Andrew Aigner-MuehlerChapter 10..Some essentials words
February 27th 2009 14:09
Just before you get to China, you should learn a few essential or basic words for your arrival to the mainland. As long as you atleast make a effort to speak the local language, it will go a long way, amongst the locals.
You should also purchase a Chinese translation book. I also know at the back of the Rough Guide book they have a lot of useful translations. Otherwise, you can jump on to the net and go to www.targetchinese.com or www.chinese-tools.com and learn mandarin yourself. I learnt my mandarin which is not the best but it gets me around from www.chinese-tools.com.
It is also just nice to hear and say how are you, thank you, see you etc in a countries local language where ever you are.
I will use this chapter to teach you some of the basics of the mandarin language, Some words which you should know on entering China.
You will also be surprised how quickly, you pick up some words. As long as you start to speak and understand on your adventure in China, that is the important thing. Do not expect to learn or pick up the Chinese characters for a very long time. There are thousands of them. Even some of the Chinese do not know them all.
Thankyou - xiexie (sheah sheah)
Please - qing (ching)
Sorry - dui buqi (dway buchi)
Excuse - Da Lao jia
Thats alright - mei guanxi
Youre welcome - Bu keqi
I dont understand - Wo ting bu dong
Yes - Shide or shi (sher der or sher)
No - Bu (boo)
Hello! - Ni hao! (knee how)
Good morning - Zaoshang hao (zow shan)
Good afternoon - xiawu hao (shia woo how)
Good evening - wanshang hao (wan shan how)
Good night - wan an
Good bye - zai jian (zy jen)
Im good - hen hau (hern how)
Im fine - wo hen hau (wo hern how)
Not bad - bu cuo
Okay - hai keyi
Not so good - Bu tai hao
How much money - Duo shao qian (do shall chen)
I would like.... - Wo xiang yao... (wo shiang yow)
I would like to buy.... - Wo xiang mai... (wo shiang my)
Its too expensive - Tai gui le (ty guay ler)
Excuse me, how can I get to the nearest.....? - Qingwen, zuijin de......zenme zou?
subway station - ditiezhan (di ti er jan)
bank - yinhang
hotel - fanguan
What is your name? - Ni jiao shenme mingzi (knee jow sher mer ming ze)
My name is (Andrew) - Wo jiao (Andrew) (wo jow ......)
Also, it is very useful to count to 10 or even 20. If you can count to 20, you then can count to 100. It just follows on.
one - yi (e)
two - er (r)
three - san (sarn)
four - se (ser)
five - wu (woo)
six - liu (lee u)
seven - qi (chi)
eight - ba (ba)
nine - jiu (jaw)
ten - shi (sher)
eleven - shi yi (shee)
twelve - shi er (sherr)
thirteen - shi san
fourteen - shi se
fifteen - shi wu
sixteen - shi liu
nineteen - shi jiu
twenty - er shi
twenty one - er shi yi
one hundred - yi bai
There are so many other words I can add to this list, but these to me are the most important to learn, when you first make it to shore in China. All I say is atleast make an effort. It does bridge a communication gap, as well as breaks the ice.
You should also purchase a Chinese translation book. I also know at the back of the Rough Guide book they have a lot of useful translations. Otherwise, you can jump on to the net and go to www.targetchinese.com or www.chinese-tools.com and learn mandarin yourself. I learnt my mandarin which is not the best but it gets me around from www.chinese-tools.com.
It is also just nice to hear and say how are you, thank you, see you etc in a countries local language where ever you are.
You will also be surprised how quickly, you pick up some words. As long as you start to speak and understand on your adventure in China, that is the important thing. Do not expect to learn or pick up the Chinese characters for a very long time. There are thousands of them. Even some of the Chinese do not know them all.
Thankyou - xiexie (sheah sheah)
Please - qing (ching)
Sorry - dui buqi (dway buchi)
Excuse - Da Lao jia
Thats alright - mei guanxi
Youre welcome - Bu keqi
I dont understand - Wo ting bu dong
Yes - Shide or shi (sher der or sher)
No - Bu (boo)
Hello! - Ni hao! (knee how)
Good morning - Zaoshang hao (zow shan)
Good afternoon - xiawu hao (shia woo how)
Good evening - wanshang hao (wan shan how)
Good night - wan an
Good bye - zai jian (zy jen)
Im good - hen hau (hern how)
Im fine - wo hen hau (wo hern how)
Not bad - bu cuo
Not so good - Bu tai hao
How much money - Duo shao qian (do shall chen)
I would like.... - Wo xiang yao... (wo shiang yow)
I would like to buy.... - Wo xiang mai... (wo shiang my)
Its too expensive - Tai gui le (ty guay ler)
Excuse me, how can I get to the nearest.....? - Qingwen, zuijin de......zenme zou?
subway station - ditiezhan (di ti er jan)
bank - yinhang
hotel - fanguan
What is your name? - Ni jiao shenme mingzi (knee jow sher mer ming ze)
My name is (Andrew) - Wo jiao (Andrew) (wo jow ......)
Also, it is very useful to count to 10 or even 20. If you can count to 20, you then can count to 100. It just follows on.
one - yi (e)
two - er (r)
three - san (sarn)
four - se (ser)
five - wu (woo)
six - liu (lee u)
seven - qi (chi)
eight - ba (ba)
nine - jiu (jaw)
ten - shi (sher)
eleven - shi yi (shee)
twelve - shi er (sherr)
thirteen - shi san
fourteen - shi se
fifteen - shi wu
sixteen - shi liu
nineteen - shi jiu
twenty - er shi
twenty one - er shi yi
one hundred - yi bai
There are so many other words I can add to this list, but these to me are the most important to learn, when you first make it to shore in China. All I say is atleast make an effort. It does bridge a communication gap, as well as breaks the ice.
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