Note: The spoken Chinese
Mandarin language has 4 spoken tones. We have
attempted to re-create those below where after
each syllable we tell you (1), (2), (3), or
(4) as they correspond to each of the 4 tones.
We encourage you to complement your Xianzai.com
Emergency Chinese newsletter with a good offline
study program.
Karaoke: ka(3) la(1) OK
NEW
WORDS
Karaoke:
ka(3) la(1)OK
Beer: Pi(2) jiu(3)
Snacks: xiao(3) chi(1)
Song list: ge(1) qu(3) mu(4) lu(4)
Bill: zhang(4) dan(1)
LESSON
- Do
you have karaoke here?
ni(3) men zhe(4) li(3) you(3) ka(3)la(1)
OK ma?
- Please
bring some beer?
qing(3) na(2) yi(4) xie(1) pi(2) jiu(3)
lai(2).
- What
type of snacks do you have?
ni(1) men dou(1) you(3) shen(2) mo yang(4)
de xiao(3) chi(1)?
- Can
I see the song list please?
wo(3) neng(2)kan(4) kan(4) ge(1) qu(3) mu(4)
lu(4) ma?
- We
would like the bill.
wo(3) men yao(4) jie(2) zhang(4).
* Tip: Karaoke! The insanely fun Japanese
invention has taken China by storm. Long popular
in Taiwan, it seems that a new karaoke place
is going up on every corner in the major cities
of mainland China (and even in the countryside).
Karaoke is great fun for all.
Leave your inhibitions behind, bring some
beer money and have a great time belting out
songs in English or Chinese.
The
most popular karaoke tunes are songs by Coco
Lee, Sandy Lam and Faye Wong. It takes a while
to learn a Chinese song but you will astound
your Chinese friends if you can deliver a
heart-felt version of Sandy Lam's 'Zhi Shao
Hai You Ni'!
