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Lesson 05 - Country, Nationality

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Learn how to tell your country and nationality in mandarin chinese.
Vocabulary : Have you been to China? Countries and Nationalities.

Table of Contents

Lesson 05

Conversation 1 : Which country are you going to?
Conversation 2 : Which country are you from?
Conversation 3 : Have you been to China?
Grammar
Exercises : Substitution Drill
Exercises : Calligraphy

Conversation 1 : Which country are you going to? （您去哪个国家）

-	Xiānsheng，先生 nín 您 qù 去 nǎ 哪 gè 个 guójiā? 国家

-	Wǒ 我 qù 去 Zhōngguó. 中国

-	Nín 您 shì 是 Zhōngguórén 中国人 ma? 吗

-	Shìde, 是的 wǒ 我 shì 是 Zhōngguórén. 中国人

先生	xiānsheng	(n)	Mr.
去	qù	(v)	go
哪	nǎ	(pro)	which
个	gè	(m)	(a measure word)
国家	guójiā	(n)	country
中国	Zhōngguó	(n)	China
人	rén	(n)	person
中国人	Zhōngguórén	(n)	Chinese person
是的	shìde		yes, all right

Audio file : lesson 05 - dialog 01.mp3

Translation

- Mister, which country are you going to?
- I go to China.
- Are you Chinese?
- Yes, I'm Chinese.

Conversation 2 : Which country are you from? （你是哪国人）

-	Xiǎojiě, 小姐 nǐ 你 shì 是 nǎ 哪 guó 国 rén? 人

-	Wǒ 我 shì 是 Měiguórén. 美国人

-	Tāmen 他们 yě 也 shì 是 Měiguórén 美国人 ma? 吗

-	Bù 不 tāmen 他们 bú 不 shì 是 Měiguórén. 美国人

	Tāmen 他们 dōu 都 shì 是 Yīngguórén 英国人

小姐	xiǎojiě	(n)	Miss
国	guó	(v)	country
美国	Měiguó	(n)	U.S.A
们			(plural suffix)
他们	tāmen	(pro)	they
也	yě	(adv)	also, too
不	bù, bú	(adv)	no, not
都	dōu	(adv)	all
英国	Yīngguó	(n)	Britain

Audio file : lesson 05 - dialog 02.mp3

Translation

- Miss, which country are you from?
- I'm American.
- Are they American too?
- No, they are not american, they are all English.

Conversation 3 : Have you been to China? （你去过中国吗？）

-	Nǐ 你 qù 去 guo 过 Zhōngguó 中国 ma? 吗

-	Wǒ 我 méi 没 qù 去 guo 过 Zhōngguó. 中国

-	Nǐ 你 xiǎng 想 qù 去 Zhōngguó 中国 ma? 吗

-	Wǒ 我 hěn 很 xiǎng 想 qù 去 Zhōngguó. 中国

过	guo	(part)	past particle
没	méi	(adv)	no, not
想	xiǎng	(v)	want to, think
很	hěn	(adv)	very

Audio file : lesson 05 - dialog 03.mp3

Translation

- Have you been to China?
- I haven't been to China.
- Do you want to go to China?
- I really want to go to China.

Grammar

The verbal particles 过 and 没

The verbal particle 过 which occurs immediately after a verb denotes that some actions took place in the past. It is often used to emphasize an experience. The negative form of "verb + 过" is "没 + verb + 过".

Example:

- 我去过美国。 - I have been to the USA.

- 我没去过美国。 - I have'nt been to the USA.

Phrase structure

The adverbs are placed before the verb.

Example:

- 我也是中国人。 - I am Chinese too.

- 我们都是中国人。 - We are all Chinese.

- 我不是中国人。 - I am not Chinese.

The verb 想

想 is an optative verb. The optative verb is placed before the verb.

Example:

- 你想去中国吗？ - Do you want to go to China?

- 我很想去中国。 - I really want to go to China.

Exercises : Substitution Drills

Exercise 1

-	Nín 您 qù 去 nǎ 哪 gè 个 guójiā? 国家

-	Wǒ 我 qù 去 Zhōngguó. 中国

法国	Fǎguó	(n)	France
德国	Déguó	(n)	Germany
加拿大	Jiānádà	(n)	Canada
意大利	Yìdàlì	(n)	Italy
日本	Rīběn	(n)	Japan

Exercise 2

-	Nín 您 shì 是 Zhōngguórén 中国人 ma? 吗

-	Wǒ 我 ( bú ) 不 shì 是 Zhōngguórén. 中国人

法国人	Fǎguórén	(n)	French (people)
德国人	Déguórén	(n)	German
加拿大人	Jiānádàrén	(n)	Canadian
意大利人	Yìdàlìrén	(n)	Italian
日本人	Rīběnrén	(n)	Japanese