VOCABULARY USAGE

1.

多大 duō dà

how old

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ jīnnián duō dà?
  你今年多大？
  You this-year how-much big?
  How old are you this year?
• Nǐmen de háizi duō dà le?
  你们的孩子多大了？
  You-guys -de- child how-much big -le?
  How old is your child now?

2.

几岁 jǐ suì

how old (typically asking sb. younger than 10)

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Xiǎopéngyou, nǐ jīnnián jǐ suì?
  小朋友，你今年几岁？
  “Little-friend”, you this-year which-number year?
  Kid, how old are you this year?
• Tā nǚ’ér jǐ suì le?
  他女儿几岁了？
  He daughter which-number year -le?
  How old is his daughter now?

3.

别人 biérén

pron. ▸ other people

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ bú tài qīngchu, nǐ kěyǐ wènwen biérén.
  我不太清楚，你可以问问别人。
  I not too know-clearly, you can ask-ask other-people.
  I’m not sure. You can ask someone else.
• Chúle wǒmen liǎ, biérén dōu bù zhīdào zhè jiàn shìqing.
  除了我们俩，别人都不知道这件事情。
  Apart-from we two, other-people all not know this “jian” thing.
  Besides the two of us, nobody else knows about this.

4.

对了 duì le

by the way

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Duì le, wàimiàn zài xià yǔ, bié wàng le dài sǎn.
  对了，外面在下雨，别忘了带伞。
  By-the-way, outside “zai” go-down-rain, not forget -le bring umbrella.
  By the way, it’s raining outside. Don’t forget to bring an umbrella.
• Duì le, zhōumò yǒu yǎnchànghuì, nǐ xiǎng qù ma?
  对了，周末有演唱会，你想去吗？
  By-the-way, weekend “exist” concert, you want to go -ma?
  By the way, there’s a concert this weekend. Do you want to go?

5.

帽子 màozi

n. ▸ hat

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Zhè dǐng màozi hěn hǎokàn.
  这顶帽子很好看。
  This “ding” hat very good-looking.
  This hat looks really nice.
• Tā dài zhe yì dǐng màozi.
  他戴着一顶帽子。
  He wear -zhe one “ding” hat.
  He is wearing a hat.

6.

了 le

p. ▸ aspect particle used after an action verb and before the object to mark the completion of an action

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ chī le yí kuài qiǎokèlì.
  我吃了一块巧克力。
  I eat -le one “kuai” chocolate.
  I ate a piece of chocolate.
• Tā mǎi le yí liàng xīn chē.
  他买了一辆新车。
  He buy -le one “liang” new vehicle.
  He bought a new car.

7.

白色 báisè

n. ▸ (the) color (of) white

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nà tiáo qúnzi shì báisè de.
  那条裙子是白色的。
  That “tiao” dress is white-color -de.
  That dress is white.
• Wǒ xǐhuan báisè de huā, hěn piàoliang.
  我喜欢白色的花，很漂亮。
  I like white-color -de- flower, very pretty.
  I like white flowers. They’re very pretty.

8.

已经 yǐjīng

adv. ▸ already

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ yǐjīng dào jīchǎng le, nǐmen ne?
  我已经到机场了，你们呢？
  I already arrive airport -le, you-guys -ne?
  I’m already at the airport. What about you?
• Zhè ge Hànzì wǒ yǐjīng xué guo le.
  这个汉字我已经学过了。
  This “ge” Chinese-character I already learn -guo -le.
  I’ve already learned this character.

9.

放 fàng

v. ▸ to add sth. into sth.

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tāng li fàng yán le ma?
  汤里放盐了吗？
  Soup-inside put-in salt -le -ma?
  Did you add salt to the soup?
• Nín de kāfēi yào fàng táng ma?
  您的咖啡要放糖吗？
  You -de- coffee need to put-in sugar -ma?
  Would you like sugar in your coffee?

10.

都 dōu

adv. ▸ both; all

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ hé gēge dōu xǐhuan tīng yīnyuè.
  我和哥哥都喜欢听音乐。
  I and big-brother both like listening to music.
  My older brother and I both like listening to music.
• Tāmen dōu shì xuéshēng.
  他们都是学生。
  They all are student.
  They are all students.

11.

洗澡 xǐzǎo

v. / v. phr. ▸ to take a shower; to take a bath

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tā zhèngzài xǐzǎo.
  他正在洗澡。
  He “in process of” take-shower.
  He is taking a shower right now.
• Nǐ zǎoshang xǐzǎo háishì wǎnshang xǐzǎo?
  你早上洗澡还是晚上洗澡？
  You morning take-shower or evening take-shower.
  Do you shower in the morning or at night?

12.

戴 dài

v. ▸ to wear (accessories)

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tā dài zhe yǎnjìng.
  他戴着眼镜。
  He wear -zhe eye-glasses.
  He is wearing glasses.
• Tā dài de xiàngliàn zhēn piàoliang!
  她戴的项链真漂亮！
  She wear -de- necklace really pretty!
  The necklace she’s wearing is really pretty!

13.

或者 huòzhě

conj. ▸ or (used in declarative sentences)

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒmen jīntiān huòzhě míngtiān qù dōu kěyǐ.
  我们今天或者明天去都可以。
  We today or tomorrow go both okay.
  Going today or tomorrow is fine.
• Wǒ xiǎng mǎi zhè ge, huòzhě nà ge.
  我想买这个，或者那个。
  I want to buy this-“ge”, or that-“ge”.
  I want to buy this one, or that one.

14.

难吃 nánchī

adj. ▸ (of food) bad tasting

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Zhè dào cài zhēnde hěn nánchī.
  这道菜真的很难吃。
  This “dao” dish really very difficult-to-eat.
  This dish tastes really bad.
• Zhè jiā diàn de pīsà wǒ juéde hěn nánchī.
  这家店的披萨我觉得很难吃。
  This “jia” shop -de- pizza (-) I feel very difficult-to-eat.
  I think this shop’s pizza tastes pretty bad.

15.

难看 nánkàn

adj. ▸ bad-looking; not entertaining-to-watch

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Zhè ge diànyǐng hěn nánkàn.
  这个电影很难看。
  This “ge” movie very difficult-to-watch.
  This movie is really boring.
• Zhè ge shèjì zhēn nánkàn.
  这个设计真难看。
  This “ge” design really difficult-to-look-at.
  This design is really ugly.

16.

跳舞 tiàowǔ

v. / v. phr. ▸ to dance

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ huì tiàowǔ ma?
  你会跳舞吗？
  You know-how to dance -ma?
  Can you dance?
• Wǒ xǐhuan kàn biérén tiàowǔ.
  我喜欢看别人跳舞。
  I like watch other-people dance.
  I like watching other people dance.

17.

懂 dǒng

v. ▸ to understand

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ dǒng yì diǎnr Zhōngwén.
  我懂一点儿中文。
  I know one “dian” Chinese.
  I understand a little Chinese.
• Zhè ge zì de yìsi wǒ bú tài dǒng.
  这个字的意思我不太懂。
  This “ge” Chinese-character -de- meaning I not too understand.
  I don’t really understand the meaning of this character.

18.

刷牙 shuā yá

v. phr. ▸ to brush teeth

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ shuā yá le ma?
  你刷牙了吗？
  You brush-teeth -le -ma?
  Have you brushed your teeth?
• Wǒ yòng diàndòng yáshuā shuā yá.
  我用电动牙刷刷牙。
  I use electric toothbrush to brush teeth.
  I use an electric toothbrush to brush my teeth.

19.

上个月 shàng ge yuè

n. phr. ▸ last month

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Shàng ge yuè wǒ qù lǚyóu le.
  上个月我去旅游了。
  Last “ge” month I go travel -le.
  I went traveling last month.
• Tā shàng ge yuè zhǎodào gōngzuò le.
  他上个月找到工作了。
  He last “ge” month find job -le.
  He found a job last month.

20.

下个月 xià ge yuè

n. phr. ▸ next month

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒmen xià ge yuè jiéhūn.
  我们下个月结婚。
  We next “ge” month get-married.
  We’re getting married next month.
• Xià ge yuè wǔ hào shì wǒ de shēngrì.
  下个月五号是我的生日。
  Next “ge” month 5th is I -de- birthday.
  The 5th of next month is my birthday.