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.
Ask
Questions: wen(4)
wen(4) ti(2)
NEW
WORDS
1) Bathroom: xi(3) shou(3) jian(1)
2) Bill: zhang(4) dan(1)
3) PM: xia(4) wu(3)
4) Train station: huo(3) che(1)
zhan(4)
LESSON
The basic questions:
What is this?
zhe(4) shi(4) shen(3) me?
Where are we?
wo(3) men(2) zai(4) na(3)?
Where are you?
ni(3) zai(4) na(3) ?
What time is it?
ji(2) dian(3) le?
Where is the bathroom?
xi(3) shou(3) jian(1) zai(4) na(3) ?
Answers you can expect:
Q: What is this?
zhe(4) shi(4) shen(3) me?
A: This is the bill.
zhe(4) shi(4) zhang(4) dan(1).
Q: Where are we?
wo(3) men(2) zai(4) na(3) ?
A: We are near the train station.
wo(3) men(2) zai(4) huo(3) che(1) zhan(4)
fu(3) jin(4).
Q: Where are you?
ni(3) zai(4) na(3)?
A: I am still at home.
wo(3) hai(2) zai(4) jia(1).
Q: What time is it?
ji(3) dian(3) le?
A: It is seven-thirty PM.
xia(4) wu(3) qi(1) dian(3) san(1) shi(2).
Q: Where is the bathroom?
xi(3) shou(3) jian(1) zai(4) na(3)?
A: Over there to the left.
zai(4) na(4) bian(1), zuo(3) bian(1).
