Me & You

Vocabularies

我 (wǒ)

I

你 (nǐ)

you (singular)

我们 (wǒ men)

we

他 (tā)

he

她 (tā)

she

爱 (ài)

English:

to love

Example:

我爱你

I love you

你爱我

You love me

他爱她

He loves her

喜欢 (xǐ huan)

English:

to like

Example:

我喜欢你

I like you

你喜欢我

You like me

我喜欢她，你喜欢她

I like her, you like her

和 (hé)

English:

with, and

Example:

我喜欢你和她

I like you and her

Grammar

The structure of a basic sentence is

Subject + Verb + Object

Example:

我 (subject) 爱 (verb) 你 (object)

我和你 (subject) 喜欢 (verb) 她 (object)

Vocabularies

很 (hěn)

English:

very, quite

Example:

我很喜欢他

I like him a lot

都 (dōu)

English:

all, both

Example:

我们都喜欢她

We like her

都很好

All is fine/nice/great

我们都很好

We're all doing fine

我和你都喜欢她

I and you like her

高兴 (gāo xìng)

English:

happy, glad, cheerful

Example:

我很高兴

I am very happy/excited

她爱我，我很高兴

She loves me, I am very happy

漂亮 (piào liang)

English:

pretty, beautiful

Example:

她很漂亮

She is very pretty

你们都很漂亮

You're all looking great

她很漂亮，我很喜欢她

She is really pretty, I like her a lot

Grammar

Similar to “very“ in English, 很 is put in front of adjectives

Subject 很 Adjective

The difference to English is, that sentences with this structure don't need a

verb “to be“

Example:

我很好 - I'm doing fine

你很漂亮 - You're beautiful

我很高兴 - I am very happy/excited

很 can also be put in front of verbs

Subject 很 Verb ...

Example:

我很喜欢他 - I like him a lot

This and that

Vocabularies

个 (gè)

English:

Measure word (MW) for

almost everything

这 (zhè)

English:

this

Example:

我很喜欢这个

I really like this

那 (nà)

English:

that

Example:

我很喜欢那个

I like that a lot

些 (xiē)

English:

some, few, several

Example:

我很喜欢这些

I really like these

我很喜欢那些

I like those

是 (shì)

English:

to be

Example:

这是我

This is me

的 (de)

English:

Character to form an

attribute

Example:

这是我的

This is mine

朋友 (péng you)

English:

friend

Example:

这是我的朋友

This is my friend

Grammar

The character 的 is used to express belonging

Object 的 Object

Example:

这是我的 - This is mine

这是我的朋友 - This is my friend

这是我朋友的朋友 - This is my friend's friend

Vocabularies

好 (hǎo)

English:

good, nice, very

Example:

这是我很好的朋友

This is my very good friend

这是我的好朋友

This is my good friend

这是我好朋友

This is my good friend

她好漂亮

She is very beautiful

我好高兴

I am very happy

人 (rén)

English:

person, people

Example:

这个人很好

This person is very nice

这些人很好

Those people are very nice

这个人是我的朋友

This person is my friend

那个人很漂亮

That person is very beautiful

Past tense

Vocabularies

了 (le)

English:

Character indicating past

or change

Example:

我好了

I'm fine (now)

太 (tài)

English:

too, extremely

Example:

太好了!

Great!

衣服 (yī fu)

English:

clothes

Example:

这些衣服很漂亮

Those clothes look great

买 (mǎi)

English:

to buy

Example:

我买了衣服

I bought clothes

我买衣服了

I bought clothes

我买的衣服都很漂亮

The clothes I've bought do all look

great

大 (dà)

English:

big, great

Example:

我买的衣服太大了

The clothes I bought are too big

小 (xiǎo)

English:

small

Example:

我买的衣服太小了

The clothes I bought are too small

To be or not to be

Vocabularies

不 (bù)

English:

no, not

Example:

我不喜欢你

I don't like you

我不买这个

I don't buy this

她不漂亮

She is not pretty

有 (yǒu)

English:

to have

Example:

我有衣服

I have clothes

没 (méi)

English:

not

Example:

我没有衣服

I don't have clothes

我没买这个

I didn't buy this

我没有买这个

I didn't buy this

钱 (qián)

English:

money

Example:

我有钱

I have money/I am rich

我没有钱

I don't have money/I am poor

Grammar

没 must be used to negate the verb 有

没 + 有

Example:

我没有衣服 - I don't have clothes

我没有钱 - I don't have money/I am poor

不 can be used to negate any other verb in either present or future or any

adjective

不 + Verb/Adjective

Example:

我不喜欢你 - I don't like you

我不买这个 - I don't buy this

她不漂亮 - She is not pretty

没 used to negate other words than 有 signals past tense. Sentences with 有

might do as well

没 + Verb

Example:

我没买这个 - I didn't buy this

我没有买这个 -I didn't buy this

Simple Questions

Vocabularies

吗 (ma)

English:

Character to form a yes

or no question

Example:

你喜欢买衣服

You like buying clothes

你喜欢买衣服吗?

Do you like buying clothes?

你爱她吗?

Do you love her?

呢 (ne)

English:

Character to build a

question based on earlier

mentioned topics and to

Example:

你喜欢买衣服吗?

Do you like buying clothes?

provide choices 我很喜欢，你呢?

I like it a lot, and you?

我不太喜欢

I don't like it that much

Grammar

Another way to form a question is to use the verb twice with 不 or 没 in

between

Verb 不/没 Verb

Example:

这是你的朋友 - This is your friend

这是不是你的朋友? - Is this your friend?

他有钱 - He has money

他有没有钱? - Does he have money?

你喜欢买衣服 - You like buying clothes

你喜不喜欢买衣服? - Do you like buying clothes?

你买不买? - Do you buy it?

Who, what and which

Vocabularies

谁 (shéi)

English:

who

Example:

我爱你

I love you

我爱谁?

Who do I love?

你

you

我爱你

I love you

谁爱你?

Who loves you?

我

I

什么 (shén me)

English:

what

Example:

你喜欢买衣服

You like buying clothes

你喜欢什么?

What do you like?

买衣服

Buying clothes

书 (shū)

English:

book

Example:

(see below)

本 (běn)

English:

root, basis, foundation,

origin, capital, MW for

books, files, etc.

Example:

你喜欢这本书吗?

Do you like this book?

我喜欢这本书

I like this book

哪 (nǎ)

English:

which

Example:

你喜欢哪本书

Which book do you like?

我喜欢这本书

I like this book

这本书

This book

他喜欢这些书

He likes those books

他喜欢哪些书

Which books does he like?

这些书

Those books

几 (jǐ)

English:

how many, several

Example:

你买了几本书?

How many books did you buy?

我买了几本书

I bought several books

多少 (duō shao)

English:

how many, how much

Example:

这本书多少钱?

How much is this book?

你买了多少?

How many/much did you buy?

多 (duō)

English:

much, many

Example:

我买了很多

I bought a lot

我买了不多

I didn't buy too many (not really

少, but I could have bought more)

少 (shǎo)

English:

few, little

Example:

我买了很少

I bought just a few

我买了不少

I bought quite a few (not really 多,

but still quite a few)

怎么 (zěn me)

English:

how

Example:

这本书怎么买?

How can you buy this book?

你怎么了?

How are you? What's wrong?

怎么样 (zěn me yàng)

English:

how is/are, how about

that?

Example:

这本书怎么养?

How's that book? Do you like this

book?

你怎么样?

How are you?

Places

Here and There

Vocabularies

天气 (tiān qì)

English:

weather

Example:

(see below)

这儿 (zhè r)

English:

here

Example:

这儿的天气很好

The weather here is very good

那儿 (nà r)

English:

there

Example:

那儿的天气很好

The weather there is very good

里 (lǐ)

English:

in, inside, MW for 0.5 km

Example:

这里的天气很好

The weather here is very good

那里的天气很好

The weather there is very good

在 (zài)

English:

at, on, character

indicating action in

progress

Example:

在那儿天气怎么样?

How's the weather there?

在这里天气很好

The weather here is quite good

冷 (lěng)

English:

cold

Example:

这里的天气很冷

It's quite cold here

热 (rè)

English:

hot, warm

Example:

这里的天气很热

It's quite hot here

住 (zhù)

English:

to live, to stay, to reside

Example:

你住在哪儿?

Where do you live?

你住在哪里?

Where do you live?

北京 (Běi jīng)

English:

Beijing

Example:

我住在北京

I live in Beijing

中国 (Zhōng guó)

English:

China

Example:

我住在中国

I live in China

Up and Down

Vocabularies

去 (qù)

English:

to go

Example:

我去你那儿

I'm coming to you

你去哪儿?

Where are you going?

我去北京

I go to Beijing

我去买衣服

I go shopping for clothes

来 (lái)

English:

to come, to arrive, ever

since

Example:

你来我这儿

Come to me

你来吗?

Are you coming?

我来了

I'm here/I arrived

上 (shàng)

English:

to go up, to attend, to

climb, on, upon,

previous, upper

Example:

我上去

I'm coming up

你上来吗?

Are you coming up?

下 (xià)

English:

descend, fall, below,

down, under, MW for

times of action

Example:

你下来吗?

Are you coming down?

我下去

I'm coming down

Before and Behind

Vocabularies

工作 (gōng zuò)

English:

job, to work

Example:

你的工作是什么?

What's your job?

医生 (yī shēng)

English:

doctor

Example:

我是医生

I'm a doctor

医院 (yī yuàn)

English:

hospital

Example:

我在医院工作

I work at the hospital

饭馆 (fàn guǎn)

English:

restaurant

Example:

这是一个很好的饭馆

This is a very good restaurant

商店 (shāng diàn)

English:

shop, store

Example:

这个商店很大

This shop is quite big

前面 (qián miàn)

English:

ahead, in front

Example:

在医院的前面有个很小的商店

There's a small shop in front of the

hospital

后面 (hòu miàn)

English:

rear, back, behind

Example:

在医院的后面有个我很喜欢的饭

馆

At the back of the hospital is a

restaurant I like a lot

先生 (xiān sheng)

English:

Mister (Mr.), teacher

Example:

钱先生，你好

Hello Mr. Qian

Numbers, Time and Dates

Numbers

Vocabularies

十 (shí)

English:

10

Example:

我有十个朋友

I have 10 friends

一 (yī)

English:

1

Example:

十一

11

一个朋友

a friend

二 (èr)

English:

2

Example:

十二

12

二十

20

二十一

21

二十二

22

三 (sān)

English:

3

Example:

十三

13

三十二

32

三本书

3 books

四 (sì)

English:

4

Example:

十四

14

四十一

41

四个人

4 people

五 (wǔ)

English:

5

Example:

十五

15

五十四

54

六 (liù)

English:

6

Example:

十六

16

六十六

66

七 (qī)

English:

7

Example:

十七

17

七十二

72

八 (bā)

English:

8

Example:

十八

18

八十四

84

九 (jiǔ)

English:

9

Example:

十九

19

九十九

99

零 (líng)

English:

0

Example:

零下四

-4 (for temperature)

零下十一

-11 (for temperature)

Time

Vocabularies

点 (diǎn)

English:

point, dot, to nod, to

click, MW for a little, a

bit

Example:

一点儿

a little bit (儿 is pronounced more

or less like an R, er in Pinyin)

这里有点儿冷

It's a little bit cold here

现在 (xiàn zài)

English:

now

Example:

现在几点?

What's the time?

分钟 (fēn zhōng)

English:

minute

Example:

30分钟

30 minutes

48分钟

48 minutes

9点 25分钟

9:25

9点 25 分

9:25

12点 55 分

12:55

现在 2点 5 分

It's 2:05

上午 (shàng wǔ)

English:

morning

Example:

上午 9点 15 分

9:15 a.m.

中午 (zhōng wǔ)

English:

noon, midday

Example:

中午 11点 50 分

11:50 a.m.

下午 (xià wǔ)

English:

afternoon

Example:

下午 3点 35分

3:35 p.m.

Date

Vocabularies

时候 (shí hou)

English:

time, moment, period

Example:

么时候来

when

你什么时候来?

When do you come?

昨天 (zuó tiān)

English:

yesterday

Example:

我昨天来了

I came yesterday

今天 (jīn tiān)

English:

today

Example:

我今天来

I'll come today

我今天来了

I came today

明天 (míng tiān)

English:

tomorrow

Example:

我明天来

I'll come tomorrow

月 (yuè)

English:

month, moon

Example:

一月

January

二月

February

三月

March

四月

April

五月

May

六月

June

七月

July

八月

August

九月

September

十月

October

十一月

November

十二月

December

一个月

1 month

四个月

4 months

日 (rì)

English:

day, sun

Example:

8月 3日

August 3rd

一天

1 day

四天

4 days

年 (nián)

English:

year

Example:

2012年 8月 3日

August 3rd, 2012

1978年 3月 23日

March 23rd, 1978

2012年 8月 3日上午 10点 10

分

August 3rd, 2012 10:10 a.m.

一年

1 year

四年

4 years

星期 (xīng qī)

English:

week

Example:

星期一

Monday

星期二

Tuesday

星期三

Wednesday

星期四

Thursday

星期五

Friday

星期六

Saturday

星期日

Sunday

星期天

Sunday

今天星期六

Today is Saturday (informal)

今日星期六

Today is Saturday (formal)

明天星期天

Tomorrow is Sunday (informal)

明日星期日

Tomorrow is Sunday (formal)

一个星期

1 week

四个星期

4 weeks

Eating and Drinking

About Eating

Vocabularies

东西 (dōng xi)

English:

thing

Example:

她很喜欢去买东西

She likes to go shopping

我买了很多东西

I bought a lot of things

吃 (chī)

English:

to eat

Example:

我很喜欢吃东西

I like eating

喝 (hē)

English:

to drink

Example:

(see below)

茶 (chá)

English:

tea

Example:

中国人很喜欢喝茶

Chinese really like drinking tea

小姐 (xiǎo jiě)

English:

Miss, young lady,

prostitute

Example:

小姐，你好

Hallo, Miss!

她是个小姐

She's a prostitute

菜 (cài)

English:

dish, vegetable

Example:

小姐，点菜

Miss, we want to order

这个菜很好吃

This dish is delicious

这个菜多少钱?

How much is this dish?

要 (yào)

English:

to want

Example:

我要这个

I want this

我要这个菜

I want this dish

米饭 (mǐ fàn)

English:

(cooked) rice

Example:

我要一个米饭

I want a bowl of rice

块 (kuài)

English:

MW for a piece or money

Example:

我要一块

I want one piece

这本书 34块

This book costs 34 RMB

杯子 (bēi zi)

English:

cup, glass

Example:

我要一杯茶

I want one cup of tea

我杯子里的茶很好喝

The tea in my cup is delicious

请 (qǐng)

English:

to ask, to invite, please

Example:

我请你吃饭

I invite you for lunch/dinner

我来

I pay

请

Please!

坐 (zuò)

English:

to sit, to take (bus, train,

etc.)

Example:

请坐

Please take a seat

坐一下

Take a seat

椅子 (yǐ zi)

English:

chair

Example:

这个椅子太小了

This seat is too small

桌子 (zhuō zi)

English:

table

Example:

桌子上的菜都很好吃

The dishes on the table do all taste

great

狗 (gǒu)

English:

dog

Example:

你的狗很漂亮

Your dog is georgious

猫 (māo)

English:

cat

Example:

中国人都喜欢吃猫和狗吗?

Do all Chinese like eating cats and

dogs?

谢谢 (xiè xie)

English:

thanks

Example:

谢谢你

Thank you!

不客气 (bú kè qi)

English:

you're welcome

Example:

谢谢

Thanks

不客气

You're welcome

Cooking

Vocabularies

做 (zuò)

English:

to do, to make

Example:

我喜欢做饭

I like cooking

会 (huì)

English:

meeting, conference, can,

to be able to, indicating

future tense

Example:

我会做饭

I can cook

我不会做饭

I can't cook

能 (néng)

English:

ability, gift, energy,

capable, able, to be able

to

Example:

我不能做饭

I'm not able to cook (today/now)

水 (shuǐ)

English:

water

Example:

我要一杯水

I want a glass of water

开 (kāi)

English:

to open, to start, to drive

(car, etc.)

Example:

你要一杯水吗?

Do you want a cup of water?

我要一杯开水

I want a cup of drinking water

我要

I do

要

Yes

水果 (shuǐ guǒ)

English:

fruit

Example:

你喜欢什么水果?

Which fruits do you like?

苹果 (píng guǒ)

English:

apple

Example:

我很喜欢吃苹果

I really like eating apples

这个苹果很好吃

This apple is really good

Family & Friends

People

Vocabularies

叫 (jiào)

English:

to be called, to call, to

shout

Example:

我叫...

My name is …

你好，我叫...

Hello, my name is ...

名字 (míng zi)

English:

name

Example:

你叫什么名字?

What's your name?

岁 (suì)

English:

MW for years old

Example:

你几岁?

How old are you?

你多大?

How old are you?

我 24岁

I'm 24 years old

他今年 55岁

He's 55 years old this year

妈妈 (mā ma)

English:

mother, mum

Example:

这是我妈妈

This is my mum

爸爸 (bà ba)

English:

father, dad

Example:

这是我爸爸

This is my dad

爸爸在哪儿?

Where is dad?

他在吃饭呢，你吃了吗?

He's eating, have you eaten already?

我吃了

I've already eaten

儿子 (ér zi)

English:

son

Example:

这是我儿子

This is my son

女儿 (nǚ ér)

English:

daughter

Example:

你的女儿很漂亮

Your daughter is very beautiful

家 (jiā)

English:

family, home, houshold,

MW for businesses,

families, etc.

Example:

你家有几个人?

How man people are there in your

family?

我的家有三个人，爸爸，妈妈和

我

There are 3 people in my family,

my dad, my mum and me

这个家有四个人，爸爸，妈妈，

儿子 和女儿

This family consists of 4 people,

dad, mum, sun and daughter

Grammar

This grammar pattern can be used to say that somebody is doing something at

the moment

somebody/something 在 doing something (呢)

Example:

他在吃饭呢 - He's eating

我在做饭 - I'm cooking

Travelling Home

Vocabularies

想 (xiǎng)

English:

to think, to miss, to want

Example:

我很想你

I miss you

我很想我的家

I miss my family/I miss home

我在想

I'm thinking

我在想我要吃什么

I'm thinking what I should eat

你想一想

Think about it

我想吃东西

I want to eat something

回 (huí)

English:

to return, to answer, to

reply, MW for events of

action

Example:

我想回家

I want to go home

我明天回家

I'll go home tomorrow

看见 (kàn jiàn)

English:

to see, to catch sight of

Example:

我在这儿，你能看见我吗?

I'm here, can you see me?

我看见你了

I spotted you!

火车站 (huǒ chē zhàn)

English:

train station

Example:

我是在火车站吃饭的

I ate something at the train station

火车站在那儿?

Where is the train station?

Grammar

This pattern can be used to put emphasis on time, place or method of doing

something

somebody/something 是 time, place or method 的

Example:

我是在火车站吃饭的 - I had something at the train station

你是坐火车回来的吗? - You came back by train?

是，我是今天回来的 - Yes, I came back today

Vocabularies

飞机 (fēi jī)

English:

airplane

Example:

我坐飞机回家

I'm going home by plane

出租车 (chū zū chē)

English:

taxi

Example:

我是坐出租车去火车站的

I took a taxi to the train station

再见 (zài jiàn)

English:

goodbye, see you

Example:

明天见

See you tomorrow

再见

See you

Activities

Vocabularies

看 (kàn)

English:

to see, to watch, to look

at

Example:

我在看你

I'm looking at you

电影 (diàn yǐng)

English:

movie, film

Example:

我和我的朋友们今天去看电影

I and my friends are going to

watch a film today

你今天想去看电影吗?

Do you want to go watch a film

today?

电视 (diàn shì)

English:

TV(-set)

Example:

我爸爸在看电视

My dad is watching TV

电脑 (diàn nǎo)

English:

computer

Example:

我朋友的电脑很好

My friend's computer is really

good

睡觉 (shuì jiào)

English:

to sleep, to go to bed

Example:

我去睡觉

I go to bed

打电话 (dǎ diàn huà)

English:

to make a phone call

Example:

我在打电话

I'm calling somebody

喂 (wèi)

English:

to feed, to breed, hello

Example:

喂，你好

Hello (when answering the phone)

我在喂狗

I'm feeding the dog

下雨 (xià yǔ)

English:

to rain

Example:

你今天想去看电影吗?

Do you want to go watch a film

today?

今天下雨了，我不想去

It's raining today, I don't really

want to go

明天会下雨

It might be raining tomorrow

对不起 (duì bu qǐ)

English:

sorry, I'm sorry

Example:

(see below)

认识 (rèn shi)

English:

understanding,

knowledge, awareness, to

know, to recognize, to

understand, to be familiar

with

Example:

对不起，我不认识他

Sorry, I don't know him

没关系 (méi guān xi)

English:

it doesn't matter

Example:

对不起，我不认识你

Sorry, I don't know you

没关系，我叫Mike，我是你朋

友的朋 友

Doesn't matter, I'm Mike, I'm your

friend's friend

Study

Vocabularies

学校 (xué xiào)

English:

school

Example:

这是我的学校

This is my school

大学 (dàxué)

English:

unviersity, college

Example:

我的大学很好

My university is very good

读 (dú)

English:

to read aloud, study

Example:

我在北京大学读书

I'm studying at Beijing university

我在读书

I'm reading/I'm studying

我在看书

I'm reading a book

学习 (xué xí)

English:

to study, to learn

Example:

我在北京大学学习

I'm studying at Beijing university

我在学习

I'm studying

汉语 (hàn yǔ)

English:

Chinese language

Example:

我很喜欢学习汉语

I really like studying Chinese

我很喜欢学汉语

I really like studying Chinese

学生 (xué sheng)

English:

student, pupil

Example:

我是很好的学生

I'm a good student

同学 (tóng xué)

English:

classmate

Example:

我的同学都很喜欢我

My classmates do all like me a lot

老师 (lǎo shī)

English:

teacher

Example:

我们的汉语老师很好

Our Mandarin teacher is very

good

听 (tīng)

English:

to listen, to hear, to obey,

MW for canned

beverages

Example:

(see below)

说话 (shuō huà)

English:

chat, talk, to speak, to

talk, to gossip

Example:

我很喜欢听我的老师说话

I really like listening to what my

teacher says

字 (zì)

English:

word, character

Example:

汉语有很多字

Mandarin consists of many

characters

写 (xiě)

English:

to write

Example:

老师在写汉字

The teacher is writing characters