Mandarin Time
So I thought it only fitting that I do a post once a week on my Mandarin Lessons- since I go! :) It's entertaining for me because not only is it a mandarin lesson, which is always interesting, but I'm the only American (other than our Chinese teacher) amongst 7 other Aussie gals. We really do keep on track (most of the time) but we do have lunch during our lesson and we always (as gals do) get off track here and there. It's always funny to me what I learn from the lesson and from my friends "down Under". It's just a full round lesson- for all I'm sure.
I also thought this might be good for me because it'll make me look through my notes during the week. The bad thing about living in Hong Kong is that you don't really have to apply your mandarin. Most people- including taxi drivers, restaurants, take out, grocery stores, etc., speak English or know enough to understand. Where as when I lived in Shanghai- I had to speak it DAILY with my driver and my ayi (nanny). So I actually APPLIED my learning of the language. Which means now here in Hong Kong I'll have to study even more- and maybe find a Chinese friend to talk with??? Who knows!
Anyway- we went over and reviewed a worksheet from two weeks ago (we had a break)- basically that break down the different tones- there are four. And we're learning to apply a phrase we've learned, "Shenme yisi?" which means "What does it mean"
Here are the top 5 phrases I took away from this lesson:
1. "Ni hui shuo putonghua ma?" which means "Can you speak Mandarin?"
Your response could be "Wo hui shuo Zhongwen" which is "I can speak Chinese OR " Wo bu hui shuo Zhongwen" which is " I can't speak Chinese"
OR you could say "Wo hui shuo yidianr" which is "I can speak a little" (although when I have been asked that I just say "yidianr" which is just "a little"- ha!
2. "Xing zai shuo yi bian" which means "Please say again once"- very important to know!
3. "Xing shuo man dian" which means "Please speak slowly"- another very important phrase to know!
4. "Shenme jia qian" which means "What price is it?" or you could also say "Duo shao qian" that means "How much" ( so same thing really)
5. "Ni dong le ma" which means "Do you understand" and you can reply with "Dongle. Xiexie" which means "Understand, thank you".
Here is a picture of our characters that we learned this week- I'll just say that I know NONE. It is important to know but I chose not to in Shanghai so now I need to play catch up!
Anyway- lesson over!
I will add that we were having a discussion over Thanksgiving (I told you that we veered off here and there) because I had brought over pumpkin muffins. We were talking about how most Americans are used to pumpkin more as a sweet than a savoury dish. Most of my Australian friends ( from Sydney) had NEVER tasted pumpkin pie! Crazy I know. So then I asked them if they had ever tasked sweet potato casserole- you know with the marshmallows on top?- a Thanksgiving MUST and CLASSIC! Nope- they thought I was a bit cooky. SO- I'll have to show them what they're missing, right?
Anyway, my friend Sandra said, so you make "turducken" right. I look at her with a very blank expression and puzzled look. "What?" "No" "Never heard of it". Has anyone else? Alright- I did ask my US friends on Facebook and one friend has (but she's on the west coast and I don't think she counts). I can promise you that NONE of my southern Oklahoma or Texas friends have it on their Thanksgiving table!
Here is the link she sent me- it made for a hilarious conversation- I mean to begin with, it's just a funny word!
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2012/11/year-we-got-serious-about-vegan-turducken/59250/
and now apparently they are coming out with a vegan turkdurken so here's a picture of it:
I also thought this might be good for me because it'll make me look through my notes during the week. The bad thing about living in Hong Kong is that you don't really have to apply your mandarin. Most people- including taxi drivers, restaurants, take out, grocery stores, etc., speak English or know enough to understand. Where as when I lived in Shanghai- I had to speak it DAILY with my driver and my ayi (nanny). So I actually APPLIED my learning of the language. Which means now here in Hong Kong I'll have to study even more- and maybe find a Chinese friend to talk with??? Who knows!
Anyway- we went over and reviewed a worksheet from two weeks ago (we had a break)- basically that break down the different tones- there are four. And we're learning to apply a phrase we've learned, "Shenme yisi?" which means "What does it mean"
Here are the top 5 phrases I took away from this lesson:
1. "Ni hui shuo putonghua ma?" which means "Can you speak Mandarin?"
Your response could be "Wo hui shuo Zhongwen" which is "I can speak Chinese OR " Wo bu hui shuo Zhongwen" which is " I can't speak Chinese"
OR you could say "Wo hui shuo yidianr" which is "I can speak a little" (although when I have been asked that I just say "yidianr" which is just "a little"- ha!
2. "Xing zai shuo yi bian" which means "Please say again once"- very important to know!
3. "Xing shuo man dian" which means "Please speak slowly"- another very important phrase to know!
4. "Shenme jia qian" which means "What price is it?" or you could also say "Duo shao qian" that means "How much" ( so same thing really)
5. "Ni dong le ma" which means "Do you understand" and you can reply with "Dongle. Xiexie" which means "Understand, thank you".
Here is a picture of our characters that we learned this week- I'll just say that I know NONE. It is important to know but I chose not to in Shanghai so now I need to play catch up!
Anyway- lesson over!
I will add that we were having a discussion over Thanksgiving (I told you that we veered off here and there) because I had brought over pumpkin muffins. We were talking about how most Americans are used to pumpkin more as a sweet than a savoury dish. Most of my Australian friends ( from Sydney) had NEVER tasted pumpkin pie! Crazy I know. So then I asked them if they had ever tasked sweet potato casserole- you know with the marshmallows on top?- a Thanksgiving MUST and CLASSIC! Nope- they thought I was a bit cooky. SO- I'll have to show them what they're missing, right?
Anyway, my friend Sandra said, so you make "turducken" right. I look at her with a very blank expression and puzzled look. "What?" "No" "Never heard of it". Has anyone else? Alright- I did ask my US friends on Facebook and one friend has (but she's on the west coast and I don't think she counts). I can promise you that NONE of my southern Oklahoma or Texas friends have it on their Thanksgiving table!
Here is the link she sent me- it made for a hilarious conversation- I mean to begin with, it's just a funny word!
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2012/11/year-we-got-serious-about-vegan-turducken/59250/
and now apparently they are coming out with a vegan turkdurken so here's a picture of it:
Comments
Post a Comment