Easy Chinese Studies

Grammar point - to not be able to "不了“ in Chinese

noreply@blogger.com (WoshiAlan) — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 05:00:00 +0000

This is a very interesting grammar point. This will be a short lesson. When I was learning it, it was at first a bit confusing. So I'll try to explain as best as I can. When, "了" comes after a verb, it's pronounce "liao". It means finished, or closed. In other words, the action is unable to be finished or completed. So in order for this to make sense, I'll start giving examples.

E.x
忘不了 (wang4 bu4 liao3) - to be unable to forget
去不了 (qu4 bu4 liao3) - to be unable to go

Know let's talk about what you CAN do. Talking about what you can do has the same formation. Instead of adding "不了" after the verb, you should add "得了". Again in order for this to make sense, I'll start by giving you some examples.

忘得了 (wang4 de liao3) - to be able to forget
去得了 (qu4 de liao3) - to be able to go

Are you starting to see how to use it? I know I did. Now let's put it together.

He said he wouldn't be able to come. 他说他来不了了. (Tā shuō tā lái bu liǎo le)
I won't be able to eat today. 今天我吃不了. (Jīntiān wǒ chī bùliǎo)

Are you able to move your hand? 你的手动得了吗? (Nǐ de shǒudòng déliǎo ma?)
I was able to go to the store. 我去得了商店. (Wǒ qù déliǎo shāngdiàn)

If you have any other examples, post them in the comment section. I would love to eventually make more complicated sentences using this grammar structure in Chinese. Other than that, on to the Vocabulary for today.

*Words To Remember*

趟 (tang4) - measure word for journeys.
This train is late. 这趟车晚了.

挤(ji3) - crowded
The are a lot of people, it's really crowded. 人这么多,挤死了. (Rén zhème duō jì sǐle.)

肯定 (ken3ding4) - to be certain; for sure
Are you sure it's this train? 你肯定是这趟车马? (Nǐ kěndìng shì zhè tàng chē ma?)

高峰时间 (gaofeng shi2jian) - rush hour
The crowding in rush hour is horrible. 高峰时间挤车太可怕了. (Gāofēng shíjiān jì chē tài kěpàle)

脚 (jiao3) - foot
I've walked so far my feet hurt. 走路走得我脚疼.(Zǒulù zǒu dé wǒ jiǎo téng)

地铁 (di4tie3) - subway
During rush hour the subway is very crowded. 高峰时间的地铁很挤.

进去 (jin4 qu4) - to go in
Go in quickly, don't be late. 快进去吧,别晚了. (Kuài jìnqù ba, bié wǎnle)

Grammar Point - How To Say "Anyways" In Chinese

noreply@blogger.com (WoshiAlan) — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 14:05:00 +0000

I remember thinking when I was studying Chinese, this word is quite useful. You know those circumstances when you're talking and you want to conclude the conversation, you'll say "anyways" right? Or let's say you were in disagreement about something, you'll say, "Anyways, I don't care", or something like that. It's the same thing in Chinese. In Chinese, you would say,"反正". (fan3 zheng4) Let's look at some examples.

E.x. 反正
Anyways, it has nothing to do with me. 反正和我没关系. (fan3 zheng4 he2 wo3 mei2 guanxi)
Sounds pretty natural, right? What about this?

Anyways, I'm not interested. 反正我没兴趣. (fan3 zheng4 he2 wo3 mei2 xingqu4)
If you happened to come up with anymore examples, be sure to post them in the comment section. I think a person can really creative with this word. :-) Now on to some Vocab

*Words To Remember*

鱼 (yu2) - fish

My mother makes really great fish. 我妈妈做的鱼特香 (wo3 mama zuo4 de yu2 te4 xiang)

点 (dian3) - order

Today you order the food. 今天你来点菜把. (jintian ni3 lai2 dian3cai4 ba)

差不多 (cha4 bu duo) - almost
He is almost back. 他差不多要回来了

鸡肉 (jirou4) - chicken meat
He only eats chicken. 他只吃鸡肉. (ta zhi3 chi jirou4)

猪肉 (zhurou4) - pork
Chinese people like to eat pork. 中国人很喜欢吃猪肉. (zhong guo2ren2 hen3 xi2huan chi zhurou4)

好吃 (hao3chi) - delicious
This pork is really not very tasty. 这猪肉真不好吃 (zhe4 zhurou4 zhen bu4 hao3chi)

香 (xiang) - fragrance
Tonight's dinner smells really good. 今天的晚饭太香了 (jintian de wan3fan4 tai4 xiang le)

素食 (su4shi2) - vegetarian food
Recently, he has only been eating vegetarian food. 他最近只吃素食了. (ta zui4jin4 zhi3 chi su4shi2 le)

Chinese Grammar - How To Speak About “The Past" in Chinese

noreply@blogger.com (WoshiAlan) — Tue, 10 Nov 2015 08:00:00 +0000

I love learning languages. Korean was my second language. When I learned how to speak about the past in Korean, it took my speaking and understanding skills to a whole new level. Now that I'm learning Chinese, I thought learning how to speak of the past tense is just as important. So I came across an interesting way to say it. In Chinese, you have to use the word, "过" (guo4). It is used to relay past experiences. Using "了" is different because it emphasizes an action that has already taken place.

Ex 1. 过
Who has this kind of experience? - 谁有过这样的经历? (shei2 you3guo4 zhe4yang4 de jingli4)

Ex. 2
Have you seen this person before? - 你见过那个人吗? (Ni3 jian4guo4 na4 ge4 ren2 ma)

To take this a step further, I learned you could take the same grammatical structure and make it negative.

I have never that person before. - 我没见过那个人. (wo3 mei2 jian4 guo4 na4 ge4 ren2)

The way my mind works, I wonder if you can even make this same sentence a double negative.

Have you not seen this person before? (你没见过那个人吗?)
It makes sense to me. Maybe one day I'll use it on a Chinese native speaker and see what kind of response I'll get. :-) Now onto words I have to remember.

*Words To Remember*

需要 (xuyao4) - to need

I have to go home right now. - 我现在就需要回家 (wo3 xian4zai4 jiu4 xuyao4 hui2jia4)

刀叉 (dao cha) - knife and fork

He can only use a knife and fork to eat - 他只会用刀叉吃饭.

用 (yong4) to use

Let me use your cell phone. - 借我用用你的手机. (jie4 wo3 yong4 yong4 ni3 de shou3ji)

筷子 (kuai4zi) - chopsticks

He can use chopsticks - 他会用筷子. (ta hui4 yong4 kuai4zi)

从来 (cong2 lai2) - ever before

I have never used a kinfe and fork. - 我从来没用过刀叉. - (wo3 cong2 lai2 mei2 yong4guo4 daocha)

汤 (tang) - soup

Do you like drinking soup? 你喜欢喝汤吗? (ni3 xi3huan he tang ma)

勺儿 (shao2 er2) - Spoon

Give me a soup spoon. 给我一把汤勺儿. (gei3 wo3 yi ba3 shao2 er2)

Grammar Point - How To "Continue" Doing Something in Chinese

noreply@blogger.com (WoshiAlan) — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 13:23:00 +0000

In English, we say things like, "I'm going to keep on doing something, or I'm going to continue eating, sleeping, etc... I found to common ways to say this is Chinese. The first way is "继续" (ji4 xu4) which means "to continue". The second way is "接着" (jie zhe) which means to "carry on" You want to put this words before the main verb of the sentence.

Ex. 继续 - To Continue
I want to sleep. 我想睡觉. (wo3 xiang3 shui4 jiao4)
I want to continue sleeping. 我想继续睡觉. (wo3 xiang3 ji4 xu4 shui4 jiao4)

Ex. 接着 - To Carry on
I want to work. 我要睡觉. (wo3 yao4 shui4 jiao4)
I want to continue working. 我要接着睡觉. (wo3 yao4 jie zhe shui4 jiao4)
I am going to continue eating in a moment. - 我一会儿接着吃. (wo3 yihuir4 jiezhe chi)

It's really really easy to remember and super useful!

*Words To Remember*

看电视 (kan4 dian4 shi4) - to watch television

I don't especially like to watch TV - 我不太喜欢看电视

开夜车 (kai ye4 che) - to stay up working

Last night, I stayed up working 'til 2:00 A.M - 昨天晚上我开夜车到两点

写得完 (xie3 de wan2) - possible to finish

If I stay up all night, I will be able to finish writing the report.

如果开夜车,我能写得完这份报告. (Ru2guo3 kaiye4che, wo3 neng2 xie3dewan2 zhe4 fen4 bao4gao4)

交 (jiao) - to deliver

I have to hand in the homework tomorrow. - 我明天要交作业. (Wo3 ming2tian yao4 jiao zuo4ye4)

字 (zi4) - word

He said 3 words: I am sorry - 他说了三个字: 对不起 (Ta shuole san ge4 zi4: dui4bu4qi3)

万 (wan4) - ten thousand

My report contains roughly 10,000 words.

我的报告大概有一万字. (wo3 de bao4gao4 da4gai4 you3 yiwan4 zi4)

剩 (Sheng4) - to have something left over

After buying some things, I have fifty dollars left. - 我买东西剩了五十块钱.

晚饭 (wan3fan4) - dinner

What are we eating for dinner tonight? - 今天晚饭我们吃什么？(jintian wan3fan4 wo3men chi shen2me)

写报告 - to write a report

After dinner, I want to write the report. - 晚饭以后我要写报告. (wan3fan4 yihou4 wo3 xie3bao4gao4)

一定 - definitely

I will definitely be on time tomorrow. - 我明天一定不迟到. (wo3 ming2tian yiding4 bu4 chi2dao4)

Grammar Point - Why Not In Chinese "怎么不“

noreply@blogger.com (WoshiAlan) — Sun, 08 Nov 2015 17:17:00 +0000

Another Interesting grammar point. We use this structure a lot in English when making a suggestion in the present tense. We could say, "Why don't you go to sleep?" I learned how to say this in Chinese.

e.x. Why Not? 怎么不 - (zen3 me bu4)

Why doesn't he come to work?
他怎么不来上班？　

We could even take a step forward and use this in the past tense? Instead of saying, "怎么不". you should say, "怎么没" (zen3 me mei2)

E.x.

Why haven't you slept? - 你怎么没睡觉？
(Ni3 zen3 me mei2 shui4 jiao4)

Words to Remember

丢 (diu) - to lose something

(I lost my hat. - 我的帽子丢了 (wo3 de mao4 zi diu le)

项链 (xiang4 lian4) - necklace

How is my necklace not here? - 我的项链怎么不在这儿 (wo3 de xiang4 lian4 bu4 zai4 zher4)

手表 (shou3 biao3) - wrist watch

I lost my watch. 我的手表丢了．(wo3 de shou3 biao3 diu le)

帽子 (mao3 zi) - hat

This hat is very pretty. 这个帽子很漂亮．
(zhe4 ge mao4zi hen3 piao4 liang)

眼睛 (yan3 jing4) - glasses

How is she not wearing her glasses? 他怎么没戴眼镜？(ta zen3 me mei2 dai4 yan3 jing4)

戴 (dai4) - to wear

She is wearing a beautiful ring. 她戴着一个漂亮的戒指．

(ta dai4 zhe yi ge4 piao4 liang de jie4 zhi)

配 (pei4) - to get fitted

He just bought a pair of glasses. 她刚刚配了一副眼镜．(ta ganggang pei4 yi fu4 yan3 jing4)

隐形眼镜 (yin3 xing2 yan3 jing4) - contact lenses

My contacts feel uncomfortable. 我的隐形眼镜不舒服. (wo3 de yin3xing2 bu4 shufu)

戒指 (jie4 zhi3) - ring

Why aren't you wearing your ring today? 你今天怎么没戴戒指？

(Ni3 jintian zen3 me mei2 dai4 jie4 zhi3)