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(1)?

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) la(1)?

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).