at the front. 我们站在前面 wǒmen zhàn zài qiánmian.

Mary: Stuart, where will you stand? Stuart, 你站在哪儿 nǐ zhàn zài nǎr?

S: I’ll take the photo. 我来照相 wǒlái zhào xiàng. Someone’s got to do it.

S: Hǎo! Now let’s look at the new stuff. I said 玛丽, 建国, 张小姐, 李先生.

M: Zhāng Xiǎojiě. xiǎojiě, remember, means ‘young lady’ or ‘miss’, Miss Zhang, Zhāng Xiǎojiě. And xiānshēng　means ‘man’ or ‘Mr.’ Mr. Li, Lǐ Xiānshēng.

S: Then I said: 我们照相, 好不好?

M: Wǒmen zhòoxiòng, hǒo bù hǎo? We’ll take photos, ok? Wǒmen zhàoxiàng, hǎo buù hǎo?

S: And ML told Lǐ Xiānsheng he was taller than us.

M: 李先生，你比我们高。You stand at the back. 你站在后面

S: nǐ zhàn zài hòumian. 站 ZHAN zhàn, 4th tone, means ‘to stand’. 在后面，hòu HOU hòu, means ‘at the back’ or ‘behind’. It’s the same hòu as in hòutiān, the ‘day after tomorrow’. 面 MIAN miàn, here means ‘face’ or ‘side’. We’ll meet it a lot when learning position words. Hòumian, ‘back’ or ‘rear’. Note that the miànin hòumian loses its full tone. It’s not hòumiàn, it’s hòumian.

M: You stand at the back, Nǐ zhàn zài hòumian. Say it everybody, nǐ zhàn zài hòumian, nǐ zhàn zài hòumian.

S: And then ML said -

M: Zhāng Xiǎojiě, wǒmen zhàn zài qiánmian.

S: 前面, 前QIAN qián, here means ‘front’. It is the same qián as in qiántiān, the ‘day before yesterday’. You stand in front, nǐ zhàn zài qiánmian. Say it, nǐ zhàn zài qiánmian.

S: Good. Now let’s finish with a quick practice of the new stuff.

M: 我们要照相 wǒmen yào zhàoxiàng. 李先生，你站在后面 nǐ zhàn zài hòumian.

S: ML，玛丽，张小姐，你们站在前面 nǐmen zhàn zài qiánmian.

M: Stuart, 你站在哪儿 nǐ zhàn zài nǎr?

S: 我来照相 wǒ lái zhàoxiàng.

M: Good, he won’t be in the picture.

S: Huh! I’m leaving!

M: Angry again! Never mind, he’ll be ok next lesson. See you then!

M: Dàjiā hǎo. Huānyíng nǐmen dào Xiànzài Xué Hànyǔ. Wǒ shì ML.

S: Wǒ shì Stuart. Right, no rest for the wicked – everybody say, Today is lesson 113.

M: Duìle, that’s a good start. Jīntiān shì dì yì bǎi yī shí sān kè, dì yì bǎi yī shí sān kè.

S: We’ll practice, 练习liànxí, a few things, then learn how to reduce pollution by not using plastic bags.

M: Good idea, 好主意 hǎo zhúyi.

S: First, let’s all say, ‘put your money on the table’.

M: 把你的钱放在桌子上 bǎ nǐde qián fàng zài zhuōzi shàng.

S: Haha! I put all the money in my pocket. 我把钱都放进我的口袋里 wǒ bǎ qián dōu fàng jìn wǎde kǒudàilǐ. Now we’ll go buy beer and mineral water. Listen out for ‘mineral water’. 现在我们去买啤酒和矿泉水 xiànzài wǒ qùmǎi píjiǔ hé kuàngquánshuǐ.

M: You go yourself. I’ll stay here. 你自己去。我留在这儿 wǒ liú zài zhèr

S: No problem, méi wèntí. And off I go.

S: Scene Two. At the store.

WOMAN: 先生，您好。 买什么 mǎi shénme?

S: Ten bottles of beer, and two bottles of mineral water. 十瓶啤酒和两瓶矿泉水 shí píng píjiǔ hé liǎng píng kuàngquánshuǐ.

W: I’ll put them in a plastic bag. 我把它们放进塑料袋里wǒ bǎ tāmen fàng jìn sùliàodài lǐ.

S: Plastic bag! Sùliào dài, sùliàodài! No way, that won’t do! 不行 bùxíng bù xíng. That’s ‘white pollution’! 那是白色污染 nàshì báisè wūrǎn, báisè wūrǎn. I’ll use my own bag. 我用我自己的包 wǒ yòng wǒ　zìjǐde bāo.

W: I think I’ve upset him!

M: Oh dear, 天啊！He’s a bit angry 他有点生气了 tā yǒu diǎn shēngqì le. I’ll start explaining the new stuff.

S: I suggested ML and I go to buy some beer and mineral water. But ML said –

M: You go yourself. 你自己去。自己 ZI JI zìjǐ, means ‘oneself’ ‘myself’ ‘themselves’ etc. 你自己去 you yourself go nǐ zìjǐ qù.

S: My own bag 我自己的包 wǒ zìjǐ de bāo.

M: Do it yourself　你自己做吧 nǐ zìjǐ zuò ba.

S: And I said 十瓶啤酒. 瓶PING píng, ‘bottle’, píng. ten bottles of beer and two bottles of mineral water, shí píng píjiǔ hé liǎng píng kuàngquánshuǐ .

M: The lady said, 塑料袋 SU LIAO sùliào, ‘plastic’ sùliào. 袋DAI dài, ‘bag’ or ‘sack’.

S: And I shouted, sùliàodài! No way. 不行 bùxíng. ‘White pollution’! 白色, báisè, ‘white’. 污染 WU RAN wūrǎn, ‘pollution’. báisè wūrǎn, báisè wūrǎn. 塑料袋不好Sùliàodài bù hǎo. Nàshì báisè wūrǎn. báisèwūrǎn. I’ll use my own bag　我用我自己的包 wǒ yòng wǒ zìjǐde bāo.

M: Guess we’d better xiàkè now, zàijiàn!

S: Zàijiàn.

Cam: Hi, dajia hao. Welcome to Chinese Studio. wo shi Cam.
YJ:  And wo shi Yajie. Cam, this week we learned a few phrases about shopping at the supermarket.
Cam: After that I find it easier to get what I need in the supermarket. But still I need to get a review. Shall we begin now?
YJ: No problem. First let’s listen to sentences in the week:

Sentences in the Week
I’m looking for the seafood.  我想买海产品。(wo3 xiang3 mai3 hai3 chan3pin3.) Where is the imported foods aisle? 进口货区在哪儿？(jin4kou3 huo4 qu3 zai4 nar3?) How much is the shampoo? 洗发水多少钱？(xi3fa4shui3 duo1shao qian2?) I need a box of Kleenex (tissue paper) 我要一盒面巾纸. (wo3 yao4 yi4 he2 mian4jin1zhi3) All in today’s Chinese Studio.

Yajie: Before going to the sentences I think we’d better review the useful words we referred to this week.
Cam: Right. Eggs in Chinese is鸡蛋(ji1dan4), right?
YJ: Yes. 鸡蛋(ji1dan4), eggs; and鸡肉(ji1rou4) is chicken.
Cam: 鸡肉(ji1rou4). How about orange? I forgot how to say that in Chinese.
YJ: It’s桔子(ju2zi).
Cam: 桔子(ju2zi). Yajie, cheese is what I need every day, how do the Chinese say that?
YJ: They say 奶酪(nai3lao4), the third tone, and the fourth tone.
Cam: Besides those things I also need to buy, such as toothbrush. Is it牙刷(ya2shua1)?
YJ: Yes. 牙刷 (ya2shua1) Toothbrush. And牙膏(ya2gao1) is toothpaste.
Cam: 牙膏(ya2gao1), toothpaste.

Conversation1:

Cam: I’m looking for the seafood.  What’s Chinese for that? Could you please tell me?
YJ: Of course. You can say 我想买海产品。(wo3 xiang3 mai3 hai3 chan3pin3.)
Cam: 我想买海产品。(wo3 xiang3 mai3 hai3 chan3pin3.)
YJ: Again, 我 (wo3), I.
Cam: 我 (wo3)
YJ: 想 (xiang3), want to.
Cam: 想 (xiang3)
YJ: 买 (mai3), mai, the third tone, to buy.
Cam: 买 (mai3)
YJ: 海产品(hai3 chan3pin3), seafood.
Cam: 海产品(hai3 chan3pin3)
YJ: 海 (hai3), means sea.
Cam: 海 (hai3)
YJ: 产品(chan3pin3), food or products.
Cam: 产品(chan3pin3)
YJ: 海产品(hai3 chan3pin3), seafood.
Cam: 海产品(hai3 chan3pin3).
YJ: 我想买海产品。(wo3 xiang3 mai3 hai3 chan3pin3.)
Cam: 我想买海产品。(wo3 xiang3 mai3 hai3 chan3pin3.) I’m looking for the seafood.

Conversation2:

Cam: I guess the way of asking “How much is the shampoo?”洗发水多少钱？(xi3fa4shui3 duo1shao qian2?) Is it right?
YJ: Absolutely! 洗发水多少钱？(xi3fa4shui3 duo1shao qian2?) 洗发水(xi3fa4shui3), shampoo.
Cam: 洗发水(xi3fa4shui3).
YJ: 多少钱？(duo1shao qian2?), how much?
Cam: 多少钱？(duo1shao qian2?)
YJ: 洗发水多少钱？(xi3fa4shui3 duo1shao qian2?)
Cam: 洗发水多少钱？(xi3fa4shui3 duo1shao qian2?) How much is the shampoo? Well, yajie, how do you tissue paper in Chinese?
YJ: You can say面巾纸(mian4jin1zhi3).
Cam: 面巾纸(mian4jin1zhi3).
YJ: I need a box of Kleenex (tissue paper) 我要一盒面巾纸. (wo3 yao4 yi4 he2 mian4jin1zhi3)
Cam: 我要一盒面巾纸. (wo3 yao4 yi4 he2 mian4jin1zhi3)
YJ: 我 (wo3), I.
Cam: 我 (wo3)
YJ: 要 (yao4), to have.
Cam: 要 (yao4)
YJ: 一盒  (yi1 he2), one box.
Cam: 一盒  (yi1 he2)
YJ: 面巾纸(mian4jin1zhi3), tissue paper.
Cam: 面巾纸(mian4jin1zhi3).
YJ: 我要一盒面巾纸. (wo3 yao4 yi4 he2 mian4jin1zhi3)
Cam: 我要一盒面巾纸. (wo3 yao4 yi4 he2 mian4jin1zhi3) I need a box of Kleenex.

Conversation3:

Cam: That’s it for this week’s Chinese Studio. Now question of the week: how do you ask “How much is the shampoo?” in Chinese?
Yajie: Send your answer to Chinese@crifm.com. And we have cri prize for you. See ya next week!
Cam: zhou1mo4 yu2kuai4!