Answer for exercise on Question Word "When"

Here is the answer for the exercise that comes with the previous topic on Question Word "When

 

1. What time is it now?

现在几点？

Xiànzai jǐdiǎn?

Note: Adverb of time should be placed in front of the sentence, the question is not asking for any activity (verb), so nothing comes after the word jǐdiǎn.

 

2. What day is Today?

今天星期几？

Jīntiān xīngqījǐ?

3. When did you buy your new car?

你什么时候买你的新车？

Nǐ shénme shíhòu mǎi nǐdexīnchē?

 

4. What date will your family be coming to Bali?

你的家人几号来巴厘岛？

Nǐde jiārén jǐhào lái Bālídǎo?

 

 

5. When will your uncle be discharge from Hospital?

你的叔叔什么时候出院？

NǐdeShūshu shénme shíhòu chūyuàn?

Listen to the recorded audio for the above (can only be played on desktop, not handheld)

 

Have you got them right?

Next week, there will be the intro to another question word. Check it out on Tuesday :)

Linda Tan

Question Word: WHEN

When asking for adverb of time, there are a few ways of doing it, depending on how specific you want the answer to be:

In General, When is translated as: 什么时候 shénme shíhòu

However, if you would like it to be very specific, here is another few more ways:
1. What time: 几点 jǐdiǎn
2. Which date: 几号 jǐhào
3. What day: 星期几 xīngqījǐ

This post might be closely related to the post on how to tell time.

Here is the general sentence structure:
 

S + 什么时候 shénme shíhòu+ Verb (the activity) + Object?

 

S+ 几点 jǐdiǎn+ Verb (the activity) + Object?

 

S + 星期几 xīngqījǐ+ Verb (the activity) + Object?

 

S + 几号 jǐhào+ Verb (the activity) + Object?

Example:

1. When did you arrive? (Do not worry about the past tense, as in Mandarin we do not use that)
你什么时候到？
Ní shénme shíhòu dào? 

2. When are you going to Beijing?
你什么时候去北京？
Ní shénme shíhòu qù Běijīng?

The answers given for both the above questions can be varied. The responder might give you day, date, time, month, etc.

Asking about time:
1. What time did you arrive?
你几点到？

Ní jǐdiǎn dào?

The answer given will be very specific as you asked, the time of arrival.

2. Which date will you be going to Beijing？
你几号去北京
Ní jǐhào qù Beǐjīng?

 

3. What day are you going to Macau?
你星期几去澳门？
Nǐ xīngqījǐ qù Àomen2?


Now, it is your turn to translate a few question, and feel free to practice in giving the answer.
1. What time is it now?
2. What day is today?
3. When did you buy your new car?
4. What date will your family be coming to Bali?
5. When will your uncle be discharge from hospital?

Compare your answer to my next post.

Thank You,
Linda Tan

Answer: Question Words

Here are the translation for some exercises on the previous post:

1. Whom did you talk to yesterday? (hint: asking object)
昨天你跟谁说话？
Zuótiān nǐ gēn shuí shuōhuà?

2. Who picks you up? (hint: asking subject)
谁接你？
Shuí jiē nǐ?

3. Whose car is that? (hint: asking about possession)
那辆车是谁的？
Nàliàngchē shì shuíde?

4. Who helped you do your homework? (hint: asking subject)
谁帮你做作业？
Shuí bāng nǐ zuò zuòyè?

5. Whose is that child belong to? (hint: asking about possession)
那是谁的孩子？
Nàshì shuí de háizi?

6. Whom do you usually play with? (hint: asking object)
你平时跟谁玩？
Nǐ píngshí gēn shuí wān?

Here is the recorded pronunciation for the above (Reminder: It can only be played on your desktop not handheld device)

Feel free to comment on things that need clarification.

Thank you,
Linda Tan

 

Question word "WHO?", "WHOSE" & "WHOM"

"Who" in Chinese is called 谁? shuí or sometimes written as Shéi
 
Here is how we use it..
 
1. When you want to know the identity of a particular person, we use this pattern:
Someone 是 + 谁?
 
他是谁？
Tā shì shuí?
Who is he?
 
那个人是谁？
Nàgèrén  shì shuí?
Who is that person?
 
2. When you want to know who the person that has done certain activities, then we use the following:
谁 + Verb + Object/Adverb?
 
谁去学校？

Shuí qù  xuéxiào?

Who goes to school?
 
谁弄坏我的东西？
Shuí nònghuài wǒdedōngxi?
Who breaks my things?
  
“Whose” in English is to ask possession, just like the past lesson we have discussed, in Chinese we use 的 de to express possession. So... the Chinese for "Whose" is 谁的 shuíde?
 
Here is the pattern:
 
The things + 是 + 谁的？   OR   Preposition （这/那）+ 是 + 谁的 + The things?
 
那本书是谁的？

Nàběnshū shì shuíde? 

Whose does that book belong to?
 
那是谁的书？

Na shì shuídeshū?

Whose book is that?
 
In a formal English, "Whom" is used to ask about object. In Chinese, we do not have a specific word for it, but the position of the word 谁 shui is different. Look at the following pattern:
 
Subject + Verb +谁  Object?
 
你教谁汉语？
Nǐ jiāo shuí hànyǔ?
Whom do you teach Mandarin to?
 
你要找谁？
Nǐ yào zhǎo shuí?
Whom are you looking for?
 
Here are a few sentences for you to translate:
1. Whom did you talk to yesterday? (hint: asking object)
2. Who picks you up? (hint: asking subject)
3. Whose car is that? (hint: asking about possession)
4. Who helped you do your homework? (hint: asking subject)
5. Whose is that child belong to? (hint: asking about possession)
6. Whom do you usually play with? (hint: asking object)

Knock Knock,.. Who's there?
Linda Tan :)

Answer: Showing Direction

Here is the answer for the previous post on how to show direction to others who asked:

1.  from here, go to that corner, you will then see the place

Cóng zhèr, zǒu dào nà zhuánjiǎo, nǐ jiùhuìkàndào nàgè dìfāng le

2. from here, turn right and then just go straight, when you see a bookstore, turn right again and the police station is there. 

Cóng zhèr, yòuguǎi ránhòu zhízǒu, rúguǒ nǐ kàndào shūdiàn, zài yòu guǎi, jǐngchájú jiùzài nàr.

3. from here, go up to second floor, room 239 is on your left side. 

Cóng zhèr, shàngqù èrlóu, 239 fáng zài nǐ de zuǒbiān

 4. At that corner, there is a police station, just walk pass it and then turn right, and you will arrive at ABC school.

 

Zài nà zhuǎnjiǎo, yǒu yīgè jǐngchájú, zǒuguò nàgè jǐngchájú ránhòu yòuguǎi, nǐ jiù dàole ABC xuéxiào.

 

Listen to the following, notice the gap between each instruction:

 

Watch out for next post on Question Words,

Linda Tan

 

Showing Direction: The "How-to"

Have you master the vocabularies introduced early this week in order to be able to show guide people to their destination?

Some simple things that you have to remember when you would like to direct someone to a place.
- Do not confuse them with so many "turns", e.g. turn left turn right turn right again, etc...
- use landmark, e.g. say when you see 'this building' then you ...
- If the destination is far from where you are now, direct them to a place which is on their way and where you know the person can find someone that can help him/her, such as a security guide

Here are a few examples:
1. From here, go straight. When you see the post office (邮局), you turn right and then you will see that place.
从这儿， 直走。看到邮局， 你就左拐， 然后你就会看到那个地方了。
Cóngzhèr, zhízǒu. Kàndào yóujú, nǐ jiù zuǒguǎi, ránhòu nǐ jiù huì kàndào nàgè dìfāng le

Note: 就 jiù  is used to emphasize that he/she MUST turn left.

2. From that corner, turn right and then go straight. If you see the mall, you get in and go up to second floor, turn right, you will see the ATM （取款机）.
从那个转角，右拐然后直走。看到商场你就进去，上去二楼/层，右拐，你就会看到了取款机。
Cóng nàgè zhuánjiǎo, yòuguài ránhòu zhízǒu. Kàndào shāngcháng jiù jìnqù, shàngqù èrlóu/céng, yòuguǎi, nǐ jiùhuì kàndàole qǔkuǎnjī.

Note: To show which storey or floor, some people use "楼" lóu, some others use "层" céng.
1st floor (Yīcéng OR yīlóu) 2nd floor (èrcéng OR èrlóu) 3rd Floor (, sāncén OR sānlóu) etc.

3. From here, you go down. Then turn right, when you see a fast food restaurant, turn left and then you ask the security （保安) there.
从这里，你下去。然后 右拐，看到一家快餐店，左拐然后你再问那边的保安。
Cóng zhèlǐ, nǐxiàqù. Ránhòu yòuguǎi, kàndào yījiā kuàicāndiàn, zuǒguǎi ránhòu nǐ zàiwèn nàbiān de bǎoān.

Note: the word 家 jiā is the measure word use for restaurant (in this case fast food restaurant), hotel, shop, etc...
the word 再 zài means "again" in this case, 再问 zàiwèn is to ask again. It is always in front of a verb. For example: 再见 zàijiàn = see 'you" again,  再看 zàikàn = have a look again, 再来 zàilái = come again.


Please translate the following:
- from here, go to that corner, you will then see the place
- from here, turn right and then just go straight, when you see a bookstore, turn again and the police station is there.
- from here, go up to second floor, room 239 is on your left side.
- At that corner, there is a police station, just walk pass it and then turn right, and you will arrive at ABC school.


Have a good weekend,
Linda Tan

Showing Direction: The Vocabulary Needed

Before we go to a new topic about showing people direction, here is the answers for the exercise on Telling Time

1. My uncle wakes up at 7 o’clock in the morning

我的叔叔 早上 七点 起床

Wǒ de shūshu zǎoshàng qīdiǎn qǐchuáng

Note:

-In order to tell if it is PM or AM we use the description (such as: morning, noon, evening, etc) in front of the time.

-The Activities comes after the adverb of time.

2. It is 3:30 now

现在 是 三点半

Xiànzài shì sāndiǎnbàn

Note:

-Adverb of time (in this case, it is "NOW") is used in front

3. I did my homework at 8:15 last night

昨晚我八点一刻做功课

Zuówǎn wǒ bādiǎn yīkè zuògōngkè

Note:

- You can put the word "last night" before or after the subject, in this case: "I"

4. She will go out at 12 noon.

他中午十二点要出去

Tā zhōngwǔ shíèrdiǎn yào chūqù

Note:
- we can use the word "yào" to show the planned activities, future tense in English.

Try to digest the above, before learning the vocabularies you need to help showing people direction.
The explanation on how to use it will follow later this week.

Image source: http://widdelonline.blogspot.co.id/

1. Go Straight            直走                            Zhízǒu
2. Turn left                左拐                            zuǒguǎi
3. Turn right              右拐                            yòuguǎi
4. Here                       这里 / 这儿                zhèlǐ / zhèr
5. There                     那里 / 那儿                 nàlǐ / nàr
6. From... To             从。。到                    Cóng.. dào
7. and then...             然后                            ránhòu
8. Will see it             就到了                        jiù dào le
9. Will reach "the place"   就看到了           jiù kàn dào le    
10. Behind                 后面                          hòumiàn
11. Beside                 旁边                           pángbiān
12. In front of           前面                            qiánmiàn
13. Right side           左边                            zuǒbiān
14. Left side             右边                            yòubiān
15. Go down            下去                            xiàqù
16. Come down        下来                            xiàlái

17. Go up                  上去                           shàngqù

18. Come up             上来                           shànglái
19. Walk pass            走过                          zǒuguò
20. Cross the street    过马路                      guòmǎlù
21. Corner                  转角                          zhuǎnjiǎo

Try to reread the above vocabularies over and over agan, hopefully you have got them memorize before end of this week.

Happy Memorizing,
Linda Tan

Telling Time

In order to be able to tell time, you have to get yourself familiar with a few of vocabulary below;
 
1.  o’clock                           diǎn                             点
2.   minute                           fēn/ fēnzhōng              分/分钟
3.      second                         miǎo                             秒       
4.      quarter (15 minutes)    yīkè                              一刻
5.      half (30 minutes)         bàn                              半
6.      “to.. the next hour”      chà                              差

Additional:
7.      Morning                      zǎoshàng                     早上   
8.      Noon                           zhōngwǔ                      中午
9.      Afternoon                   xiǎwǔ                           下午
10.  Evening/Dusk             bàngwǎn                     傍晚
11.  night                            wǎnshàng                    晚上
12.  Midnight                     bànyè                           半夜
13.  Dawn                          límíng                          黎明


Please look at the following example:
 
When the time is exactly 3 o’clock, 4 o’clock, that’s pretty easy:


1. 3 o’clock                 sāndiǎn                        三点
2. 4 o’clock                 sìdiǎn                         四点
3. 12 o’clock               shí’èr diǎn                   十二点


In Chinese there isn’t AM or PM to indicate the time, we use morning 7 o’clock OR night time 7 o’clock. In this case, you just have to add the word “morning”, “noon”, “afternoon”, “evening”, “night”, “midnight”, “dawn” or “dusk” right before the time.


When the minutes is one digit (range from 01 minutes to 09 minutes), we have to mention the “zero”
1. 4:06                         sìdiǎn língliù fēn                     
2. 12: 09                      shí’èr língjiǔ fēn


When the minutes shown are between 10 – 29, we just need to mention the number:
1.      7: 25                qīdiǎn èrshíwǔ fēn
2.      11: 18              shīyīdiǎn shíbā fēn
3.      8:15                 bādiǎn shíwǔ fēn  OR bādiǎn yīkè (MORE COMMON)


When the minutes show exactly 30 minutes, we have to use the word 半“bàn”
1.      9: 30                jiǔdiǎnbàn OR you can also actually say jiǔdiǎn sānshī fēn


When the minute has passed 30 (between 31 – 59), the format of telling time changes. Just like in English when it is 8:35, we read it as “twenty five to nine”, which means “twenty five more minutes is 9 o’clock”. Same thing applies in Chinese, we use差 “chà” in front of the minutes left to the next hour.


1.      8:35                 chà èrshíwǔ fēn jiǔdiǎn
2.      12: 40              chà èshí fēn yīdiǎn
3.      1:45                 chà shíwǔ fēn liángdiǎn OR chà yīkè liángdiǎn


When you have to mention the seconds, you just have to add it right after the minutes.
4:07:20                        sìdiǎn língqīfēn èrshímiǎo
 
However, there is a difference when you have to mention “an hour”, “two hours”, etc…


In this case, hour is translated as 小时 xiǎoshí.
 
For example: When someone ask you, how long should I wait for you?
Your answer: “an hour”
In Chinese, you should say: “一个小时” yīgè xiǎoshí


The word 个 gè is the measure word for hour. So you Must include that right after the number. If it is 2 hours you say, 两个小时 liǎnggè xiǎoshí, if it’s 3 hours, you say: 三个小时 sāngè xiǎoshí, and so on.

 

If you notice when we mention the minute, we only use 分 fēn and not 分钟 fēnzhōng.  However, when you mention minutes to describe a duration of time, you Must use fēnnzhōng.

For example: Someone ask you how long you should we boil the egg.

You answer: “5 minutes”

In Chinese you say: 五分钟 wǔfēnzhōng

Try to translate the following:

1. My uncle wakes up at 7 o’clock in the morning

2. It is 3:30 now

3. I did my homework at 8:15 last night

4. She will go out at 12 noon.

Have a Good Afternoon,

Linda Tan

Answer for Exercise on Adverb of Place and Time

Here is the answer for the exercise on Adverb of Place and Time:

1.He sleeps on the floor

他在地板睡觉
Tā zài dìbǎn shuìjiào

2. My mother is coming tomorrow
明天我的妈妈要回家了
Míngtiān wǒ de māma yào huíjiā le  

3. My elder sister speaks Mandarin at home.
我的姐姐在家说汉语/中文
Wǒ de jiějie zài jiā shuō hànyǔ

4. My family and her family go to Paris next week.
下个星期，我的家人和他的家人要去巴黎
Xiàgè xīngqī, wǒ de jiārén hé tā de jiārén yào qù Bālí

5. I didn’t go to my grandma’s house yesterday.
我昨天不去我奶奶的家。
Wǒ zuótiān bù qù wǒ nǎinai de jiā

Note: if you notice, for no. 2 and no. 4 sentences which are FUTURE Tense, we use the word 要 yào. This word doesn’t only mean “want” but also can describe something that someone is going to do or will do.

Hope you get all of them right. Again, difference in the use of vocabulary MIGHT be acceptable. However, to confirm if you have use certain words correctly, do not hesitate to leave a comment. =)

Keep an eye for next post this week,

Linda Tan