Learn Mandarin Chinese for free using self-paced audio-visual lessons and interactive practice exercises - CultureAlley - master conversations, grammar, vocabulary and more! This lesson teaches you how to ask where someone is from and also to tell them your nationality.To study this at your own pace, take quizzes and explore more lessons go to www.culturealley.com. See you at the Alley!

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2. Nǐ hǎo
Lesson 9 on Basic Mandarin!
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3. Revision
English
Mandarin
Student
Xuésheng
Teacher
Lǎoshī
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4. Revision
'bù’, becomes ‘bú’ (it changes from fourth
tone to second tone), when used alongside
another falling/ fourth tone
We say ‘bù hǎo’, and ‘bú shì’
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5. Revision
English
Mandarin
Mark
Are you a student?
Nǐ shì xuésheng ma?
Lisa
I am a student
Wǒ shì xuésheng
Lisa
Are you a teacher?
Nǐ shì Lǎoshī ma?
Mark
I am not a teacher
Wǒ bú shì lǎo shī
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6. Revision
Question particle
Usage
English
Mandarin
Ma
yes/no questions
You good?
Nǐ hǎo ma?
repetitive
I’m very good,
questions
and you?
Ne
Shénme
‘What’
What’s his/her
family name ?
Wǒ hěn hǎo, nǐ ne?
Tā xìng shénme?
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7. Lesson objectives
1
Nationalities
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8. What's in store today?
Today we will learn about nationalities, and
have conversations regarding nationalities!
Let’s start by learning a few nationalities!
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9. Grammar tip
Note that, while in English, people from
China are referred to as ‘Chinese’, their
translation in Mandarin is not 'Chinese'
but 'Chinese people’
The Mandarin word for ‘people’, that is
‘Rén’, follows each nationality
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10. Tonal tip
Chinese people = Zhōngguó rén
Zhōngguó is pronounced with a high level
tone on the first ‘o’ and a mid rising tone on
the second ‘o’
Let’s hear you say Zhōngguó rén
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11. Tonal tip
American people = Měiguó rén
Měiguó is pronounced with
a falling rising tone on the ‘e’
and a mid rising tone on the ‘o’
Let’s hear you say Měiguó rén
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12. Tonal tip
English people = Yīngguó rén
Yīngguó is pronounced with
a high level tone on the ‘i’
and a mid rising tone on the ‘o’
Let’s hear you say Yīngguó rén
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13. Tonal tip
French people = Fǎguó rén
Fǎguó is pronounced with
falling rising tone on ‘a’
and a mid rising tone on the ‘o’
Let’s hear you say Fǎguó rén
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14. Revision
English
Mandarin
Chinese people
Zhōngguó rén
American people
Měiguó rén
English people
Yīngguó rén
French people
Fǎguó rén
Rén = People
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15. Moving on…
Great! Now that we have learnt
vocabulary, let’s use it in a conversation!
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16. Nationalities
I
↓
Wǒ
am
↓
shì
Chinese
↓
Zhōngguó
people
↓
rén
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17. So remember!
While in English, people from China are referred
to as ‘Chinese’, their translation in Mandarin
is not 'Chinese' but 'Chinese people’
The meaning however, remains the same
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18. Nationalities
I am Chinese
Wǒ shì Zhōngguó rén
Literally, ‘I am Chinese person’
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19. Grammar tip
Note that, Mandarin does not differentiate
between
singular and plural , and therefore the word
'rén' can be used for both, a single
person as well as people
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20. Nationalities
He
is
American
people
↓
Shì
↓
tā
↓
Měiguó
↓
rén
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21. Nationalities
He is American
Tā shì Měiguó rén
Literally, ‘He is American person’
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22. Nationalities
Is
↓
Shì
he
↓
tā
English
↓
Yīngguó
people
↓
rén
?
↓
ma?
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23. Nationalities
Is he English/British?
Tā shì Yīngguó rén ma?
Literally, ‘He is English person?’
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24. Nationalities
Are
↓
Shì
you
↓
nǐ
French
↓
Fǎguó
people
↓
rén
?
↓
ma?
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25. Nationalities
Are you French?
Nǐ shì Fǎguó rén ma?
Literally, ‘You are French people?’
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26. Grammar tip-Yes and no
The answers to 'Yes and No' type questions
are given referring to the verbs or
adjectives used in the question
Let's take an example!
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27. Nationality
Yes, he is
Shì
Shì here implying that
'I am (French)'
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28. Grammar tip
Similarly, to deny the statement, we just add
the negative 'bù' and we get an answer!
But remember, when 'bù' is used
with another fourth tone, it
changes to second tone
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29. Learning 'to-be' verb
No,he isn’t
Bú shì
Bú shì here implying that
'He is not (French)'
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30. Let's see if you remember…
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31. Pick the right option
How do we say 'Is he Chinese?'
1
2
3
Nǐ shì
Zhōngguó
rén ma?
Wǒ shì
Zhōngguó
rén?
Tā shì
Zhōngguó
rén ma?
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32. Solution
How do we say 'Is he Chinese?'
1
2
3
Nǐ shì
Zhōngguó
rén ma?
Wǒ shì
Zhōngguó
rén?
Tā shì
Zhōngguó
rén ma?
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33. Moving on…
Now let us learn how to ask someone
where they are from!
Let’s take a look at the vocabulary!
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34. Grammar tip
Where are you from? literally translates to
You are which country people? in Mandarin
Note that which takes the same
place as the answer would
Example: You are which country people?
I am China country people
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35. Nationality
You
are
which
country
people
↓
nǐ
↓
shì
↓
nǎ
↓
guó
↓
rén
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36. Nationality
Where are you from?
Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?
Literally, 'You are which
country person?'
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37. Grammar tip
'Are you from...?’ literally translates to
‘You are .... person?’ in Mandarin
Note that the country takes the same
place as the answer would
Example: You are America person?
I am America person
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38. Nationality
You
↓
nǐ
are
↓
shì
American
↓
Měiguó
person
↓
rén
?
↓
ma?
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39. Nationality
Are you from America?
Nǐ shì Měiguó rén ma?
Literally, 'You are Měiguó person'
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40. Nationality
I
↓
Wǒ
am
↓
shì
America
↓
Měiguó
person
↓
rén
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41. Nationality
I am from America
Wǒ shì Měiguó rén
Literally, 'I am America person'
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42. Vocabulary list
English
Mandarin
Japanese
Ri běn rén
Korean
Hán guó rén
Vietnamese
Yuènán rén
Filipino (Philippines)
Fēilǜbīn rén
Chinese
Zhōngguó rén
American
Měiguó rén
English
Yīngguó rén
French
Fǎguó rén
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43. Let's see if you remember…
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44. Pick the right option
How do we say 'Where are you from'?
1
2
3
Nǐ shì nǎ
guó rén?
Nǐ shì
rén ma?
Nǐ shì
lǎoshī?
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45. Solution
How do we say 'Where are you from'?
1
2
3
Nǐ shì nǎ
guó rén?
Nǐ shì
rén ma?
Nǐ shì
lǎoshī?
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46. Moving on..
Now let us learn how to say
two things at once, for example,
I'm a student, I'm also Chinese
For this we will have to learn
the adverb 'also'
Also = Yě
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47. Grammar tip
In Mandarin, adverbs, especially one
syllable adverbs, normally appear
after subjects and in before verbs
The adverb 'Yě' can't be put before the
subject or at the very end of a sentence
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48. Adverb 'Yě'
I
↓
Wǒ
am
↓
shì
also
↓
yě
Chinese
↓
Zhōngguó
person
↓
rén
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49. Adverb 'Yě'
I am also Chinese
Wǒ yě shì Zhōngguó rén
Literally, 'I also am
China person'
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50. Let's see if you remember…
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51. Pick the right option
How do we say 'I am also Chinese'?
1
2
3
Wǒ yě shì
Zhōngguó
rén
Wǒ bú shì
Zhōngguó
rén
Yě wǒ shì
Zhōngguó
rén
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52. Solution
How do we say 'I am also Chinese'?
1
2
3
Wǒ yě shì
Zhōngguó
rén
Wǒ bú shì
Zhōngguó
rén
Yě wǒ shì
Zhōngguó
rén
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53. Let's revise!
English
Mandarin
Mark
Are you Chinese?
Nǐ shì Zhōngguó rén ma?
Lisa
Yes, I am
Shì
Lisa
Where are you from?
Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?
Mark
I am from Japan
Wǒ shì Riběn rén
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54. Culture leaf
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55. Culture leaf
The Shēngxiào better known in English as the
Chinese Zodiac, is a scheme that relates
each year to an animal and its reputed attributes,
according to a 12-year mathematical cycle
It has wide currency in several
East Asian countries such as China,
Vietnam, Korea and Japan
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56. Culture leaf
In Chinese astrology the animal signs assigned by year represent what others
perceive you as being. There are also animal signs assigned by month (called
inner animals), by day (called true animals) and hours (called secret animals)
In total, this makes for 103,680 possible combinations that a person might be!
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57. What's next?
In the next lesson we will learn about
familial relations!
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58. Credits
Content
Team CultureAlley, Sunny Dang
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_zodiac
Images
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:12_zodiac.jpg
Rosemania
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59. See you at the Alley!
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