shuōhuà?In answering a question involving the interrogative pronoun, follow the grammar of the question and note its word order, changing the subject of the sentence where appropriate, e.g., nǐ 你 “you” becomes wǒ 我 “I” when you answer a question. Then, just substitute the noun for the interrogative pronoun. For example, when you asked the lost child who wandered into your room the above questions, the answers to some of these questions may be:
| 1. | Wǒ shī Xiǎohuá. | 我是小华。 | “I’m Xiaohua.” |
| 2. | Wǒ jiào Wáng Xiǎohuá. | 我叫王小华。 | “My name is Wang Xiaohua.” |
| 3. | Wǒ mílùle. | 我迷路了。 | “I’m lost.” |
| 4. | Wǒ cóng nà ge mén jìnlái de. | 我从那个门 进来的。 | ‘I got in from that door.” |
| 5. | Wǒ bàba māma zài lǚguǎn. | 我爸爸妈妈在 旅馆。 | “My parents are in the hotel.” |
| 6. | Wǒ mílùle, wǒ pà. | 我迷路了, 我怕。 | ”I’m lost, I’m scared.” |
| 7. | Wǒ bù zhīdao shì jǐ diǎnzhōng. | 我不知道是几 点钟。 | “I don’t know the time.” |
| 8. | Wǒ jìnlái hěn jiǔ le. | 我进来很久了。 | “I’ve been here a long time.” |
9 Yes/no answers
For questions ending with the interrogative particle ma 吗, take away the particle ma 吗, and answer according to the situation that you find yourself in. There are no specific words in Chinese for “yes” and “no.” The closest equivalent is shìde 是的 and búshì 不 是 respectively. Usually, when the Chinese are asked a question, they repeat the verb used in the question to answer in the affirmative. If they want to answer in the negative, they add bù 不 before the verb used in the sentence. Similarly, for choice-type question the opposite alternatives can be either “yes” or “no.” Thus,
| “Yes” answer: Hěn lèi. | 很累。 | “Yes, I’m very tired.” |
| “No” answer: Bú lèi. | 不累。 | “No, I’m not tired.” |
| “Yes” answer: Gāoxìng. | 高兴。 | “Yes, I’m happy.” |
| “No” answer: Bù gāoxìng | 不高兴。 | “No, I’m not happy.” |
1 The Basics
1.1 Personal details
1.2 Today or tomorrow?
1.3 What time is it?
1.4 One, two, three...
1.5 The weather
1.6 Here, there...
1.7 What does that sign say?
1.8 Legal holidays
1.9 Telephone alphabets
1. The Basics
1.1 Personal details
• In China the family name comes first and the given name next. Titles come after the name. For example, Mr Wang is Wáng xiānsheng 王先生 and Ms Wang is either Wáng xiǎojie 王小姐 or Wáng nǚshì 王女士. The title tàitai 太太 is given to married women and is placed after the husband’s surname. This is the convention still used by Chinese women in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and outside China. In Mainland China, however, Chinese women now do not adopt their husband’s surname after marriage. Overseas Chinese and foreigners will have to get used to this new convention and address married women by their maiden name, e.g. if her surname is Lǐ 李 she should be addressed as Lǐ xiǎojie 李小姐 or Lǐ dàjiě 李大姐 (for older woman). However, you may even use the older title tàitai 太太 after the husband’s surname in formal situations.
surname
xìng
姓
first name
míngzi
名字
initials
xìngmíng suōxiě
姓名缩写
address (street/number)
dìzhǐ (jiē/ménpáihào)
地址 (街／门牌号)
postal code/town
yóubié/chéngshì
邮编／城市
sex (male/female)
xìngbié (nán/nǚ)
性别 (男／女)
nationality/citizenship
guójí
国籍
date of birth
chūshēng rìqī
出生日期
place of birth
chūshēng dìdiǎn
出生地点
occupation
zhíyè
职业
marital status
hūnyīn zhuàngkuàng
婚烟状况
married/single
yǐhūn/wèihūn
已婚／未婚
widowed
guǎfù/guānfū
寡妇／鳏夫
(number of) children
érnǚ (shùmù)
儿女 (数目)
passport/identity card/driving license
