VOCABULARY USAGE

1.

可以吗 kěyǐ ma

can(?); (is it) okay

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Jīntiān bù xíng, míngtiān kěyǐ ma?
  今天不行，明天可以吗？
  Today not work, tomorrow can -ma?
  Today doesn’t work. Is tomorrow okay?
• Tài guì le, piányi diǎn kěyǐ ma?
  太贵了，便宜点可以吗？
  Too expensive -le, cheap “dian” can -ma?
  It’s too expensive. Is a little cheaper okay?

2.

们 men

suffix ▸ used after pronouns or nouns that refer to people, indicating the plural

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Xuéshēng men dōu xǐhuan xīn lái de lǎoshī.
  学生们都喜欢新来的老师。
  Student -men all like new arrive -de- teacher.
  The students all like the new teacher.
• Tóngshì men dōu hěn máng.
  同事们都很忙。
  Coworker -men all very busy.
  The coworkers are all busy.

3.

打电话 dǎ diànhuà

v. phr. ▸ to make phone call(s)

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ gāngcái zài gěi shéi dǎ diànhuà ne?
  你刚才在给谁打电话呢？
  You just-now “zai” to whom make phone-call -ne?
  Who were you calling just now?
• Wǒ dǎ diànhuà quèrèn yíxià.
  我打电话确认一下。
  I make phone-call confirm one “xia”.
  I’ll call to confirm real quick.

4.

干吗 gànmá

q.pron. ▸ to do what

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ zhǎo wǒ gànmá?
  A 你找我干吗？
  You seek me to do what?
  What do you need me for?
  Bú gànmá.
  B 不干吗。
  Not to do what(/anything).
  Nothing.
• Tā zài gànmá, zěnme hái bu lái?
  他在干吗，怎么还不来？
  He to do what, how-come still not arrive?
  What is he doing? Why is he still not here?

5.

天 tiān

n. ▸ sky

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Jīntiān de tiān hěn lán, zhēn hǎokàn.
  今天的天很蓝，真好看。
  Today -de- sky very blue, really good-looking.
  Today’s sky is so blue. It looks great.
• Nǐ kàn, tiān shang yǒu yí jià fēijī!
  你看，天上有一架飞机！
  You look sky-surface “exist” one “jia” plane!
  Look, there’s a plane in the sky!

6.

手 shǒu

n. ▸ hand (sometimes can be used to refer to forearm)

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ xíguàn yòng zuǒshǒu háishi yòushǒu?
  你习惯用左手还是右手？
  You are-used-to use left-hand or right-hand?
  Do you usually use your left hand or your right hand?
• Wǒ kěyǐ qiān nǐ de shǒu ma?
  我可以牵你的手吗？
  I can lead-along your hand -ma?
  Can I hold your hand?

7.

要 yào

m.v. ▸ soon will

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ yào zhǔnbèi shuìjiào le, wǎn’ān!
  我要准备睡觉了，晚安！
  I should prepare sleep -le, good-night!
  I’m going to get ready for bed now. Good night!
• Tāmen cái rènshi yí ge yuè, yǐjīng yào jiéhūn le.
  他们才认识一个月，已经要结婚了。
  They “as soon as” meet one “ge” month, already intend to get-married -le.
  They’ve only known each other for a month, and they’re already about to get married.

8.

米饭 mǐfàn

n. ▸ cooked rice

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ xǐhuan chī mǐfàn, bù xǐhuan chī miàntiáo.
  我喜欢吃米饭，不喜欢吃面条。
  I like eat cooked-rice, not like eat noodles.
  I like eating rice, and I don’t like noodles.
• Wǒ xiǎng yào yì wǎn mǐfàn, xièxie.
  我想要一碗米饭，谢谢。
  I want to have one bowl cooked-rice, thanks.
  I’d like a bowl of rice, thanks.

9.

经常 jīngcháng

adv. ▸ frequently; often

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ jīngcháng lái zhèlǐ hē kāfēi.
  我经常来这里喝咖啡。
  I often come here drink coffee.
  I often come here to drink coffee.
• Nǐmen kěyǐ jīngcháng lái wánr.
  你们可以经常来玩儿。
  You-guys can often come to play.
  You can come hang out here often.

10.

教 jiāo

v. ▸ to teach; to instruct

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ kěyǐ jiāo wǒ xué Zhōngwén ma?
  你可以教我学中文吗？
  You can teach me learn Chinese -ma?
  Can you teach me Chinese?
• Wǒ péngyou zài jiāo wǒ kāi chē.
  我朋友在教我开车。
  My friend “zai” teach me drive-vehicle.
  My friend is teaching me how to drive.

11.

错 cuò

adj. ▸ incorrect; wrong

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Zhège diànhuà hàomǎ zěnme shì cuò de?
  这个电话号码怎么是错的？
  This “ge” phone number how-come is incorrect -de?
  Why is this phone number wrong?
• Wǒmen zǒu cuò lù le, děi dào huíqu.
  我们走错路了，得倒回去。
  We walk wrong road -le, have to reverse go-back.
  We took the wrong way, we have to turn back.

12.

欢迎 huānyíng

v. ▸ to welcome

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Huānyíng nǐ lái wǒ jiā zuòkè!
  欢迎你来我家做客！
  Welcome you come to my house to be guest.
  You’re welcome to come over to my place!
• Huānyíng nǐmen jīngcháng lái wán!
  欢迎你们经常来玩！
  Welcome you-guys often come to play!
  Come by and hang out anytime!

13.

久 jiǔ

adj. ▸ long (for time)

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Bàoqiàn, ràng nǐ děng le zhème jiǔ.
  抱歉，让你等了这么久。
  Sorry, make you wait -le this long.
  Sorry to keep you waiting so long.
• Wǒmen hǎojiǔ méi yìqǐ chīfàn le!
  我们好久没一起吃饭了！
  We very long not together eat-meal -le!
  We haven’t eaten together in ages!

14.

每年 měinián

n. phr. ▸ every year; each year

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tā měinián dōu yào chūguó lǚyóu yí cì.
  她每年都要出国旅游一次。
  She every year all need to go-abroad to travel one “time”.
  She travels abroad once every year.
• Měinián de zhège shíhou wǒmen dōu hěn máng.
  每年的这个时候我们都很忙。
  Every year -de- this “ge” time we all very busy.
  We’re always busy around this time every year.

15.

做饭 zuò fàn

v. phr. ▸ to make a meal; to do the cooking

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tā bú ài zuò fàn, jīngcháng diǎn wàimài.
  他不爱做饭，经常点外卖。
  He not love make meal, often order delivery-food.
  He doesn’t like cooking, so he often orders delivery.
• Nǐ zuò fàn, wǒ xǐ wǎn.
  你做饭，我洗碗。
  You make meal, I wash bowl.
  You cook, I’ll do the dishes.

16.

牛 niú

n. ▸ ox; cow; cattle

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ shǔ hǔ, wǒ gēge shǔ niú.
  我属虎，我哥哥属牛。
  I “belong to” Tiger, my big-brother “belong to” Ox.
  I’m a Tiger, and my older brother is an Ox.
• Tā de nóngchǎng li yǎng le yìbǎi tóu niú.
  他的农场里养了一百头牛。
  He -de- farm inside raise -le 100 “tou” cows.
  He has 100 head of cattle on his farm.

17.

好听 hǎotīng

adj. ▸ (of people's voice, music, etc.) good-sounding

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ juéde shénme lèixíng de yīnyuè hǎotīng?
  你觉得什么类型的音乐好听？
  You think what type -de- music good-sounding?
  What kind of music do you think sounds good?
• Nǐ shuōhuà de shēngyīn zhēn hǎotīng!
  你说话的声音真好听！
  You talk -de- voice really good-sounding!
  Your speaking voice sounds really nice!

18.

难听 nántīng

adj. ▸ unpleasant to listen to; bad-sounding

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ juéde zhè shǒu gē bù nántīng.
  我觉得这首歌不难听。
  I think this “shou” song not bad-sounding.
  I don’t think this song sounds bad.
• Wūyā de jiàoshēng hěn nántīng.
  乌鸦的叫声很难听。
  Crow -de- cry sound very unpleasant-to-listen-to.
  The crow’s call sounds really unpleasant.

19.

这里 zhèlǐ

pron. ▸ here

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ lái guo zhèlǐ ma?
  你来过这里吗？
  You come -guo here -ma?
  Have you been here before?
• Bùhǎoyìsi, zhèlǐ bù néng xīyān.
  不好意思，这里不能吸烟。
  Sorry, here not can inhale-cigarette.
  Sorry, you can’t smoke here.

20.

那里 nàlǐ

pron. ▸ there

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ hái méi qù guo nàlǐ.
  我还没去过那里。
  I still not go -guo there.
  I still haven’t been there before.
• Nàlǐ bú tài hǎo tíng chē.
  那里不太好停车。
  There not too good park vehicle.
  It’s not very easy to park there.